Information regarding Emergency Animal Mortality Management can be found here.
We understand it may be hard to get the proper NRCS forms during this time. Use the links below to access forms.
The Environmental Quality Incentives Program (EQIP) is a voluntary conservation program that helps agricultural producers in a manner that promotes agricultural production and environmental quality as compatible goals. Through EQIP, farmers and ranchers receive financial and technical assistance to implement structural and management conservation practices that optimize environmental benefits on working agricultural land. EQIP is open to all eligible agricultural producers without discrimination or bias.
NEXT ROUND DEADLINE: March 27, 2020. NRCS takes EQIP applications throughout the year. Applications received after the March 27th deadline will be considered in future announced application rounds.
Applicants must meet eligibility requirements to be considered for funding. Announcement of an application deadline will include a deadline to meet the eligibility requirements.
Applicants must meet EQIP participant eligibility requirements for:
- Establish Farm Records with FSA
- Adjusted Gross Income requirements
- HELC/WC Compliance
Applicants should file the appropriate forms to establish eligibility as soon as possible after submitting an application. Form NRCS-CPA-1200 Conservation Program Application contains more information about the forms necessary to file to establish eligibility. The necessary forms are available at your local USDA Service Center.
Get Started with NRCS - Do you farm or ranch and want to make improvements to the land that you own or lease? NRCS offers technical and financial assistance to help farmers, ranchers and forest landowners. Learn how here.
- New opportunities for wildlife habitat improvement including priorities to benefit pollinator habitat and treat invasive species.
- Advance payment opportunities now exist for veteran agricultural producers
- Advance payments for socially disadvantaged, beginning and limited resource farmers, Indian tribes and veterans were raised from 30 percent to 50 percent
- Payment limitations are set at $450,000
EQIP applications are accepted through a continuous sign-up process. NRCS encourages customers to apply at any time and periodically announces cutoff dates when applications are ranked for funding. EQIP is open to all eligible ag producers. The following document describes how to apply for Farm Bill programs.
- NOTICE TO APPLICANTS: Starting a practice prior to written contract approval will result in the ineligibility of that practice for EQIP assistance unless a waiver has been approved (see 440-CPM, Part 512, Subpart E)
Notice: Starting a practice prior to written contract approval will result in the ineligibility of that practice for EQIP assistance unless a waiver has been approved.
Indiana is committed to reaching out to Historically Underserved individuals and groups. Socially disadvantaged, beginning and limited resource farmers, Indian tribes and veterans are eligible for an increased payment rate and may receive advance payment of up to 50 percent to purchase materials and services needed to implement conservation practices included in their EQIP contract. Historically Underserved applicants may also be considered in high priority ranking pools.
Agricultural producers and owners of non-industrial private forestland and Tribes are eligible to apply for EQIP. Eligible land includes cropland, rangeland, pastureland, non-industrial private forestland and other farm or ranch lands.
Applicants must:
- Control or own eligible land
- Comply with adjusted gross income limitation (AGI) provisions
- Be in compliance with the highly erodible land and wetland conservation requirements.
- Develop an NRCS EQIP plan of operations
Additional restrictions and program requirements may apply.
Fact Sheet - Establishing Eligibility for USDA Programs (PDF; 970 KB)
Applicants are responsible for completing and filing all application and eligibility paperwork as required. If funded, participants are required to sign a contract and agree to implement the planned conservation practices to NRCS standards and specifications as scheduled.
