The Environmental Quality Incentives Program (EQIP) is a voluntary conservation program that helps agricultural producers in a manner that promotes agricultural production and environmental quality as compatible goals. Through EQIP, agricultural producers receive financial and technical assistance to implement structural and management conservation practices that optimize environmental benefits on working agricultural land.
Accepting Applications
EQIP applications are accepted on a continuous basis, however, NRCS establishes application "cut-off" or submission deadline dates for evaluation, ranking and approval of eligible applications. EQIP is open to all eligible agricultural producers and submitted applications may be considered or evaluated in multiple funding pool opportunities. The following document describes how to apply for Farm Bill programs or visit the following website: Get started with NRCS national page.
Agricultural producers and owners of non-industrial private forest land and Tribes are eligible to apply for EQIP. Eligible land includes cropland, rangeland, pastureland, non-industrial private forest land and other farm or ranch lands.
Applicants must:
Control or own eligible land
Comply with adjusted gross income limitation (AGI) provisions
Be in compliance with the highly erodible land and wetland conservation requirements
Develop an NRCS EQIP plan of operations
Additional restrictions and program requirements may apply.
Participant Responsibilities
Applicants are responsible for completing and filing all application and eligibility paperwork as required. If funded, participants are required to sign a contract and agree to implement the planned conservation practices to NRCS standards and specifications as scheduled.
Socially Disadvantaged, Beginning, and Limited Resource Farmers/Ranchers, Military Veteran Farmers
The 2014 Farm Bill continues to address the unique circumstances and concerns of socially disadvantaged farmers and ranchers, as well as beginning and limited resource farmers and ranchers and Veteran Farmers. It provides for voluntary participation, offers incentives, and focuses on equity in accessing U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) programs and services. Enhancements include increased payment rates and advance payments of up to 50 percent to purchase materials and services needed to implement conservation practices included in their EQIP contract.
Colorado is committed to reaching out to Historically Underserved individuals and groups. Historically Underserved participants may also receive higher payment rates in addition to being considered in high priority funding pools. See the Small & Limited and Beginning Farmers and Ranchers page for the NRCS definition of the Historically Underserved.
National and State Priorities
The following national priorities, consistent with statutory resources concerns that include soil, water, wildlife, air quality, and related natural resource concerns, may be used in EQIP implementation:
Reductions of nonpoint source pollution, such as nutrients, sediment, pesticides, or excess salinity in impaired watersheds consistent with total maximum daily loads (TMDL) where available; the reduction of surface and groundwater contamination; and the reduction of contamination from agricultural sources, such as animal feeding operations
Conservation of ground and surface water resources
Reduction of emissions, such as particulate matter, nitrogen oxides, volatile organic compounds, and ozone precursors and depleters that contribute to air quality impairment violations of National Ambient Air Quality Standards
Reduction in soil erosion and sedimentation from unacceptable levels on agricultural land
Promotion of at-risk species habitat conservation including development and improvement of wildlife habitat
Energy conservation to help save fuel, improve efficiency of water use, maintain production, and protect soil and water resources by more efficiently using fertilizers and pesticides, and
Biological carbon storage and sequestration
In addition, Colorado has identified the following priorities:
Water Quality and Quantity: irrigation systems, water control structures and irrigation water management
Grazing management: fencing, stockwater systems, range and pasture planting
Forest Health: forest timber removal and woody residue treatment
Decision Making Process for EQIP
Input from Outside Groups, Agencies, and Citizens: The list of eligible practices in Colorado, payment rates and limits, eligible resource concerns, and state scoring criteria are developed based on input and recommendations from the State Technical Committee (STC). The STC is made up of representatives from various agribusinesses, producer groups, conservation organizations, and federal, state, and tribal government agency representatives.
The priorities set at the state and county level are those that the STC and LWG respectively determined were of the greatest need and would have the greatest positive environmental impact. The scoring process at both the state and local level was developed in order to select those projects that would provide the greatest environmental benefit, and therefore provide the greatest public good.
