National Campaign for Sustainable Agriculture

Environmental Quality Incentives Program (EQIP)

Program Description

The Environmental Quality Incentives Program (EQIP) is a voluntary conservation program that promotes agricultural production and environmental quality as compatible national goals. Through EQIP, farmers and ranchers may receive financial and technical help to install or implement structural and management conservation practices on eligible agricultural land.

Program Administration

EQIP is administered by the Natural Resources Conservation Service at the state and local level with the state conservationist making most of the final decisions. Recommendations are made to the State Conservationists by the State Technical Committees (STCs), which include agency and non-governmental members, including farmers. People can try to get on their state technical committee to influence this process. Most STCs have an EQIP subcommittee.

Program Status

The proposed rule was published in the Federal Register on February 10, 2003. The public comment period on this proposed rule closes on March 12, 2003 (see urgent action alert below). Following public comment, the final rule and the new EQIP program manual will be developed. The program manual is far more detailed than the rule, and is the basis for program training and implementation.

Using the Program

Apply to your local or state NRCS office for funding. You can find your local office in the white pages of the phone book or by going to http://www.nrcs.usda.gov/about/organization/regions.html. NRCS evaluates each application using a state and locally developed evaluation process.

EQIP applications are accepted throughout the year. You can apply at any time and your application will be pending until the money is available.

Criteria for Eligibility

Producers engaged in livestock or crop production on eligible land may apply for the program. Eligible land includes cropland; rangeland; pasture; private non-industrial forestland; and other farm or ranch lands, as determined by the Secretary.

Who to Contact

There are EQIP subcommittees at state level in most states- contact your state NRCS office for more information.

Martha Noble, Sustainable Agriculture Coalition, mnoble@msawg.org

Resources on the Internet

NRCS's EQIP page: http://www.nrcs.usda.gov/programs/eqip/