Fiscal Year 2019 National Programmatic, Landscape Initiatives, and State Initiatives Funded through the Environmental Quality Incentives Program (EQIP) (This page is under construction. Check back often for updates).
Wildlife (competitive on a Statewide basis) (Aquatic, Northern Bobwhite in Pine Savannahs, and Terrestrial)
Initially, Virginia NRCS established two application-batching periods, we are pleased to announce a third application-batching period. All are listed below, and are applicable to all of the offerings listed above.
Batching Periods (2019)
Application Deadline
Ranking Deadline
1
October 19, 2018
November 2, 2018
2
November 2, 2018
November 16, 2018
3
January 18, 2019
February 15, 2019
Application Deadline 1: Applications received by close of business October 19th, 2018:
Applications that are pre-approved for funding MUST meet all USDA Program Eligibility 2019 AGI prior to contract obligation. For more information regarding eligibility for NRCS Financial Assistance programs, visit our Eligibility page.)
Will be screened:
Low Priority: All FY19 applications for the initiatives listed above will be reviewed using the FY19 EQIP General Screening Worksheet. A Yes determination to any one of the questions will result in the application receiving a Low Priority for consideration in FY19. These applications will not be ranked or considered for funding until all eligible applications with a higher priority, that address an eligible resource concern, have been ranked and considered for funding.
Crop and Livestock Applications that receive a High Priority based on this screening will then be ranked, using the appropriate Ranking Tool, by close of business November 2, 2018. Crop and Livestock Applications that receive a Medium priority WILL NOT be ranked until all High Priority applications within the associated NRCS Service Center have been ranked.
All other Initiative Applications that did not receive a Low Priority screening will then be ranked, using the appropriate Ranking Tool, by close of business November 2, 2018.
Application Deadline 2: Applications received by close of business November 2, 2018:
Will be screened:
Low Priority: All FY19 applications will be reviewed using the FY19 EQIP General Screening Worksheet. A Yes determination to any one of the questions will result in the application receiving a Low Priority for consideration in FY19. These applications will not be ranked or considered for funding until all eligible applications with a higher priority, that address an eligible resource concern, have been ranked and considered for funding.
Crop and Livestock Applications that receive a High Priority based on this screening will then be ranked, using the appropriate Ranking Tool, by close of business November 16, 2018. Applications that receive a Medium priority WILL NOT be ranked until all High Priority applications within the associated NRCS Service Center have been ranked.
All other Initiative Applications that did not receive a Low Priority screening will then be ranked, using the appropriate Ranking Tool, by close of business November 2, 2018.
When applying for EQIP, remember that your name, address, and social security number or Employer Identification Number (EIN) must match the information you have used to file your federal income taxes. You must ensure that that this information matches your information with USDA's Farm Service Agency (FSA), and the information provided on your Direct Deposit Form. If you cannot recall your EIN and address used, call the IRS directly at 1-800-829-4933. You should "Request confirmation of Employer Identification Number (EIN), IRS Letter 147C, EIN Previously Assigned. The IRS can fax the letter to you, but you must remain on the line and have a separate open fax line to receive the fax. The letter can be mailed. The requester will receive the IRS Letter 147C, in 7 to 10 business days.
Application Deadline 3: Applications received by close of business January 18, 2019:
Will be screened:
Low Priority: All FY19 applications will be reviewed using the FY19 EQIP General Screening Worksheet. A Yes determination to any one of the questions will result in the application receiving a Low Priority for consideration in FY19. These applications will not be ranked or considered for funding until all eligible applications with a higher priority, that address an eligible resource concern, have been ranked and considered for funding.
Crop and Livestock Applications that receive a High Priority based on this screening will then be ranked, using the appropriate Ranking Tool, by close of business February 15, 2019. Applications that receive a Medium priority WILL NOT be ranked until all High Priority applications within the associated NRCS Service Center have been ranked.
All other Initiative Applications that did not receive a Low Priority screening will then be ranked, using the appropriate Ranking Tool, by close of business November 2, 2018.
When applying for EQIP, remember that your name, address, and social security number or Employer Identification Number (EIN) must match the information you have used to file your federal income taxes. You must ensure that that this information matches your information with USDA's Farm Service Agency (FSA), and the information provided on your Direct Deposit Form. If you cannot recall your EIN and address used, call the IRS directly at 1-800-829-4933. You should "Request confirmation of Employer Identification Number (EIN), IRS Letter 147C, EIN Previously Assigned. The IRS can fax the letter to you, but you must remain on the line and have a separate open fax line to receive the fax. The letter can be mailed. The requester will receive the IRS Letter 147C, in 7 to 10 business days.
Conservation Practices available and their respective Payment Rates are available in our FY19 EQIP Payment Schedule.
Applications are grouped by which Resource Concerns they seek to address. Below are Virginia's Resource Concern Categories. When you apply, your local NRCS representative will assist you in determining your resource concerns.
Resource Concerns, Ranking Tools and Available Conservation Practices. Practice availability varies land use. Consult your NRCS Conservation Planner to learn more.
