USDA Natural Resources Conservation Service Accepting 2025 CSP & EQIP Applications through November 22, 2024

• Conservation Stewardship Program (CSP)
• Environmental Quality Incentives Program (EQIP)

CSP assists agricultural producers maintain and improve their existing conservation systems and adopt additional conservation activities to address priority resources concerns. Participants earn CSP payments for conservation performance—the higher the performance, the higher the payment. CSP funding opportunities are available for Agricultural land (cropland and pasture), Nonindustrial Private Forest (NIPF), and Urban Agriculture operations.  NOTE: unfunded FY2025 CSP-Renewals will be automatically deferred to the FY2025 General CSP sign-up.

EQIP contracts provide financial assistance to help plan and implement conservation practices to improve soil health, water quality, improve grazing and forest lands, and establish or improve wildlife habitat. EQIP can also help Arkansas farmers and landowners meet Federal, State, and local environmental regulations. 

Inflation Reduction Act: This initial sign-up will include Inflation Reduction Act (IRA) funded opportunities for all CSP and EQIP programs.  Inflation Reduction Act applications will be accepted state-wide and must include Climate Smart Agricultural and Forestry (CSAF) activities. Supporting practices or activities may be requested to include in the IRA application but will only be included in a conservation plan if they facilitate a CSAF practice.

 NRCS accepts program applications continuously. However, to be considered for funding during this signup applications must be received by November 22, 2024.  Applications received after this date will be considered in later funding periods, subject to funding availability.

Additionally, NRCS offers special initiatives, including:

• Organic Initiative - helps producers install conservation practices on certified organic operations or those working toward organic certification.
• On-Farm Energy Initiative - helps producers conserve energy on their operations.
• EQIP Conservation Incentive Contracts (CIC) https://www.nrcs.usda.gov/eqip-conservation-incentive-contracts - provides financial assistance to address priority resource concerns, including sequestering carbon and improving soil health in high-priority areas. Through these contracts, NRCS works with producers to strengthen the quality and condition of natural resources on their operations using management practices that target resource concerns including degraded soil condition and soil erosion. The focus within Arkansas for CIC is to increase the adoption Prescribed Grazing and improving grazing systems on Pasture and Grazing lands. Conservation Incentive Contracts last five years.
• Strikeforce – additional assistance for underserved producers in 48 persistent poverty counties: Arkansas, Bradley, Chicot, Clark, Colombia, Dallas, Desha, Drew, Hempstead, Howard, Jackson, Lafayette, Lawrence, Lee, Mississippi, Monroe, Nevada, Newton, Ouachita, Phillips, Randolph, Searcy, Sevier, St. Francis, Woodruff, Ashley, Clay, Conway, Craighead, Crittenden, Franklin, Fulton, Independence, Izard, Jefferson, Johnson, Lincoln, Madison, Miller, Montgomery, Poinsett, Polk, Scott, Sebastian, Sharp, Stone, Union, and Van Buren.
• Strikeforce Healthy Forest (Keeping It In the Family) Initiative – additional assistance for underserved producers to improve forestlands with forestry conservation practices in 18 counties: Bradley, Calhoun, Clark, Cleveland, Columbia, Dallas, Drew, Hempstead, Howard, Jefferson, Lafayette, Little River, Miller, Nevada, Ouachita, Pike, Sevier, Union.
• Working Lands for Wildlife Northern Bobwhite Quail Initiative - provides financial and technical assistance to producers to enhance early successional habitat to aid in bobwhite quail recovery.
• Migratory Bird Resurgence Initiative (MBRI) - provides financial assistance to Arkansas producers for migratory bird and waterfowl habitat.
• High Tunnel Initiative - High tunnels protect plants from severe weather and allow farmers to extend their growing seasons – growing earlier into the spring, later into the fall, and sometimes, year-round.
• Urban Ag/Small Scale Initiative - For urban operations in this particular sign-up, NRCS offers technical and financial assistance with conservation practices, such as conservation cover; conservation crop rotation; cover crops; high tunnel systems; irrigation system, micro irrigation; Irrigation Water Management; low tunnel systems; Mulching; Nutrient management; Pest management conservation system; Prescribed grazing; Raised beds; Residue and tillage management – no-till; Residue and tillage management – reduced till; Roof Runoff Structure; Soil carbon amendment; and Wildlife habitat planting.
• Arkansas Groundwater Initiative (AGWI) - targeted approach to address critical groundwater decline issues in the Arkansas Delta, providing assistance to agricultural producers in eight counties: Arkansas, Prairie; and portions of Craighead, Cross, Lonoke, Monroe, Poinsett, St. Francis.
• National Water Quality Initiative (NWQI) Existing Projects – provides financial and technical assistance to improve water quality and aquatic habitats in priority watersheds with impaired streams. Projects include: Saline Headwaters – portions of Howard, Pike, and Polk counties, Upper Village Creek – portions of Lawrence and Randolph counties, Lower Little Red River – portions of White County, Bayou Bartholomew – portions of Drew and Chicot counties
• Mississippi River Basin Initiative (MRBI) Existing Projects – provides assistance to improve water quality in the following project areas: Candy Creek – portions of St. Francis and Lee counties, Twin Creeks – portions of Cross, Woodruff, St. Francis counties, Izard Lower Strawberry – portions of Izard and Sharp counties, Canal 43 – portions of Desha, Drew, Chicot counties, County Line Strawberry – portions of Sharp and Lawrence counties, Flat Hills – portions of Poinsett and Cross counties, Glade-Raft-White Oak Creek – portions of White and Prairie counties, Lee County – portions of Lee, St Francis, and Phillips counties, Lower White-Bayou Des Arc – portions of Prairie county, West Craighead – portions of Lawrence, Greene, Craighead, and Jackson counties, Arkansas County Lower White – portion of Arkansas county, North Big Creek-Strawberry River – portions of Sharp and Izard counties, Honey Cypress-Buffalo Creek – portions of Craighead and Mississippi counties, Lower Strawberry – Izard, Sharp, and Independence counties

All applications will be evaluated for funding based on local, state and nationally developed criteria to optimize environmental benefits. Applications ranking highest in a funding category will be funded according to priority and is subject to availability of program funds.

The ACT NOW process will be used for some EQIP funding pools. ACT NOW allows NRCS to expedite application approval and contract obligation in a designated ranking pool when an eligible application meets or exceeds a state-determined minimum ranking score

Eligible applications will be batched and processed in the order they’re received, with selections made weekly beginning November 8, 2024. Act Now applications will be accepted on a continuous sign-up basis until November 22,2024, or until funds have been expended. 

Arkansas FY2024 ACT NOW Opportunities include:

• AR Cover Crop Initiative
  • Conservation Practices available for funding: 340-Cover Crop
  • Minimum Ranking Score Threshold: 100 points
• AR Energy Audit
  • Conservation Practices available for funding:  120 Agricultural Energy Design and 228 Agricultural Energy Assessment
  • Minimum Ranking Score Threshold: 25 points
• AR Energy Initiative:
  • Conservation Practices available: 374 Energy Efficient Agricultural Operation, 670 Energy Efficient Lighting System, and 672 Energy Efficient Building Envelope
  • Minimum Ranking Score Threshold: 50 points

Please 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 USDA Service Center Locator.