Environmental Quality Incentives Program (EQIP)

Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS)

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.

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.

NRCS approved conservation practices are often climate adaptation actions, too and help build more resilience landscapes to future climate and variable weather.

No

Financial Assistance Programs

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