Environmental Quality Incentives Program

Application Deadline for FY 2017 Funding Consideration - Nov. 18, 2016

Introduction

The Environmental Quality Incentives Program (EQIP) is a voluntary program that provides financial and technical assistance to agricultural producers to plan and implement conservation practices that improve soil, water, plant, animal, air and related natural resources on agricultural land and non-industrial private forestland. EQIP may also help producers meet Federal, State, Tribal, and local environmental regulations.

Who Can Apply

Owners of land in agricultural or forest production or persons who are engaged in livestock, agricultural or forest production on eligible land and that have a natural resource concern on that land may apply to participate in EQIP. Eligible land includes cropland, rangeland, pastureland, non-industrial private forestland and other farm or ranch lands.

Eligible applicants must:

• Be agricultural producer (person, legal entity, or joint operation who has an interest in the agricultural operation, or who is engaged in agricultural production or forestry management).
• Control or own eligible land.        
• Comply with adjusted gross income (AGI) for less than $900,000.  Note: Federally recognized Native American Indian Tribes or Alaska Native corporations are exempt from the AGI payment limitations.
• Be in compliance with the highly erodible land and wetland conservation requirements.
• Develop an NRCS EQIP plan of operations that addresses at least one natural resource concern.

Additional program requirements may apply.

How EQIP Works

Financial Assistance Payments Are Made On Completed Practices

Financial assistance payments through EQIP are made to eligible producers, to implement approved conservation practices on eligible land or to help producers develop Conservation Activity Plans (CAP) to address specific land use issues.
Payments are made on completed practices or activities identified in an EQIP contract that meet NRCS standards. Payment rates are set each fiscal year and are attached to the EQIP contract when it is approved.  Payment rates for each conservation practice can be found at each NRCS State Programs website.

Historically Underserved Producers May Be Eligible For Higher Payment Rates

Historically underserved producers (limited resource farmers/ranchers, beginning farmers/ranchers, socially disadvantaged producers, Indian Tribes and veteran farmer or ranchers) who self-certify on Form NRCS-CPA-1200, Conservation Program Application are eligible for a higher practice payment rate to support implementation of contracted conservation practices and activities.

Historically underserved producers may also be issued advance payments up to 50 percent of the established payment rate to purchasing materials or contracting services to begin installation of approved conservation practices.

Self-certified socially disadvantaged farmer/rancher, beginning farmers/ranchers, and veteran farmer/rancher producers may elect to be evaluated in special EQIP funding pools.  More information can be found on the State Programs website or from your local NRCS office.

For additional information about historically underserved producers categories, see the Socially Disadvantaged, Beginning, and Limited Resource Farmers/Ranchers, Veteran Farmers page.

Payment and Contract Limitations

Payments received by producers through EQIP contracts after February 7, 2014 may not exceed $450,000 for all EQIP contracts entered into during the period 2014 to 2018.

The EQIP Organic Initiative contracts are limited to $20,000 per fiscal year and $80,000 during any 6-year period for persons or legal entities. There is no authority to waive the annual payment limitation or total payment limitation.

Federally recognized Indian Tribes are not subject to payment or EQIP contract limitations.

Conservation Activity Plans

A Conservation Activity Plan (CAP) can be developed for producers to address a specific natural resource concern on their agricultural operation. Each CAP is developed by a certified Technical Service Provider (TSP), who is selected by the EQIP participant.

Technical assistance payments for TSPs do not count against the financial assistance aggregate payment limitation or the contract financial assistance payment limitation.
For more information about TSP services, contact your local NRCS office or visit the TSP website.

Application Periods May Differ By State

NRCS accepts and processes EQIP applications on a continuous basis.

However, each state may establish deadlines for one or more application periods in which to consider eligible applications for funding.

Applications submitted after these dates will be evaluated and considered for funding during later funding opportunities.  Producers must submit a complete program application, establish “farm records”, and other documentation to support eligibility to be considered for financial assistance through EQIP.

How To Apply For EQIP

Complete EQIP Application At Your Local NRCS Field Office

To apply for EQIP, visit your local NRCS field office, in your local USDA Service Center.  

