Connecticut Environmental Quality Incentives Program (EQIP)

EQIP in Connecticut

NRCS accepts applications for EQIP year-round. To be considered for FY 2025 funds for Round 1, applications must be received by October 22, 2024.

Connecticut Priorities

When you apply for EQIP, your application may compete in one or more statewide funding pools, based on the predominant land use and type of conservation project being proposed for funding. 

For fiscal year 2025, Connecticut NRCS is prioritizing Inflation Reduction Act (IRA) funding targeted to help farmers and forest landowners apply climate-smart practices to improve their operations' resiliency and productivity. We're also funding National Water Quality Initiative (NWQI) implementation practices targeted at the Broad Brook, Farm River and Little River watersheds to address water quality resource concerns identified by state and federal partners. 

Connecticut NRCS also offers farmers and forest landowners streamlined application ranking and approval through Act Now.

Scroll down for a complete list of Connecticut NRCS' funding pools and the ranking criteria for each. 

Accepting Applications

EQIP applications are accepted on a continuous basis; however, NRCS establishes application cut-off or submission deadline dates for evaluation, ranking and approval of eligible applications. EQIP is open to all eligible agricultural producers. The following describes how to apply for Farm Bill programs or visit Get Started with NRCS.

• To apply for EQIP, contact your local service center
• Forms needed to sign-up are available on USDA eForms
• Request for Taxpayer Identification Number (IRS-W9)    

Eligibility

EQIP is open to all eligible agricultural producers. To be considered for funding, all applications must meet the criteria for both producer eligibility and land eligibility.

• Applicants must:  

                   - be considered an agricultural producer

                   - have control of the land for the life of the contract

                   - be in compliance with federal highly erodible land and wetland conservation
                     provisions

                   - be within appropriate payment limitation requirements and adjusted gross
                     income requirements

• The land being offered into the program must be agricultural land, non-industrial private forest land, or other land on which agricultural products, livestock, or forest-related products are produced.
• Applications for financial assistance must also be supported by a current conservation plan or a complete farm assessment which documents land and practice eligibility.
• Applicants should contact their NRCS Service Center to make an appointment for conservation planning assistance.
• Additional restrictions and program requirements may apply. 

Participant Responsibilities

Applicants are responsible for completing and filing all application and eligibility paperwork as required. If funded, participants are required to sign a contract and agree to implement the planned conservation practices to NRCS standards and specifications as scheduled.

Decision Making Process for EQIP

Input from outside groups, agencies, and citizens: The list of eligible practices in Connecticut, payment rates and limits, eligible resource concerns, and state scoring criteria are developed based on input and recommendations from the State Technical Committee (STC). The STC is made up of representatives from various agri-businesses, producer groups, conservation organizations, and federal, state, and tribal government agency representatives.

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STARTING A PRACTICE PRIOR TO WRITTEN CONTRACT APPROVAL WILL RESULT IN THE INELIGIBILITY OF THE PRACTICE FOR EQIP ASSISTANCE, UNLESS A WAIVER HAS BEEN APPROVED.

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EQIP Payment Rates

All Connecticut program payment rates and practice scenario descriptions are available on the National USDA NRCS Payment Schedule website. 

Connecticut NRCS, as documented in CT NRCS Instruction 300-398, will apply a practice payment cap when contracting Access Road (CPS 560).  This cap will be applied to all access roads, except those that are prescribed under a Comprehensive Nutrient Management Plan (CNMP). In all other instances, practice payment for Access Road (560) will be capped at 

• $15,000 on all land uses and for all types of Access Road when the contract participant has not self-certified as Historically Underserved (HU).
• $18,000 on all land uses and for all types of Access Road when the contract participant has self-certified as any of the HU participant types and thereby qualifies for 90% payment rates. (Beginning Farmer, Socially Disadvantaged, Limited Resource and Veteran Farmer – who also qualify as BF or SD). 

A waiver to this policy is available and may only be approved by the State Conservationist or their delegee.

Connecticut Sub-Accounts, Batching Dates, and Ranking Documents

National Initiatives:

EQIP Organic Initiative

Connecticut NRCS accepts applications for EQIP on a continuous basis. Periodically, the state conservationist will announce a batching date and ranking period. All applications that are in an Eligible status on the advertised batching date will be evaluated and considered for funding in that ranking period.

