NRCS Accepting Applications from Virginia Organic Producers for Conservation Programs

RICHMOND, Va. Feb. 05, 2024 – USDA’s Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS) in Virginia is now accepting applications from organic producers for a special signup through the Environmental Quality Incentives Program (EQIP). Producers must apply by March 6 at 4 p.m. to be eligible for funding in fiscal year 2025.

Eligible producers include farmers, ranchers, forest landowners and other producers beginning or in the process of transitioning to organic certification.

Available practices include:

• Code No. 823 -- Organic Management

• Code No. 138 -- Conservation Plan Supporting Organic Transition

• Code No. 140 -- Transition to Organic Design

• Code No. 327 -- Conservation Cover

• Code No. 336 – Soil Carbon Amendment

• Code No. 328 -- Conservation Crop Rotation

• Code No. 329 -- Residue and Tillage Management, No-Till

• Code No. 340 -- Cover Crop

• Code No. 345 – Residue and Tillage Management, Reduced Till

• Code No. 386 -- Field Border

• Code No. 390 – Riparian Herbaceous Cover

• Code No. 391 – Riparian Forest Buffer

• Code No. 512 – Pasture and Hay Planting

• Code No. 590 -- Nutrient Management

Applications are available at your local Virginia USDA Service Center or online at USDA's Get Started with NRCS webpage and are accepted on a continuous basis; however, NRCS VA has established a cutoff or batching date for evaluation, ranking and approval of eligible applications. New USDA customers will also need to establish farm records with USDA’s Farm Service Agency (FSA), if not on file already. 

Higher payment rates and other options are available for historically underserved producers including socially disadvantaged, beginning, military veteran and limited-resource farmers and ranchers.

For more information, visit farmers.gov.

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