Fiscal Year 2017 EQIP Deadlines
Applications submitted by February 17, 2017 will be evaluated to be considered for funding in fiscal year 2017. Applications received after that date will be accepted and evaluated for future rounds of funding.
This initiative provides eligible landowners and producers with financial and technical assistance to implement cost effective and innovative practices to improve air quality in Colorado.
Beginning Farmer Rancher (BFR) and Socially Disadvantaged Producer (SDFR) – Grazing Land Operations
The primary focus of these funding pools are to assist socially disadvantaged, beginning, and limited resource farmers/ranchers, Veteran farmers address resource concerns on livestock operations.
Beginning Farmer Rancher (BFR) and Socially Disadvantaged Producers (SDFR) – Water Quality and Quantity
The primary focus of these funding pools are to assist socially disadvantaged, beginning, and limited resource farmers/ranchers, Veteran farmers address resource concerns on irrigated cropland operations.
The purpose of the Colorado River Salinity Program is to reduce salt loading from cropland within the Colorado River Basin. Funding is offered within designated project areas.
EQIP funding is available for the development of a Conservation Activity Plan (CAP). A CAP can be developed for producers to identify conservation practices needed to address a specific natural resource need. Typically, these plans are specific to certain kinds of land use such as transitioning to organic operations, grazing land, forest land, or can also address a specific resource need such a plan for management of nutrients.
The grazing land fund pool addresses natural resource concerns on operations involving production of livestock. Colorado offers this funding pool on a watershed basis.
The purpose of the High Tunnel System for crops is to assist producers to extend the growing season for high value crops in an environmentally safe manner. The practice has the potential to assist producers to address resource concerns by improving plant quality, improving soil quality, and reducing nutrient and pesticide transport.
This initiative is to help farmers and ranchers voluntarily create and enhance lesser prairie-chicken habitat and maintain the viability and profitability of their operations.
NWQI helps producers implement conservation systems to reduce nitrogen, phosphorous, sediment and pathogen contributions from agricultural land in the following watersheds:
The On-Farm Energy Initiative enables the producer to identify ways to conserve energy on the farm through two types of Agricultural Energy Management Plans (AgEMP) for headquarters and/or for landscape, also known as an on-farm energy audit (headquarters and/or landscape); and by providing financial and technical assistance to help the producer implement various measures and practices recommended in these on-farm energy audits.
The Organic Initiative provides financial assistance to help implement conservation practices for organic producers or those transitioning to organic. The Initiative addresses natural resource concerns and also helps growers meet requirements related to National Organic Program (NOP) requirements.
The focus of this funding pool is to address resource concerns that improve the overall soil health of the land. Colorado offers this funding pool on a watershed basis
The SWF effort assists landowners restore degraded riparian ecosystems, and is part of the NRCS and U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service Working Lands for Wildlife partnership to combat the decline of specific wildlife species.
StrikeForce is part of the Obama Administration’s commitment to address persistent poverty across America. Specific funding is being used to increase awareness and use of USDA programs in historically underserved customer areas.
Colorado offers this funding pool on a watershed basis to address water quality and quantity resource concerns primarily on irrigated cropland and adjacent areas.
A priority of EQIP is for the promotion of at-risk species habitat conservation. The Wildlife Habitat funding pool is available to Colorado producers who will restore, develop, or enhance wildlife habitat.
The list of eligible practices and rates are provided in the 2017 Payment Schedule (coming soon). The Payment Schedule identifies practice payment limits that may apply and conditions where the practices may apply. Contact your local service center for assistance in determining which payment rate would apply to individual projects.
A Conservation Activity Plan or CAP can be developed for producers to identify conservation practices needed to address a specific resource need. EQIP payment rates for CAPs are found in 2017 CAP Payment Schedule (coming soon).