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CONNECTICUT SUB-ACCOUNTS

Connecticut Sub-Accounts and Ranking Documents 

Climate Smart Agriculture and Forestry – using funding through the Inflation Reduction Act (EQIP-IRA) 

EQIP-IRA helps farmers & forest landowners apply Climate-Smart practices like cover crops, conservation tillage, prescribed grazing, nutrient management, tree planting, forage & hay planting, and energy improvements to improve their lands' resiliency and productivity. View our list of climate-smart conservation practices and practice videos from across the country.  

CT EQIP IRA Ranking Pools & Ranking Questions: 

• EQIP IRA Climate-Smart Ag & Forestry – coming soon
• EQIP IRA Climate-Smart Ag & Forestry – HU – coming soon
• EQIP IRA Conservation Incentives Contracts (CIC) 

EQIP Conservation Incentive Contracts are a new option under EQIP through Farm Bill 2018.  EQIP CIC provides financial assistance to adopt conservation activities on working landscapes and provides annual payments, similar to CSP.  The EQIP CIC payment limitation is $200,000 under the 2018 Farm Bill, and is separate from the $450,000 payment limitation for EQIP (EQIP general and IRA funding combined) 

EQIP IRA CIC contracts will focus on addressing at least one of the following resource concerns on a single land use, using at least on priority CSAF practice:  

• Cropland: 
• Field sediment, nutrient, and pathogen loss
• Soil quality limitations
• Weather resilience. 
• Pasture
• Field sediment, nutrient, and pathogen loss
• Livestock production limitation
• Soil quality limitations
• Forest land
• Degraded plant condition
• Pest pressure
• Terrestrial habitat 

EQIP General Ranking Pools and Ranking Questions 

• EQIP Statewide General – includes subcategories for cropland, pasture, forest and livestock waste
• EQIP Historically Underserved – includes subcategories for Beginning Farmers, Socially Disadvantaged Farmers and Veteran Farmers
• EQIP Initiatives – includes subcategories for On-Farm Energy, Seasonal High Tunnel Initiative, and Urban Initiatives
• EQIP Organic 
• EQIP Organic Transition Initiative create CT website for Organic and Organic transition initiative
• EQIP National Water Quality Initiative – includes subcategories for Broad Brook, Farm River and Little River watersheds 

EQIP ACT NOW Ranking Pools and Ranking Questions 

NRCS has developed a faster process to approve applications for conservation programs. Using our “Act Now” authority, NRCS can now pre-approve applications when they meet or exceed a pre-determined minimum ranking score. Applications are ranked according to local resource concerns, the amount of conservation benefits the work will provide, and the needs of applicants. 

For fiscal year 2025, CT NRCS is offering Act Now starting Oct. 7, 2024, and ending April 1, 2025, for the following options: 

• EQIP-IRA ACT NOW – Threshold: ##    

      Includes the following practices: 

• 327 – Conservation Cover
• 328 – Conservation Cover
• 329 – Residue and Tillage Management, No Till 
• 340 – Cover Crops
• 345 – Residue and Tillage Management, Reduced Tillage
• 484 - Mulching
• 512 – Pasture & Hay land Planting
• 590 – Nutrient Management
• 372 – Combustion System Improvement *
• 374 – Energy Efficient Agricultural Operations
• 670 – Energy Efficient Lighting System
• 672 – Energy Efficient Building Envelope 

*Some practice scenarios may not be available in IRA 

• EQIP ACT NOW – Threshold: ##    

            Includes the following practices: 

• All Conservation Planning Activities (CPA) ^±
• All Design and Implementation Activities (DIA) ^±
• All Conservation Evaluation and Monitoring Activities (CEMA) ^±
• 325 - High Tunnel System
• 821 - Low Tunnel 
• 812 - Raised Beds 

^± See more information about NRCS CPAs, DIAs, and CEMAs 

Additional Information

APPLY FOR ENVIRONMENTAL QUALITY INCENTIVES PROGRAM (EQIP)

EQIP provides financial and technical assistance to agricultural producers and non-industrial forest managers.

LEARN MORE (Apply-For-Environmental-Quality-Incentives-Program-EQIP)

HISTORICALLY 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 MORE (Getting-Assistance/Underserved-Farmers-Ranchers)

FARM 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 MORE (Getting-Assistance/Farm-Bill)

Find More Information​ on

• Connecticut EQIP Programs
  Carol Grasis, Assistant State Conservationist/Programs - (860) 871-4028
• Technical Service Providers (TSP)
  Nancy Ferlow, State Resource Conservationist - (860) 871-4049