Support for innovative water saving techniques
USDA is supporting western irrigation districts impacted by persistent drought with water conservation grants.
In these areas, defined with the consent of landowners or citizens, water rights are distributed by a local government public law company.
According to U.S. Secretary of Agriculture Tom Vilsack, the funds are intended to support innovative water-saving techniques and water-saving agricultural practices. The counties in question have a combined total of about 100,000 acres of irrigated land. Farms are the backbone of rural communities across the West, and many are struggling with the ongoing drought, Vilsack said.
Maintaining farms while saving water.
According to the USDA, farms will receive payments if they reduce water use. In particular, improvements in irrigation, changes in farming methods and cropping systems, and other innovative water-saving techniques are encouraged.
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Investments in irrigation can be combined with other areas of farm modernization
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Can't we escape from irrigation?