Download and complete the EQIP application form (Form NRCS-CPA-1200), to establish or update "farm records" with the Farm Service Agency, and submit all other required information to the local NRCS field office prior to application deadlines.

Step-by-step assistance can be found at http://www.nrcs.usda.gov/getstarted.

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:

1. 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
2. Conservation of ground and surface water resources
3. 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
4. Reduction in soil erosion and sedimentation from unacceptable levels on agricultural land
5. Promotion of at-risk species habitat conservation including development and improvement of wildlife habitat
6. 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
7. Biological carbon storage and sequestration

In addition, Arkansas has identified the following priorities:

1. Soil Quality/Health
2. Water Quantity: insufficient and excess water
3. Water Quality: sediment, nutrients
4. Air Quality
5. Plants: health/structure
6. Fish and Wildlife Habitat
7. Energy

Local and Statewide Funding

Local categories focus on the primary resource issues in a localized area, as identified by the locally-led conservation workgroup representatives for each county or designated local area.

Statewide categories address water quality issues related to animal manure management and sedimentation, improved management of irrigation water and reduction in ground water use, forestland enhancement, livestock production, reduction of erosion, and improvement of wildlife habitat resource concerns.

Primary Issues Addressed by EQIP

EQIP continues to address those primary resource concerns that were identified by locally led groups.  These are:

• Water Quality, animal waste;
• Water Quality, sediment, including erosion control;
• Water Quantity, irrigation (especially groundwater decline);
• Soil Quality, erosion;
• Plant Health, forests;
• Water Quality, forests;
• Plant Health, grazing land; and
• Wildlife Habitat concerns.

Fiscal Year 2016 EQIP Deadlines

Applications submitted by Nov. 18, 2016 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.

To apply for EQIP, visit your local service center

Get Started with NRCS - Do you farm or ranch and want to make improvements to the land that you own or lease? NRCS offers technical and financial assistance to help farmers, ranchers and forest landowners. Visit www.nrcs.usda.gov/getstarted.

2017 EQIP Conservation Practices and Payment Rates (Coming Soon)

• General (pdf, 500 kb)
• Conservation Activity Plans (CAP)
• Illinois River (pdf, 225 kb)
• On-Farm Energy Initiative (pdf, 83 kb)
• Organic Initiative (pdf, 154 kb)
• Seasonal High Tunnel Initiative
• Western Arkansas Woodland Restoration Project
• Joint Chiefs Woodland Restoration 2016-2018 Project

2017 EQIP Ranking Criteria (Coming Soon)

• National
• State for all General EQIP, Statewide & Local Funding Categories
• Local for all Statewide Categories
• Locally Led Workgroup Projects by County

Initiatives and other Programs under EQIP

Special initiative funding includes:  Alternative Crops; Organic Transition and Organic Certified; Seasonal High Tunnel; On-Farm Energy Conservation; Illinois River; Forestry/Woodland Restoration; Wildlife Habitat Conservation; Strike Force (Identified High Poverty Counties); and Historically Underserved Categories (Beginning Farmers, Socially Disadvantaged Farmers, Limited Resource Farmers and Veteran Farmers).

• Conservation Activity Plans (CAP)
• Conservation Innovation Grants
• Local Led Conservation
• National Water Quality Initiative
• On-Farm Energy Initiative
• Organic Initiative
• Seasonal High Tunnel Initiative
• USDA StrikeForce Initiative
• Western Arkansas Woodland Restoration Project
• Joint Chiefs Woodland Restoration 2016-2018 Project

Additional EQIP Information

• 2016 EQIP Information
• 2015 EQIP Information
• 2014 EQIP Information
• 2013 EQIP Information
• National EQIP Web Page

EQIP Program Results Data  FY 2009 - 2014

EQIP results data for years 2009 - 2014 are available on the RCA Soil Viewer website, as HTML or CSV.

2014 Farm Bill EQIP Final Rule Comments, CRIA, EA and FONSI

EQIP Final Rule, on the Federal Register website     

See a summary of the changes on the NRCS Farm Bill website.

See the Civil Rights Impact Analysis, Regulatory Impact Analysis, Environmental Assessment and Finding of No Significant Impact on the NRCS NEPA website.