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2008 Farm Bill - Environmental Quality Incentives
Program (EQIP)
Updated 1/14/2010
 EQIP
Overview
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, farmers
and ranchers receive financial and technical assistance to implement structural
and management conservation practices that optimize environmental benefits on
working agricultural land. EQIP is re-authorized through the Food, Conservation,
and Energy Act of 2008 (2008 Farm Bill).
(See EQIP brochure.)
Accepting applications
EQIP applications are accepted through a continuous sign-up process.
NRCS-Arizona periodically announces cutoff dates when applications are ranked
for funding. NRCS-Arizona encourages customers to apply at any
time, and ranking periods will be announced.
Legislative Changes for
EQIP in 2008 Farm Bill
The 2008 Farm Bill clarifies EQIP purposes to include forest
management and energy conservation, as well as practices related to organic
production and fuels management. Increased payments are authorized for socially
disadvantaged farmers or ranchers in addition to beginning and limited resource
producers – up to 90 percent.
It further allows these individuals to receive in advance up to
30 percent of the amount needed for purchasing materials or contracting.
Priority will be given to water conservation or irrigation
efficiency applications that will reduce water use or where the producer agrees
not to use any associated water savings to bring new land under irrigation
production.
Assistance to organic production operations will be based on
producers agreeing to develop and carry out organic system plans. Payments for
conservation practices related to organic production may not exceed $20,000 per
year or $80,000 during any 6-year period.
The overall payment limitation is reduced to $300,000 per person
or legal entity over a 6-year period. The Secretary of Agriculture may raise the
limitation to $450,000 for projects of special environmental significance,
including those involving methane digesters.
Applications that improve conservation practices or systems
already in place at the time of offer acceptance will be given priority. Offers
shall be grouped by similar crop or livestock operations for evaluation
purposes.
National funding for each fiscal year is authorized as follows: $1.2 billion
for 2008; $1.337 billion for 2009; $1.45 billion for 2010; $1.588 billion for
2011; and $1.75 billion for 2012
Environmental and Operational Benefits
EQIP can provide financial and technical assistance to plan and
design such measures as:
- Irrigation and water management, including such
items as: efficient irrigation upgrades, irrigation scheduling,
tailwater recovery systems, etc.
- Grazing management: fencing, stockwater
systems, range and pasture planting, etc.
- Nutrient management: manure storage
structures, planned nutrient applications, soil testing, etc.
- Pest management: crop and pest monitoring
activities, planned pesticide applications, etc.
- Erosion control: grade control structures,
diversions, water and sediment control basins,
- Wildlife habitat enhancement: stream buffers,
fish screens, fish passage, upland wildlife habitat establishment,
etc.
These and the many other measures included in EQIP can help producers
accomplish a variety of operational goals, which may include:
- Improvements to the long-term productivity and sustainability of
an agricultural operation;
- Improved condition of crops and forage for livestock;
- Reduced costs for fuel, labor, fertilizers and pesticides;
- Energy efficient systems and field operations; and
- Compliance with regulatory requirements.
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More Information:
Please contact your local
NRCS-Arizona field office for more information
or
Kevin Stein, Farm Bill
Specialist, (602) 280-8800
<
NRCS Arizona program page
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