The Environmental Quality Incentives Program

The Environmental Quality Incentives Program (EQIP) is a US Department of Agriculture program that helps farmers and ranchers who want to protect natural resources on their farms. Producers can apply for funds and technical assistance through this program. EQIP has an Organic Initiative available only for organic agricultural producers and those transitioning to organic.

We will regularly update this page with new information about EQIP and the Organic Initiative. If you want to receive updates about EQIP and other federal agriculture programs by email, subscribe here. If you have any questions, please contact us.

General Information

The Environmental Quality Incentives Program (EQIP) is a voluntary U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) conservation program administered by the Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS, an agency within USDA). EQIP provides financial and technical assistance to growers who face threats to soil, water, air, and related natural resources on their land. Through EQIP, NRCS develops contracts with agricultural producers to implement conservation practices that address environmental natural resource problems. Payments are made to producers once conservation practices are completed according to NRCS requirements. EQIP is open to applications from all agriculture producers, regardless of whether or not they are organic.

The EQIP Organic Initiative

In 2009, NRCS created the EQIP Organic Initiative, a targeted program in EQIP which provides financial and technical assistance specifically to existing organic farmers and to growers transitioning to organic production systems. The Organic Initiative funds conservation measures specific to organic production systems. USDA allocated $50 million for the Organic Initiative in 2012.  Sign-up for the 2013 Organic Initiative is being conducted on a state by state basis.  States have 8 application dates from which to choose.  Once the first dates are set, future dates will only be added if there are remaining funds to be distributed.  See below for more information on deadlines, including state specific deadlines.

Certified organic growers and those transitioning to organic can apply to both the regular EQIP and the EQIP Organic Initiative. The regular EQIP has higher payment limitations but is a much more competitive program. The EQIP Organic Initiative has lower payment limitations, but the pool of applicants will be smaller and less competitive. Visit the EQIP webpage on the NRCS website for more information on the non-organic EQIP.

Eligibility

The EQIP Organic Initiative is available to agricultural producers who are:

• In the process of transitioning to organic.
• Already certified organic (or exempt) and interested in transitioning more acreage to organic.
• Already certified organic (or exempt) and interested in adopting conservation measures on their farm.
• Already certified organic (or exempt) and interested in transitioning more acreage to organic AND adopting conservation measures on their farm.

*Also included are “exempt producers,” whose gross agricultural income from organic sales total $5,000 or less annually but who still comply with the applicable organic production, handling, and labeling requirements mandated for certified organic producers.

Other eligibility requirements include the following:

• The applicant must be either an agricultural producer with at least $1,000 in farm income or a private, non-industrial owner of working forest land.
• The applicant must be the owner or operator on record and must have documentable control over the land for the EQIP contract period.
• The applicant's average annual adjusted gross income must not exceed $1 million, unless two-thirds of that income is from agriculture, ranching, or forestry operations.
• The applicant is in compliance with provisions to protect highly erodible land and wetlands. For more information, read the NRCS webpage on these compliance provisions.

Practices

The 2013 Organic Initiative provides financial assistance to implement a broad set of conservation practices to assist organic producers meet their resource concerns and fulfill many of the requirements in an Organic System Plan (OSP) including, but not limited to assistance with:

• Developing a conservation plan
• Developing a transition to organic production plan
• Establishing boundaries and buffer zones
• Improving soil quality and organic matter while minimizing erosion
• Improving pest management
• Developing a grazing plan and improving grazing resources
• Improving waste utilization and composting
• Improving irrigation efficiency
• Enhancing cropping systems and nutrient management

The EQIP Correlation Matrix compares the OSP and organic certification requirements with NRCS practices. Not all practices are appropriate in all areas; for a list of the specific practices offered in your state as part of the organic initiative.

Payments

Practice payment schedules are used to determine practice payment rates. EQIP may provide payments up to 75 percent of the estimated incurred costs and income foregone of certain conservation practices and conservation activity plans (CAP). Historically underserved producers (limited resource farmers/ranchers, beginning farmers/ranchers, socially disadvantaged producers, Tribes) may be eligible for payments up to 90 percent of the estimated incurred costs and income foregone.

Participants in the EQIP Organic Initiative can receive a maximum of $20,000 per year, and no more than $80,000 over six years.

The Application Process

Producers interested in applying for the EQIP Organic Initiative should visit their local NRCS Service Center to begin the application process. Below are the basic steps for applying to the program. Please note that there are different requirements depending on whether you are a certified organic producer or are transitioning to organic production.

All applicants have to fill out a Conservation Program Application (form NRCS-CPA-1200). Applicants also need to establish a record with the USDA Farm Service Agency (FSA) at their local FSA Service Center, if they have not already done so. The FSA Service Centers are often in the same building as the NRCS Service Centers.

Certified organic producers must submit a copy of their current Organic System Plan and the name and contact information of the USDA-accredited certifying agent for their operation.

Producers transitioning organic production must submit a "self-certification" letter that states the applicant "agrees to develop and implement conservation practices for certified organic production that are consistent with an organic system plan." Transitioning producers must also have contacted a USDA-accredited certifying agent that you plan to certify with and provide NRCS with the name. The USDA National Organic Program has an online list of USDA-accredited certifying agents.

Deadlines

Applications for the EQIP Organic Initiative are accepted on a continuous basis throughout the fiscal year; however, NRCS will establish specific dates where eligible applications will be evaluated, ranked, and approved for funding. For fiscal year 2013, NRCS has established application deadlines where eligible applications will be ranked and approved for funding.

Applications submitted after these deadlines will be evaluated and considered for funding in later funding opportunities. Eligible applications which meet or exceed the threshold ranking score may be funded prior to the end of the application period.

Other Resources

This list will be updated as needed, so please check back. If your organization has web-based information and/or expertise in assisting farmers applying for EQIP and wants to be listed here, contact us.

NRCS Organic Initiative 2012 - the National Sustainable Agriculture Coalition's (NSAC) webpage with in-depth information about the EQIP Organic Initiative.

Accessing the Environmental Quality Incentives Program (EQIP) Organic Initiative for Conversion or Expansion - the National Center for Appropriate Technology's (NCAT) webpage with comprehensive information on the EQIP OI.

The Midwest Organic and Sustainable Education Service (MOSES) webpage on the EQIP OI - this page has a list of Frequently Asked Questions about the EQIP OI.