Oregon Farm Bill Programs

NRCS offers a variety of programs to help farmers, ranchers, family forests, Tribes, and conservation partners perform voluntary conservation on private lands. NRCS programs are funded through the Farm Bill. Here's the programs we currently offer in Oregon:

Financial Assistance Programs

Environmental Quality Incentives Program (EQIP) - Our most popular financial assistance program. EQIP offers financial and technical assistance for structural and management conservation practices on working agricultural lands. NRCS Oregon uses a strategic approach to conservation to administer its general EQIP dollars. By using a strategic approach, NRCS works with local communities, partners and landowners to determine county-level resource concerns and priorities, and focuses its EQIP investments in those areas. These priorities are addressed in a local Conservation Implementation Strategy, or CIS. We offer several categories of EQIP funding: general EQIP, which are specific to a CIS area, and statewide EQIP Initiatives such as the Organic Initiative, High Tunnel Initiative, and Sage Grouse Initiative.

Grant Programs

Conservation Innovation Grants (CIG) - These grants spur the development and wide-scale adoption of new technologies and approaches to address pressing natural resource concerns in an agricultural setting.

Stewardship Programs

Conservation Stewardship Program (CSP) - The nation's largest voluntary conservation program (by acres) for working lands. CSP encourages farmers, ranchers and woodland owners to take their conservation a step further by adopting additional conservation activities and enhancements, while also sustaining their current level of conservation.

Partnership Programs

Regional Conservation Partnership Program (RCPP) - Offers new opportunities for conservation partners and agricultural producers to work together to harness innovation, expand the conservation mission and demonstrate the value and efficacy of voluntary, private lands conservation.

Joint Chiefs Landscape Restoration Partnership - A partnership between the chiefs of two USDA agencies, NRCS and the Forest Service, to reduce wildfire risk and improve forest health on at-risk lands across the nation, treating both public and private forestlands.

Conservation Easements

Agricultural Land Easements (ALE) - Protects working agricultural lands for future generations and limits non-agricultural uses and development of the land. Part of the Agricultural Conservation Easements Program (ACEP).

Wetland Reserve Easements (WRE) - Restores, enhances and protects wetland habitats. Part of the Agricultural Conservation Easements Program (ACEP).

Other Conservation Programs

Emergency Watershed Protection Program (EWP) - Supports emergency measures, including the purchase of flood plain easements and construction activities to safeguard lives and property due to damages from floods, drought, fire or other natural occurrences.

Conservation Planning Assistance

Conservation Planning Assistance - A guide to assist farmers, ranchers and landowners plan and develop conservation measures.

Plant Materials Centers - Develops conservation plant solutions and technology applicable for regions across the country. The Corvallis Plant Materials Center supports western Oregon and Washington.