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Pennsylvania NRCS ProgramsNRCS's natural resources conservation programs help people reduce soil erosion, enhance water supplies, improve water quality, increase wildlife habitat, and reduce damages caused by floods and other natural disasters. Public benefits include enhanced natural resources that help sustain agricultural productivity and environmental quality while supporting continued economic development, recreation, and scenic beauty. Programs
Program News
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Program Highlight - EQIP
The Environmental Quality Incentives Program (EQIP) provides
technical and financial help to land owners to implement conservation
practices that protect soil and water quality. |
Through Conservation Technical Assistance, NRCS assists landowners and land
users, communities, units of state and local government, Tribes, and other
Federal agencies in planning and implementing conservation systems.
The first step in seeking NRCS assistance is to call your local USDA Service
center and make an appointment with NRCS staff that will help you identify the
natural resource problems and opportunities on your farm, define your
conservation objectives, and inventory your soil, water, air, plant and animal
resources. Much of this information will require a field visit to see your
operation and to evaluate the resource concerns you may have. You can work with
NRCS to develop a conservation plan. Financial assistance from NRCS farm bill
programs or other Federal, State and local conservation programs may be
available to help fund some of the conservation practices outlined in your plan.
See the links below for detailed information on programs Pennsylvania NRCS has
to offer.
The Conservation Reserve Program (CRP) and Conservation Reserve Enhancement
Program (CREP) provide technical and financial assistance to eligible farmers
and landowners to address soil, water, wildlife, and related natural resource
concerns on their lands in an environmentally beneficial and cost-effective
manner. The programs provide assistance in complying with Federal, State, and
tribal environmental laws, and encourages environmental enhancement. The program
is funded through the Commodity Credit Corporation (CCC). Both programs are
administered by the Farm Service Agency, with NRCS providing technical land
eligibility determinations, Environmental Benefit Index Scoring, and
conservation planning. The Commonwealth of Pennsylvania and the Pennsylvania
Game Commission provide additional funding for CREP. Eligibility varies by soil
type and crop history. Land is accepted into program if bid qualifies.
EQIP provides technical and financial help to landowners for conservation
practices that protect soil and water quality.
Grassed waterways, stream fencing, critical area planting, terraces, manure
management systems including storage structures and barnyard runoff protection,
and many other conservation practices are eligible for EQIP. Agricultural
producers on agricultural land are eligible. Projects are selected based on
environmental value.
Contracts run for 1-10 years. Ag producers may be eligible for financial
assistance. Public Access is not required. Contact your local NRCS office, or
the local Land Conservation Department.
The Farm and Ranch Lands Protection Program (FRPP) helps farmers keep
productive land in agriculture. The Program provides matching funds to State,
Tribal, non-profit, or local government entities with existing programs that
protect farmland through the purchase of conservation easements or development
rights. Individual landowners participate voluntarily and retain all rights to
use the property for agriculture. Projects are selected through a competitive
application process.
Eligible land includes privately owned working farms with productive soils that
have a pending offer for purchase of development rights from an eligible entity.
Location, size, and existing protections, such as zoning, must support long-term
agricultural use. In Wisconsin, easements must be permanent. Local programs are
reimbursed up to 50% of the cost of the easement. Public Access is not required.
When properly managed, grasslands can result in cleaner, healthier streams,
and reduced sediment loads in water bodies. These lands are vital for the
production of livestock forage and provide forage and habitat for maintaining
healthy wildlife populations. They also add to the beauty of the landscape,
provide scenic vistas and open space, provide for recreational activities and
protect the soil from water and wind erosion.
WHIP can develop or improve wildlife habitat on privately owned land through
installation of in-stream structures, restoring prairies and oak savannas,
providing brush management and control of invasive species. Almost any type of
land is eligible, including ag and non-ag lands.
Normally, a 5-year contract is required to maintain habitat. WHIP provides
funding to assist with restoration costs. Public access is not required.
The WRP is to restore wetlands previously altered for agricultural use.
Eligible land is land which has been owned for one year and can be restored to
wetland conditions. Landowners may restore wetlands with permanent or 30-year
easements or 10-year contracts. Permanent easements pay 100% of the agricultural
value of the land and 100% cost-sharing; 30-year easements pay 75% of the
agricultural value and 75% cost-sharing; 10-year contract pays 75% cost-share
only.
Permanent or 30-year easements recorded with property deed. Ten-year contract is
not recorded with deed. Public Access is not required.
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