Oct. 18 is the deadline for St. Lawrence County farmers to apply for the USDA Environmental Quality Incentives Program (EQIP) and Wildlife Habitat Incentives Program (WHIP) for Fiscal Year (FY) 2014.

EQIP offers financial assistance for practices which address soil erosion, water quality and habitat degradation, by means of measures such as strip cropping, grassed waterways and manure storage facilities. Focus areas include soil health, livestock waste, habitat, forestry and grazing.

WHIP helps participants restore and protect fish and wildlife habitat in grassland and shrub land areas.

Those interested in applying may visit http://www.ny.nrcs.usda.gov/programs/general_information/how_to_apply.html, or can contact the local NRCS field office at 1942 Old DeKalb Rd, Canton, or call 386-2401.

Applications accepted after Oct. 18 may be considered if additional application rounds are announced, or in FY2015. All applications are competitive and are ranked based on national, state and locally identified resource priorities and the overall benefit to the environment.