Agriculture Commissioner Steve Troxler sits down each week with Southern Farm Network’s Rhonda Garrison to discuss “Today’s Topic.”
The federal government has designated 33 counties in Eastern North Carolina as a Sentinel Landscape. This designation will include the development of voluntary programs of incentives for landowners and local governments that want to participate.
The designation is part of a joint partnership between the U.S. Agriculture, Interior and Defense departments. It aims to strengthen farms, ranches and forests while conserving habitat and natural resources. It also seeks to protect vital training grounds for military installations.
The designation should help a lot of farm families in Eastern North Carolina remain on their land and continue farming. At the same time, Troxler says, it will help protect beautiful and diverse natural resources, maintain forestlands, and help maintain North Carolina’s commitment to being one of the most military-friendly states in the country.
The best part about the program is that it’s voluntary, and it will provide opportunities for landowners and local governments at many different levels. Conservation programs will be announced in the coming months, and funding will be provided by state and federal resources.
North Carolina is one of three new Sentinel Landscapes; the others are in Florida and Minnesota. Our state is the first to have multiple military branches, military bases and counties included in the program.
Click on the audio player below to listen to Commissioner Troxler and Rhonda discuss the Sentinel Landscape.
[Audio:/wp-content/uploads/Troxler_7-19-16.mp3|titles=Today’s Topic for July 19]
Southern Farm Network is a division of Curtis Media Group.