The 2014 Farm Bill continues to address the unique circumstances and concerns of socially disadvantaged farmers and ranchers, as well as beginning and limited resource farmers and ranchers and Veteran Farmers. It provides for voluntary participation, offers incentives, and focuses on equity in accessing U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) programs and services. Enhancements include streamlined delivery of technical and financial assistance; improved programs and services; and flexibility in decision making (with most decisions made at the Tribal, State, or local level)
For definitions of socially disadvantaged, beginning farmer, limited resource farmer and military veteran farmers, please visit: http://www.nrcs.usda.gov/wps/portal/nrcs/main/national/people/outreach/slbfr
The following national priorities, consistent with statutory resources concerns that include soil, water, wildlife, air quality, and related natural resource concerns, may be used in EQIP implementation:
- Reductions of nonpoint source pollution, such as nutrients, sediment, pesticides, or excess salinity in impaired watersheds consistent with total maximum daily loads (TMDL) where available; the reduction of surface and groundwater contamination; and the reduction of contamination from agricultural sources, such as animal feeding operations
- Conservation of ground and surface water resources
- Reduction of emissions, such as particulate matter, nitrogen oxides, volatile organic compounds, and ozone precursors and depleters that contribute to air quality impairment violations of National Ambient Air Quality Standards
- Reduction in soil erosion and sedimentation from unacceptable levels on agricultural land
- Promotion of at-risk species habitat conservation including development and improvement of wildlife habitat
- Energy conservation to help save fuel, improve efficiency of water use, maintain production, and protect soil and water resources by more efficiently using fertilizers and pesticides and
- Biological carbon storage and sequestration
In addition, Indiana has identified the following priorities:
- Grazing management: fencing, stockwater systems, range and pasture planting
- Nutrient management: manure storage structures, planned nutrient applications, soil testing
- Pest management: crop and pest monitoring activities
- Erosion control: grade control structures, diversions, water and sediment control basins
- Wildlife habitat enhancement: stream buffers, upland wildlife habitat establishment
These and the many other measures included in EQIP can help producers accomplish a variety of operational goals, which may include:
- Improvements to the long-term productivity and sustainability of an agricultural operation;
- Improved condition of crops and forage for livestock;
- Reduced costs for fuel, labor, fertilizers and pesticides;
- Energy efficient systems and field operations; and
- Compliance with regulatory requirements.
EQIP applications are selected for funding based on a ranking score that determines which projects provide the highest environmental benefit. Click on the link below for information about available ranking pools and the ranking development process.
| Ranking Pool |
Ranking Pool Description |
| Conservation Activity Plans |
Offers a wide variety of conservation plan development. |
| Cropland |
Applications where the majority land use is conventional crop land. |
| Confined Livestock |
Any application where at least one practice is related to storage/land application of manure or animal mortality management. |
| Pastureland |
Applications where the majority land use is grazed pasture. |
| Forestland |
Applications where the majority land use is forest land. |
| Specialty Crops, Orchards, Vineyards |
Applications where the majority production system is for subsistence, farm markets, truck crops, orchards, vineyards, high tunnels, etc. |
| Historically Underserved – Beginning Farmer |
For applicants self-certifying as Beginning Farmer. Veteran Farmers considered in this pool receive additional ranking points. |
| Historically Underserved – Socially Disadvantaged |
For applicants self-certifying as Socially Disadvantaged. Veteran Farmers considered in this pool receive additional ranking points. |
| Historically Underserved – Limited Resource |
For applicants self-certifying as Limited Resource. |
| Wildlife Habitat General |
For projects where the primary purpose is to establish or manage wildlife habitat. |
| Wildlife Habitat Pollinators |
For projects where the primary purpose is to establish or manage habitat for pollinators. |
| Wildlife Habitat Invasive Species |
For projects where the primary purpose is to manage invasive species on eligible land to improve habitat. |
| Wildlife Habitat Northern Bobwhite Quail in Working Grasslands |
Available statewide on land which overlaps one of the Indiana DNR C.O.R.R.I.D.O.R.S. priority areas. The goal is to convert tall fescue and other non-native forages to native grasses and forbs and develop prescribed grazing plans to address the habitat needs of bobwhite quail and associated grassland/shrub land species. |
