The Environmental Quality Incentives Program (EQIP) is NRCS’ flagship conservation program that helps farmers, ranchers and forest landowners integrate conservation into working lands.
Through EQIP, NRCS provides agricultural producers and non-industrial forest managers with financial resources and one-on-one help to plan and implement conservation practices that improve the quality of the water, air, soil, and wildlife habitat while optimizing agricultural operations.
Utah Ranking Criteria and Payment Schedules
EQIP in Utah: ACT Now
NRCS Utah will be using the ACT Now process as outline in the Conservation Programs Manual 530.37 for selected fund pools. NRCS Utah’s ACT NOW allows for immediate approval and obligation of a ranked application in a designated ranking pool when an eligible application meets or exceeds a State-determined minimum ranking score. This means an expedited process for qualifying applications.
Utah ACT NOW Pools for FY2024:
- CSP (all pools); Threshold ranking score of 20.
- CSP-IRA (all pools); Threshold ranking score of 20.
- EQUIP:
- Livestock Water Emery County SFP — Threshold ranking score of 45.
- Cache Soil Health SFP — Threshold ranking score of 35.
$75,000 allocated for ACT Now. - Great Salt Lake Water OPP SFP — Threshold ranking score of 70.
$225,000 allocated for ACT Now. - Mendon South SFP — Threshold ranking score of 20.
$675,000 allocated for ACT Now. - Logan City Urban Ag SFP — Threshold ranking score of 70.
$37,500 allocated for ACT Now. - Rich FIIWHI SFP — Threshold ranking score of 60.
$90,000 allocated for ACT Now. - Wayne County Irrigation SFP — Threshold ranking score of 50. $375,000 allocated for ACT Now.
Environmental Quality Incentive Program - Conservation Incentive Contract (EQIP-CIC)
This program combines EQIP Classic practices with the benefits of enhancements with the Conservation Stewardship Program (CSP) into High Priority Areas (HPA) determined by the State Conservationist in Utah.
Deadlines for EQIP, EQIP-CIC, EQIP-IRA Initiative fund pools are:
- November 3, 2023: Batch 1 application deadline.
- March 29, 2024: Batch 2 application deadline.
- June 28, 2024: Batch 3 application deadline.
National Priorities
- Colorado River Basin Salinity Control Program
- On-Farm Energy Initiative
- High Tunnel System
- National Water Quality Initiative:
- Organic Initiative
- Sage Grouse Initiative
- Southwest Willow Flycatcher
State Priorities
- Livestock Production Limitation
- Field Sediment, nutrient, and pathogen loss
- Source Water Depletion
- Soil Quality Limitation
- Terrestrial Habitat
- Fire Management
- Storage and Handling of Pollutants
Urban Agriculture
Urban farms empower people to solve food access issues in their community by providing locally grown fruits and vegetables. Agricultural producers of non-industrial private forestland and Tribes are eligible to apply for EQIP. Eligible land includes cropland, rangeland, pastureland, non-industrial private forestland and other farm or ranch lands. Additional restrictions and program requirements may apply. Learn more about assistance available to urban agricultural producers.
Socially Disadvantaged, Beginning, Limited Resource, and Military Veteran Farmers and Ranchers
The 2018 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 and ranchers. It provides for voluntary participation, offers incentives, and focuses on equity in accessing U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) programs and services. Enhancements include higher payment rates and advance payments. Utah is committed to reaching out to these historically underserved individuals and groups. See the Small & Limited and Beginning Farmers and Ranchers page for more information.
Davie Stokes
davie.stokes@usda.gov
Program Manager (EQIP, AMA)
USDA-Natural Resources Conservation Service
340 North 600 East
Richfield, UT 84701
(435) 609-9187
Additional Information
Apply for Environmental Quality Incentives Program (EQIP)
The Environmental Quality Incentives Program (EQIP) provides financial and technical assistance to agricultural producers and non-industrial forest managers.
Learn MoreHistorically Underserved Farmers and Ranchers
The Agriculture Improvement Act of 2018 (2018 Farm Bill) includes provisions that address the unique circumstances and concerns of socially disadvantaged, beginning, limited resource, and veteran farmers and ranchers (“historically underserved producers”).
Learn MoreFarm Bill
The 2018 Farm Bill was enacted on December 20, 2018. The Farm Bill continues its strong support for conservation efforts of America’s farmers and ranchers through reauthorization and expanded flexibility of NRCS conservation programs.
Learn MoreReady to get started?
Contact your local service center to start your application.
How to Get Assistance
Do you farm or ranch and want to make improvements to the land that you own or lease?
Natural Resources Conservation Service offers technical and financial assistance to help farmers, ranchers and forest landowners.
To get started with NRCS, we recommend you stop by your local NRCS field office. We’ll discuss your vision for your land.
NRCS provides landowners with free technical assistance, or advice, for their land. Common technical assistance includes: resource assessment, practice design and resource monitoring. Your conservation planner will help you determine if financial assistance is right for you.
We’ll walk you through the application process. To get started on applying for financial assistance, we’ll work with you:
- To fill out an AD 1026, which ensures a conservation plan is in place before lands with highly erodible soils are farmed. It also ensures that identified wetland areas are protected.
- To meet other eligibility certifications.
Once complete, we’ll work with you on the application, or CPA 1200.
Applications for most programs are accepted on a continuous basis, but they’re considered for funding in different ranking periods. Be sure to ask your local NRCS district conservationist about the deadline for the ranking period to ensure you turn in your application in time.
As part of the application process, we’ll check to see if you are eligible. To do this, you’ll need to bring:
- An official tax ID (Social Security number or an employer ID)
- A property deed or lease agreement to show you have control of the property; and
- A farm number.
If you don’t have a farm number, you can get one from USDA’s Farm Service Agency. Typically, the local FSA office is located in the same building as the local NRCS office. You only need a farm number if you’re interested in financial assistance.
NRCS will take a look at the applications and rank them according to local resource concerns, the amount of conservation benefits the work will provide and the needs of applicants. View Application Ranking Dates by State.
If you’re selected, you can choose whether to sign the contract for the work to be done.
Once you sign the contract, you’ll be provided standards and specifications for completing the practice or practices, and then you will have a specified amount of time to implement. Once the work is implemented and inspected, you’ll be paid the rate of compensation for the work if it meets NRCS standards and specifications.