FARMINGTON — The USDA Natural Resources Conservation Service reminds agricultural producers the sign-up deadline for assistance through the Environmental Quality Incentives Program is Monday, July 1.

The program offers technical and financial assistance to agricultural producers to implement conservation practices such as grassed waterways and diversion ditches, cover crops, conservation crop rotation and tillage, and mulching. Funds are available to assist producers in addressing such concerns as soil and water quality, grazing land conservation, animal waste management, forest stand improvement and irrigation water management, according to a news release. Any producer engaged in livestock, crop, or forest production on eligible land may apply for the program. Eligible land includes crop land, pastures and private non-industrial forests. The conservation service accepts applications on a continuous basis. However, only applications which are received by July 1 will be considered for general EQIP funding in fiscal year 2014. Applications received after this date will be considered for funding in 2015.

Producers interested in the program should come into the USDA Service Center at 107 Park St., in Farmington, to complete an application and begin the conservation planning process.

For more information, visit the www.me.nrcs.usda.gov, or call 778-4767, ext. 105.