Environmental Quality Incentives Program

Introduction

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, agricultural producers receive financial and technical assistance to implement structural and management conservation practices that optimize environmental benefits on working agricultural land.

• EQIP Fact Sheet (PDF)

Accepting Applications

EQIP applications are accepted on a continuous basis, however, NRCS establishes application "cut-off" or submission deadline dates for evaluation, ranking and approval of eligible applications. EQIP is open to all eligible agricultural producers and submitted applications may be considered or evaluated in multiple funding pool opportunities. The following document describes how to apply for Farm Bill programs or visit the following website: Get started with NRCS national page

Learn how to get started with NRCS.

To apply for EQIP, contact your local service center.

Eligibility

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. 

Participant Responsibilities

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.

Socially Disadvantaged, Beginning, and Limited Resource Farmers/Ranchers, Military Veteran Farmers

The 2018 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 increased payment rates and advance payments of up to 50 percent to purchase materials and services needed to implement conservation practices included in their EQIP contract.

Missouri is committed to reaching out to Historically Underserved individuals and groups. Historically Underserved participants may also receive higher payment rates in addition to being considered in high priority funding pools. Click here for more information. 

National and State Priorities

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:

1. 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
2. Conservation of ground and surface water resources
3. 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
4. Reduction in soil erosion and sedimentation from unacceptable levels on agricultural land
5. Promotion of at-risk species habitat conservation including development and improvement of wildlife habitat
6. 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
7. Biological carbon storage and sequestration

In addition, Missouri has identified the following priorities:

1. Increase water quality through reducing sediment and nutrients entering Missouri waters through landscape best management practices and improved animal feeding operations
2. Improve health and productivity of Missouri soils
3. Promote sustainable and healthy grazing management on Missouri farms and ranches
4. Add habitat and diversity for Missouri’s diverse population of wildlife
5. Provide management improvements and activities on Missouri’s privately-held forestlands

Conservation Activity Plans (CAP)

NRCS also provides financial assistance opportunities to participants for conservation planning services through a Technical Service Provider (TSP) to develop Conservation Activity Plans (CAP). A CAP can be developed for producers to identify conservation practices needed to 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, forest land, or can also address a specific resource need such a plan for management of nutrients or to address an air quality concern. With a CAP plan, producers can then apply for financial assistance to implement the needed conservation practices. More detailed information about Conservation Activity Plans is available on the National Programs website.

Fiscal Year 2020 Missouri EQIP Deadlines 

Applications submitted by the deadlines identified below will be evaluated to be considered for funding in fiscal year 2020. Applications received after that date will be accepted and evaluated for future rounds of funding.

Applications in each of these separate land uses will be evaluated for funding with other eligible applications in that same land use. Some land use subaccounts are statewide, some are area-wide, and some are based on multi-county areas (called Field Office Service Areas – FOSAs).  For each subaccount, the national questions have been developed by national staff.  The state questions were developed based on input from the State Technical Committee, conservation partners and NRCS technical and program staffs. The local questions are based on FOSA or area-wide compilations from each county’s Local Work Group in that specific area. Applicants who provide a written request and qualify for funds targeted to Beginning Farmer/Rancher (BF) and Socially Disadvantaged Farmer/Rancher (SDF) will compete on a statewide basis with similar (BF or SDF) applicants under the applicable Land Use.

Eligible applicants requesting EQIP financial assistance for practices associated with animal feeding/waste facilities must have a current Comprehensive Nutrient Management Plan (CNMP) that references the installation of the animal feeding/waste practices on the acres requesting assistance, prior to NRCS providing technical or financial assistance. An applicant may request EQIP financial assistance to use an approved independent third-party provider for development of a Comprehensive Nutrient Management Plan for all waste-generating animals and waste management operations under their control. Information about third-party technical assistance is available at USDA TechReg. Eligible EQIP Animal Feeding/Waste (AF/W) applications will compete for funds on a statewide basis.

	Click on the map to enlarge and view Missouri NRCS Administrative Areas
	Click on the map to enlargeand view Missouri NRCS Field Office Service Areas (FOSAs).

Missouri EQIP Contact Information

George Henshaw
USDA NRCS State Office, Assistant State Conservationist for Programs
Parkade Center, Suite 250
601 Business Loop, 70 West
Coluumbia, MO 65203
Phone: 573-876-9363

Lauren A. Cartwright
USDA NRCS State Office, EQIP Program Coordinator
Parkade Center, Suite 250
601 Business Loop, 70 West
Columbia, MO 65203
Phone: 573-876-9415

National EQIP Information