Irrigatio assistance funding available

    WASHINGTON, D.C. – U.S. Senators Olympia J. Snowe and Susan Collins, along with Congressman Mike Michaud, have announced that a combined $863,390 in federal irrigation assistance funding has been allocated for the state of Maine. Of that, $238,390 has been allocated specifically for Aroostook County. The funding is being distributed by the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s Natural Resources Conservation Service.
    The funding will be used to provide local landowners with grant funding for the expansion of irrigation capacity and agricultural production on land that has either never been irrigated or have not been irrigated in the previous five years.
    “Aroostook County’s farmers will benefit greatly from this funding. Aroostook County faces unique irrigation challenges and it is critical that these fields are fully utilized and don’t become fallow due to lack of proper irrigation. We applaud the USDA for providing funding and look to work to build on this funding to meet the demands for Aroostook County farmers,” said Senators Snowe and Collins and Congressman Michaud in a joint statement.
     Landowners in Aroostook County are eligible to apply for program grants through their local USDA Service Center, or by contacting:
• John Harker at the Agricultural Water Management Board, 287-7620 or john.harker@maine.gov;
•  Fort Kent Service Center, 139 Market Street, 834-3311;
• Houlton Service Center, 304 North Street, 532-2087; or
• Presque Isle Service Center, 99 Fort Fairfield Road, 764-4153.