Signup Deadline Extended- Alabama Announces Availability of Inflation Reduction Act (IRA) Funding for Climate-Smart Agriculture within the Environmental Quality Incentives and Conservation Stewardship Programs
Alabama Announces Availability of Inflation Reduction Act (IRA) Funding for Climate-Smart Agriculture within the Environmental Quality Incentives and Conservation Stewardship Programs
Alabama Announces Availability of Inflation Reduction Act (IRA) Funding for Climate-Smart Agriculture within the Environmental Quality Incentives and Conservation Stewardship Programs- Signup Deadline Extended
Auburn, Alabama, March 28, 2023 – Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack recently announced the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) is making funding available for agricultural producers and forest landowners nationwide to participate in voluntary conservation programs and adopt climate-smart practices. The Inflation Reduction Act (IRA) provided an additional $19.5 billion over five years for climate smart agriculture through several of the conservation programs that USDA’s Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS) implements. NRCS is making available $850 million in fiscal year 2023 for its oversubscribed conservation programs: the Environmental Quality Incentives Program (EQIP), Conservation Stewardship Program (CSP), Agricultural Conservation Easement Program (ACEP) and Regional Conservation Partnership Program (RCPP).
In Alabama, applications will be accepted state-wide for both IRA-EQIP and IRA-CSP that include Climate Smart Agricultural and Forestry (CSAF) activities (see enclosed list below). Within IRA-EQIP, supporting practices may be requested, but will only be included in a conservation plan if they facilitate a CSAF practice. Within CSP, only those enhancements listed as a CSAF enhancement may be included in an IRA-CSP conservation plan.
Applications are accepted on a continuous basis; however, selecting applications for funding is completed periodically through batching periods with specific cutoff dates. The first cutoff date is April 28th, 2023. Applications received after this date will be held and considered for subsequent funding opportunities as available funds permit.
Within EQIP, special emphasis participants like socially disadvantaged, limited resource, new and beginning, and eligible military veteran farmers and ranchers are eligible for a higher payment. In addition, these historically underserved farmers and ranchers are eligible for a 50 percent advanced payment for purchasing materials or contracting to help with practice implementation in EQIP.
For more information about Alabama NRCS and Programmatic initiatives, priorities and assessment/ranking criteria, visit online at www.al.nrcs.usda.gov. Additionally, visit your local USDA Service Center to determine eligibility; applicants are not eligible for USDA programs until they have ensured all Farm Bill eligibility requirements have been met. You can locate your local Service Center at http://offices.sc.egov.usda.gov.
USDA is an equal opportunity provider, employer and lender. To file a complaint of discrimination, write: USDA, Office of the Assistant Secretary for Civil Rights, Office of Adjudication, 1400 Independence Ave., SW, Washington, DC 20250-9410 or call (866) 632-9992 (Toll-free Customer Service), (800) 877-8339 (Local or Federal relay), (866) 377-8642 (Relay voice users).