RICHMOND, Va., July 10,  2024 – The Virginia Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS) is announcing Oct. 11, 2024 close of business, as the batching date by which all Fiscal Year (FY) 2025  applications for all NRCS financial assistance programs must be received by the local NRCS Service Center. The programs are: the Agricultural Conservation Easement Program (ACEP), the Conservation Stewardship Program (CSP), the Environmental Quality Incentives Program (EQIP), and the Regional Conservation Partnership Program (RCPP).  Additionally, to be considered for funding in FY25, the applicants above, must be 100% eligible by close of business on Dec. 13, 2024. To learn more about how to become eligible for USDA financial assistance programs, visit Get Started at Your USDA Service Center. 

Agricultural Conservation Easement Program (ACEP)

ACEP protects the agricultural viability and related conservation values of eligible land by limiting nonagricultural uses which negatively affect agricultural uses and conservation values, protect grazing uses and related conservation values by restoring or conserving eligible grazing land, and protecting and restoring and enhancing wetlands on eligible land.

ACEP has two components:

• Agricultural Land Easements (ALE) help private and tribal landowners, land trusts, and other entities such as state and local governments protect croplands and grasslands on working farms and ranches by limiting non-agricultural uses of the land through conservation easements.
• Wetland Reserve Easements (WRE) help private and tribal landowners protect, restore and enhance wetlands which have been previously degraded due to agricultural uses.

Conservation Stewardship Program (CSP)

CSP is the nation’s largest conservation program in terms of the number of acres enrolled and is designed to help agricultural producers have more robust conservation activities.

Using CSP, agricultural producers and forest landowners earn payments for actively managing, maintaining and expanding conservation activities including cover crops, ecologically-based pest management, buffer strips and pollinator and beneficial insect habitat – all while maintaining active agricultural or forest production on their land. CSP also encourages the adoption of new technologies and new management techniques, such as irrigation monitoring, precision agriculture applications, improved grazing systems, on-site carbon storage and planting for high carbon sequestration rate and new soil amendments to improve water quality.

Environmental Quality Incentives Program (EQIP)

EQIP is NRCS’ flagship conservation program that helps farmers, ranchers and forest landowners integrate conservation into working lands.

EQIP provides financial and technical assistance to address natural resource concerns and to deliver environmental benefits, such as improved water and air quality, conservation of ground and surface water, reduced soil erosion and sedimentation, improved soil health and plant condition and improved or created wildlife habitat.

Regional Conservation Partnership Program (RCPP)

RCPP is a partner-driven approach to conservation that funds solutions to natural resource challenges on agricultural land. 

By leveraging collective resources and collaborating on common goals, RCPP demonstrates the power of public-private partnerships in delivering results for agriculture and conservation.

RCPP projects fall under two different categories:  RCPP Classic and RCPP Grants. RCPP Classic projects are implemented using NRCS contracts and easements with producers, landowners and communities in collaboration with project partners. In RCPP Grants, the lead partner must work directly with agricultural producers to support the development of new conservation structures and approaches that would not otherwise be available under RCPP Classic.

 How to Apply

Applications must be submitted to your local USDA NRCS office. Each applicant must establish themselves as a USDA customer and obtain all Farm Service Agency (FSA) eligibility requirements by Dec. 13, 2024. Please note, Adjusted Gross Income (AGI) determination takes an average three weeks to be processed by the Internal Revenue Service (IRS). It is highly recommended that applicants submit their completed AGI form to FSA several weeks prior to the FSA eligibility determination deadline of Dec. 13, 2024. Submitting your AGI form to FSA on the last day of the application period will result in your AGI eligibility not being met by the deadline for Fiscal Year 2025.

Although applications are accepted on a year-round basis, eligible applicants interested in ACEP, CSP, EQIP or RCPP must first submit their application to their local service center by Oct. 11, 2024, and then submit all* of the following eligibility determinations to FSA by Dec. 13, 2024:

• Highly erodible lands and wetland determination (AD 1026)
• Adjusted Gross Income form (CCC 941)
• Farm and track eligibility determination
• Farm operating plan (CCC 902)
• *Additional documentation may be required for ACEP applications

Applicants that are not 100% eligible by close of business on Dec 13, 2024 will not be considered for funding in FY25. 

NRCS will conduct an assessment and rank all eligible applications received by the batching date. NRCS will fund applications in ranking order as funding allows.

To learn more about becoming eligible for USDA NRCS financial assistance visit Get Started at Your USDA Service Center. 

More information

For more information about NRCS programs and assistance, visit www.va.nrcs.usda.gov or contact the NRCS service office serving your county/locality.