| Monarch Butterfly Habitat Development |
Available statewide. The Monarch Butterfly Habitat Development Project is a multi-state effort focused on increasing monarch habitat on private lands through plantings of milkweed and nectaring forms as well as managing pesticide use in proximity to monarch habitat. A screening tool is used to prioritize applications in this fund category. |
| National Organic Initiative |
Available statewide. A self-certification sheet is required to be completed by the participant for this ranking pool. |
| National On-Farm Energy Initiative |
Available statewide. Provide assistance for producers to obtain an energy audit, energy efficiency project design or assistance for a limited number of energy efficiency conservation practices. |
| Great Lakes Restoration Initiative |
Available for targeted GLRI watersheds identified for the initiative to improve water quality on ag land and manage eligible lands for invasive species. |
| Western Lake Erie Basin |
A landscape initiative to improve water quality in the Great Lakes region on ag land. |
| National Water Quality Initiative |
A landscape Initiative to improve water quality in targeted watersheds. |
| Mississippi River Basin Restoration Initiative |
A landscape Initiative to improve water quality in targeted watersheds. |
| RCPP-EQIP Preventing Nutrient Loss from Indiana Farms Project |
This project will assist with adoption of cover crops and two-stage ditches in two targeted 12-ditch watersheds. Through water quality monitoring, the project will quantify the soil and water quality/quantity benefits from the implementation of these practices in the watersheds. |
| RCPP-EQIP Tri-State Western Lake Erie Basin Project |
This project promotes coordination between NRCS and its partners to deliver conservation assistance to producers and landowners located within the Western Lake Erie basin. It is a diverse team of partners that use a targeted approach to identify high-priority sub-watersheds for phosphorus reduction and increase farmer access to public and private technical assistance. This initiative is located in Adams, Allen, DeKalb, Noble, Steuben and Wells Counties. Funding for this RCPP project comes from the Environmental Quality Incentives Program (EQIP). |
| RCPP-EQIP Big Pine Watershed Partnership |
This project will further conservation in Indiana’s Big Pine watershed through the targeted implementation of nutrient and sediment reducing practices to achieve watershed water quality objectives. |
| RCPP-EQIP Soil Health on Reclaimed Minelands |
Partners will work with farmers, landowners and mine operators to implement a suite of soil health practices on reclaimed mine lands in order to improve the health of the soil, reduce the amount of sediment laden runoff reaching streams and rivers and improve wildlife habitat. The project will focus on the roughly 175,000 acres of reclaimed mine lands that are cropped in the Indiana counties of Vigo, Clay, Sullivan, Greene, Knox, Daviess, Gibson, Pike, Dubois, Warrick and Spencer. |
| RCPP-EQIP Improving Working Lands for Monarch Butterflies |
This project will restore, manage and conserve wildlife habitat for monarch butterflies on agricultural and tribal lands using four main strategies: conservation planning and assessment; habitat improvement and best management practices; building an adequate seed supply for milkweed and nectar plants; and, enhancing organizational coordination and capacity. |
| RCPP-EQIP Southern Indiana Young Forest Initiative |
This project will address a lack of early successional habitat and corresponding declines in at-risk wildlife species. The Initiative will focus on 43 counties in southern Indiana that contain the majority of forested land and provide the best opportunities for incorporating early successional forest regeneration into a predominantly hardwood forest landscape characterized by advanced forest succession. |
| EQIP Grasslands for Gamebirds and Songbirds |
This project will address a lack of early successional habitat and corresponding declines in at-risk wildlife species. The Initiative will focus on 43 counties in southern Indiana that contain the majority of forested land and provide the best opportunities for incorporating early successional forest regeneration into a predominantly hardwood forest landscape characterized by advanced forest succession. |
2020 EQIP Practice User Guide (DOC; 312 KB)
Indiana Program Payment Schedules
Ask NRCS - A Guide for Organic Producers (PDF; 3.3 MB)
Healthy Forests - EQIP (PDF; 366 KB)
2012 USDA Organic Resource Guide (PDF; 1.8 MB)
National NRCS Organic Farming Information
National USDA Organic Agriculture Information
National Agricultural Marketing Service Organic Information
Fact Sheet - Establishing Eligibility for USDA Programs (PDF; 970 KB)
TSP TA Request Spreadsheet (DOC; 36 KB)
Participant TSP Documentation (DOC; 35 KB)
TSP CAP Request (DOC; 34 KB)
Click here to learn about Indiana's EQIP Initiatives.
To apply for EQIP, contact your local service center.
If you have questions about the information on this page, please contact Adam Heichelbech.
