The USDA Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS) in New York is announcing that the fiscal year (FY) 2026 sign-up deadline for the  Conservation Stewardship Program (CSP), Environmental Quality Incentives Program (EQIP) and EQIP Initiatives including the Great Lakes Restoration Initiative (GLRI), National Water Quality Initiative (NWQI), Working Lands for Wildlife Golden-Winged Warbler (WLFW) and Agricultural Management Assistance (AMA) is Oct. 24, 2025

While applications are accepted on a continuous basis, NRCS utilizes application cutoff periods to assess and rank applications based on their potential conservation impact. 

All applications need to be received by Oct. 24, 2025, to be considered for this first round of funding for FY 2026. Applications received after this date will be held and considered for subsequent rounds, as funding permits. 

Conservation Stewardship Program 

CSP helps farmers and forest landowners expand their conservation activities and take their conservation to the next level. Through CSP, agricultural producers and forest landowners earn payments for actively managing, maintaining, and expanding conservation activities like cover crops, forest stand improvement, tree and shrub establishment 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 precision nutrient management, improved grazing systems, and new soil amendments to improve water quality.                                                                                                       

Environmental Quality Incentives Program 

EQIP helps farmers and forest landowners integrate conservation into working lands. EQIP offers financial and technical assistance to eligible landowners and agricultural producers to implement practices which address resource concerns, including soil health, water quality and habitat degradation. Focus areas include cropland, pastureland, forestland, farmstead and wildlife.

Examples of practices implemented include: cover crops, reduced tillage, high and low tunnels, pasture management, early successional forest habitat, forest stand improvement and manure storage facilities. Many practices now have cost scenarios for small farms so that the specialized costs needed for these operations can be better managed.

Great Lakes Restoration Initiative 

GLRI helps NRCS accelerate conservation efforts on private lands located in targeted watersheds affecting Lake Ontario and Lake Erie. Through GLRI, NRCS-NY works with farmers and landowners to protect watersheds and shorelines from non-point source pollution.

National Water Quality Initiative 

NWQI allows NRCS to target on-farm conservation investments and water quality monitoring to improve impaired watersheds. NRCS-NY is currently focused on using NWQI to enhance watersheds of the Cohocton River.

Golden-Winged Warbler 

The Golden-winged Warbler is a migratory songbird that depends on early successional, young forest habitat for breeding and nesting. This habitat has declined as forests have aged. Landowners are assisting this at-risk bird by voluntarily improving the health of their forests.

Agricultural Management Assistance 

AMA helps agricultural producers use conservation to manage risk and solve natural resource issues through conservation. NRCS-NY targets AMA funding to assist agricultural producers in urban areas.

More Information

To learn more about NRCS programs, producers can contact their local USDA Service Center.  Producers can also apply for NRCS programs, manage conservation plans and contracts, and view and print conservation maps by logging into their farmers.gov account. If you don’t have an account, sign up today. 

For 90 years, NRCS has helped farmers, ranchers and forestland owners make investments in their operations and local communities to improve the quality of our air, water, soil, and wildlife habitat.  NRCS uses the latest science and technology to help keep working lands working, boost agricultural economies, and increase the competitiveness of American agriculture. NRCS provides one-on-one, personalized advice and financial assistance and works with producers to help them reach their goals through voluntary, incentive-based conservation programs.