With the enactment of the Agricultural Act (February 7, 2014) funding provided for the Wildlife Habitat Incentive Program (WHIP) in FY-2014 is no longer available for obligations. WHIP is not reauthorized.
NRCS will honor and continue to support fiscal year 2014 WHIP program contracts using the rules and policy that was in effect at the time of contract obligations.
Portions of the WHIP Statute were rolled into the Environmental Quality Incentives Program (EQIP). Anyone still interested in applying for wildlife projects in programs should go to theEQIP web page.
The Wildlife Habitat Incentives Program (WHIP) is a voluntary program designed to provide technical and financial assistance to landowners for the establishment and improvement of fish and wildlife habitat. Ranking criteria are used to select the applicants with a conservation plan that will create, enhance or protect wildlife habitat by types of wildlife habitat.
WHIP activities are carried out according to a site specific wildlife conservation plan developed in conjunction with the producer. All wildlife practices are installed according to NRCS technical standards. Producers may elect to use an approved technical service provider for technical assistance.
WHIP offers contracts with a maximum term of 10 years. Program payments for individual practices will vary based on the average cost for a practice's implementation. Eligibility for WHIP is subject to the adjusted gross income provision of the 2008 Farm Bill.
The information on this page lists general WHIP information including ranking criteria, and provides a pre-application tool that will assist landowners to make choices about their conservation plans.
