Sunday,  September 23, 2012 • Vol. 13--No. 068 • 6 of 32 •  Other Editions

(Continued from page 5)

Wildlife that provides landowners with incentives to protect endangered wildlife, along with the certainty that they can keep earning a living farming, ranching and managing their forests.
Finally, we're always focused on new and better ways to give farmers and ranchers tools to conserve the land. We're pioneering new conservation markets that will compensate farmers, ranchers, and forest landowners for cleaner water, better wildlife habitat, and improved land stewardship practices. These emerging markets hold the promise to benefit landowners and the environment.
And through the Conservation Innovation Grants program, since 2009 USDA has provided more than 200 grants to support new technology and innovation such as methane digesters that turn waste into renewable energy. We also recently modified the program to help fund conservation work to help landowners address drought.
Ultimately, by improving our forests, waterways, farmland and fields, USDA will help landowners and land conservation at the same time. We'll continue to create sustainable jobs in rural areas. And we will help protect America's natural resources for generations to come.

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