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Applications for funds from the North Carolina Agricultural Cost Share Program are now open to Hyde County residents through the Hyde County Soil and Water Conservation District for the 2022 program year. 

The Hyde Count SWCD received $34,535 in cost share funds and an additional $7,348 in cost share funds for identified impaired or impacted watershed areas. The district also received $7,500 through the Agricultural Water Resources Assistance Program. The sign up period for applications is now available and will continue through June 20, 2022 or until all funds have been expended. 

The district offers funding on best management practices such as nutrient management, water control structures, land smoothing and one to three year cover cropping. The limit for nutrient management acreage is 250 acres and applicants must agree to carry out the practice for three years on the same land. The incentive payment for this practice is $6.59 per acre. The district is also offering heavy land smoothing for $274.50 an acre and light land smoothing for $219.60 an acre with a maximum of 40 acres for both heavy and light. The district’s acreage limit on cover crop is 150 acres and will no longer have a lifetime capacity, which was previously set by the North Carolina Division of Soil and Water. 

The purpose of the cost share program is to reduce the amount of nutrients entering surface and groundwater through best management practices such as nutrient management.  

For an application or more information about the N.C. Agricultural Cost Share Program, contact the Hyde County Soil and Water Conservation District office, located at 30 Oyster Creek Road, Suite 131 in Swan Quarter. The office is also available at 252-926-4195 or 252-926-5291. Cruise Gibbs, the NCASP Technician, will answer any questions and assist interested parties with the application process.