Home Grown: New water saving grant, up to $1 million per farm

YUMA, Ariz. (KYMA, KECY) - In todays’s Home Grown report, the University of Arizona extension is promoting a new water-saving grant of up to one-million dollars per farm for growers across the state.

One of the most limiting factors to growing crops in Arizona is water. 

So, the state has allocated up to 15-hundred dollars per acre to help farmers become more efficient with their water usage.

The money will help farmers transition away from flood irrigation, to more efficient technologies, expected to provide water savings of 20 percent or more.
“These are state allocated funds, largely originating from a program chaired by Tim Dunn,” said agricultural extension agent, Robert Masson.

Each farm can be given up to one million dollars in funding to improve irrigation.

The University of Arizona is now in charge of the project across the state. 

"The University of Arizona Cooperative Extension group is tasked with administering the reimbursement grants and will assist growers with understanding available options and development of best used practices," said Masson.

The extension review committee will design and review the irrigation efficiency plan for the land and continue to monitor it for several years.  

“Irrigation water use will be monitored by the review committee for three years after installment of the new technology, to advise on optimal in season use and assist with adjustment to salinity management programs,” said Masson.

All applicants must have a grower permit issued by the Arizona Department of Agriculture.

Applications are open now.

Click this email to apply for the grant: CES-WaterGrant@teams.arizona.edu