The State of Ohio will be making funding available to farmers in our area through their H2Ohio program.
As first proposed by Governor Mike DeWine, H2Ohio is a plan put together to help improve water quality in the state while working with farmers to use new farming practices designed to reduce nutrient runoff from agriculture, like soil testing and conservation crop rotation.
The state will be providing $30 million of support for farmers in 14 counties throughout Northwest Ohio. An informational session for farmers was held in Delphos Wednesday afternoon to explain how they can be eligible for the funding.
Those involved with the program say that this is the way to go in making sure that Ohio water is clean.
"I’ve been so inspired by the personal conversations I’ve had with the farmers here in this room about things they're already doing, and the certification program is really way to show the world we’re doing these things, we're proud of the efforts that we’ve taken already, and we’re proud of the fact that we’re moving forward with new practices," said Dorothy Pelanda, director of the Ohio Department of Agriculture.
Seven more informational sessions will also be held within the Maumee Basin over the next week. Farmers who already have a nutrient management plan in place and meet the other requirements can already start applying for funding.
