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.
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. Click here for more information on advanced payments.
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:
- 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, Missouri has identified the following priorities:
- Increase water quality through reducing sediment and nutrients entering Missouri waters through landscape best management practices and improved animal feeding operations
- Improve health and productivity of Missouri soils
- Promote sustainable and healthy grazing management on Missouri farms and ranches
- Add habitat and diversity for Missouri’s diverse population of wildlife
- Provide management improvements and activities on Missouri’s privately-held forestlands
Conservation Planning Activities (CPA), Design and Implementation Activities (DIA) and Conservation Evaluation and Monitoring Activities (CEMAs)
Technical service providers (TSP) or other third-party service providers (Providers) for NRCS can carry out planning, design, implementation, and monitoring tasks for NRCS conservation program purposes (previously known as Conservation Activity Plans (CAPs)). NRCS has reorganized and renamed CAPs into three new categories—Conservation Planning Activities (CPAs), Design and Implementation Activities (DIAs), and Conservation Evaluation and Monitoring Activities (CEMAs). More detailed information about CPA, DIA and CEMAs is available on the National Programs website.
Fiscal Year 2022 Missouri EQIP Opportunities
EQIP-CIC is a new funding opportunity for FY22. More information is available HERE
EQIP Classic – Application deadline is November 19, 2021
Applications submitted by November 19, 2021 will be evaluated to be considered for funding in fiscal year 2022. Applications received after November 19, 2021 will be accepted and evaluated for future rounds of funding.
The Fiscal Year 2022 EQIP Payment Rates are available HERE
Missouri is offering funding with the following focus areas for Fiscal Year 2022:
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General EQIP
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The General EQIP funding is for owners of land in agricultural or forest production, or persons who are engaged in livestock, agricultural or forest production on eligible land that has a natural resource concern. Applicants under general EQIP compete for funding against other applicants on similar land uses. Land use funding pools covered under general EQIP funding include, Cropland, Pasture/Hayland, Wildlife, Forestland, and Animal Feeding/Waste.
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Soil Health Cropland Initiative
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The Soil Health Cropland Initiative is a state initiative focused on assisting cropland producers address resource concerns associated with soil quality degradation to implement Soil Health Management Systems on their farms.
Resources:
Missouri NRCS Soil Health webpage
National NRCS Soil Health webpage
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Agroforestry Initiative
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The Agroforestry Initiative is a state initiative focused on assisting farmers addressing resource concerns with Agroforestry practices. Agroforestry practices include: Tree/Shrub Establishment, Alley Cropping, Windbreak/Shelterbelt, Silvopasture Establishment, Riparian Forest Buffer and more.
Resources:
USDA National Agroforestry Center
University of Missouri Center for Agroforestry Main Page
Agroforestry in Action: Using NRCS Assistance for Agroforestry and Woody Crop Establishment (.pdf)
Agroforestry Assistance, Hart/Beet Farm Video
Agroforestry Assistance, Payne Family Video
Supporting Agroforestry Implementation, Robert Marsh Video
EQIP FAQs Video with Lauren Cartwright, Natural Resource Specialist in Missouri
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Monarch Butterfly Habitat Development Project
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The monarch butterfly is one of the most iconic butterflies in North America and is known in part for its annual multi-generational migration from overwintering sites in central Mexico and coastal California to as far north as Canada. Multiple critical population stressors including the loss and degradation of habitat across the species' range have led to a significant decrease in the number of monarchs in the U.S. over the past few decades.
NRCS is working with America's farmers, ranchers, and forest managers on voluntary conservation efforts to combat the decline of monarchs on private lands by establishing new habitat and managing existing habitat for monarchs and pollinators. Learn more. (PDF, 5MB)
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Organic Initiative (National Site)
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The EQIP Organic Initiative assists eligible applicants to install conservation practices on agricultural operations related to organic production such as certified organic producers, producers transitioning to organic production, and certification exempt producers according to the USDA-National Organic Program.
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High Tunnel Initiative (National Site)
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The purpose of the High Tunnel Initiative is to assist producers to extend the growing season for high value crops in an environmentally safe manner. The practice has the potential to assist producers to address resource concerns by improving plant quality, improving soil quality, and reducing nutrient and pesticide transport.
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On-Farm Energy Initiative (National Site)
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The EQIP On-Farm Energy Initiative assists producers by identifying ways to conserve energy on the farm through an Agricultural Energy Management Plan (AgEMP), also known as an on-farm energy audit; and by providing financial and technical assistance to help the producer implement recommendations and conservation practices identified in the audit plan.
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National Water Quality Initiative (NWQI) (National Site)
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The National Water Quality Initiative is a focused approach to assist landowners in priority watersheds to apply selected conservation practices to reduce the flow of sediment, nutrients and other runoff into impaired waterways.
The FY22 priority watersheds are:
Headwaters Petite Creek in Cooper, Moniteau and Morgan Counties, HUC 103001020401 (Map PDF)
Little Hunting Slough, Butler County, HUC 110100070805 (Map PDF)
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Mississippi River Basin Initiative (MRBI)
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Six Missouri watersheds are among those selected in 13 states along the Mississippi River as part of continuing Mississippi River Basin Healthy Watersheds Initiative (MRBI) efforts. More details are available here.
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Joint Chief’s Landscape Restoration Partnership
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Missouri’s Central Ozark Glade, Woodland, and Native Diversity Restoration Project will provide additional funding to mitigate wildfire risk, improve water quality and restore healthy forest ecosystems on private forestland in the following counties. Phelps, Pulaski, Texas, Howell, Douglas, Ozark, Christian, Taney, Stone, and Barry counties.
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Funding is competitive and applications are evaluated for funding with other eligible applications within the same land use and/or initiative focus area within a Ranking Pool. Applications are scored based on ranking scores that are generated through the new agency Conservation Assessment Ranking Tool (CART). Each applicant’s ranking score is a combination of an assessment of the site vulnerability, planned conservation practices, program priority questions, resource priority questions and a cost efficiency multiplier. A CART Overview and Missouri EQIP Ranking Priorities for Fiscal Year 2022 are available HERE
Missouri EQIP Contact Information
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