National Program Initiatives: Strikeforce Cropland, Livestock, High Tunnel System; Organic Initiative; and On-Farm Energy Initiative (Documents require Acrobat Reader)
StrikeForce: USDA launched the StrikeForce for Rural Growth and Opportunity in 2010 to ensure underserved communities in rural America gain equal access to all USDA programs and services. Since that time, it has grown to encompass over 400 counties and Indian reservations in 20 states. NRCS in Virginia joined this effort in 2013, partnering with other USDA agencies and local nonprofit organizations to host outreach meetings to increase awareness of and enrollment in NRCS programs among producers who have not traditionally worked with NRCS. To apply for StrickForce, the eligible land must be within designated StrikeForce Localities.
StrikeForce Cropland: Water Quality Concerns - Assistance to improve soil quality and protect water quality with an emphasis on crop rotations, high residue crop production and erosion control practices.
Strikeforce Livestock: Assistance to establish riparian buffers; establish and implements grazing systems; and assistance to store, manage, and apply animal waste and other nutrients more effectively and efficiently while minimizing any associated environmental risks.
StrikeForce Conservation Activity Plans (Also available Statewide): Financial assistance for the creation of Conservation Activity Plans or CAPs. CAPS are created by Technical Service Provders and identify resource concerns and address a specific natural resource need. Typically, these plans are specific to certain kinds of land use such as transitioning to organic operations, grazing land or forest land.
Conservation Activity Plan Ranking Summary Available Practices
Practice Code
Practice Name
Practice Code
Practice Name
128
Agricultural Energy Management Plan
110
Grazing Management Plan
102
Comprehensive Nutrient Management Plan
114
Integrated Pest Management Plan
138
Conservation Plan Supporting Organic Transition
118
Irrigation Water Management Plan
130
Drainage Water Management Plan
104
Nutrient Management Plan
108
Feed Management Plan
146
Pollinator Habitat Plan
142
Fish and Wildlife Habitat Plan
112
Prescribed Burning Plan
106
Forest Management Plan
StrikeForce High Tunnel (Also available Statewide): A polyethylene-covered structure, at least six feet high, which modifies the climate to create more favorable growing conditions for vegetable and other specialty crops grown in the natural soil beneath it. To be eligible, the land upon which the High Tunnel will be sited, MUST be producing or produced during the last growing season, agricultural crops which typically could be grown within a High Tunnel.
Organic Initiative: Provides financial assistance to help implement conservation practices for organic producers and those transitioning to organic to address natural resource concerns. It also helps growers meet requirements related to National Organic Program (NOP) requirements and certain program payment limitations.
On-Farm Energy Initiative: Enables the producer to identify ways to conserve energy on the farm via the an agricultural energy management plan (AgEMP). An AgEMP is a detailed documentation and inventory of the energy consuming activities and components of the current agricultural operation. The plan will document a typical prior year of on-farm energy consumption, and the strategy by which the producer will explore and prioritize their on-farm energy conservation concerns, objectives, and opportunities.
Landscape Conservation Initiatives: Joint Chief's Landscape Restoration Initiative; Lone Leaf Pine Initiative; National Water Quality Initiative (Gap Creek, Mountain Run, and War Branch); and Working Lands for Wildlife (American Black Duck, Northern Bobwhite in Working Grasslands, and Golden-winged Warbler
American Black Duck: Available practices aim to protect, restore and create emergent wetland and forested wetland habitat, manage invasive plants, and combat habitat loss due to development, pollution and wetland conversion.
Golden Winged Warbler: to assist private land owners create and maintain the habitat necessary to sustain breeding populations within and adjacent to their current range. It focuses on the creation, management and maintenance of early successional habitat in close association with forested landscapes. Conservation efforts in support of the golden-winged warbler benefit many other species that depend on similar habitat.
Restoration and Management of Rare and Declining Habitats
647
Early Successional Habitat Development/Management
612
Tree/Shrub Establishment
382
Fence
490
Tree/Shrub Site Preparation
386
Field Border
645
Upland Wildlife Habitat Management
394
Firebreak
644
Wetland Wildlife Habitat Management
666
Forest Stand Management
Cropland: Water Quality Concerns - Assistance to improve soil quality and protect water quality with an emphasis on crop rotations, high residue crop production and erosion control practices.
Livestock: Assistance to establish riparian buffers; establish and implements grazing systems; and assistance to store, manage, and apply animal waste and other nutrients more effectively and efficiently while minimizing any associated environmental risks.
The primary goal of applications within this fund pool is to improve soil quality, plant productivity and health, and the quality of forage for livestock via the installation/implementation of conservation practices that address these resource concerns. Supporting or associated conservation practices that will be installed/implemented in association with applications within this fund pool will address the following resource concern: soil erosion, insufficient water for livestock, and livestock production limitations. Open to grazing operations within Augusta or Highland counties.
Application Deadline: 5:00 pm 6/21/2019. Applications received by this deadline will be reviewed using the FY19 EQIP General Screening Worksheet. A Yes determination to any one of the questions will result in the application receiving a Low Priority for consideration in FY19. These applications will not be ranked or considered for funding until all eligible applications with a higher priority, that address an eligible resource concern, have been ranked and considered for funding.
