Environmental Quality Incentives Program

Motivation to Protect Natural Resources

Environmental Quality Incentives Program (EQIP) works primarily in locally identified priority areas with significant natural resource concerns. These concerns could be soil erosion, water quality and quantity, wildlife habitat, wetlands and forest and grazing lands.

Priority is given to areas where state or local governments offer financial, technical or educational assistance. It is also given to areas where agricultural improvements will help meet water quality objectives.

Conditions

Activities must be carried out according to a conservation plan. Priority area proposals are submitted to the NRCS State Conservationist. They select those areas within the state based on recommendations from the State Technical Committee. 

EQIP is one of several federal, state and local conservation programs that farmers and ranchers can use to solve their natural resource concerns.

Benefits

EQIP offers financial, educational and technical help to install or implement structural, vegetative and management practices called for in five to ten-year contracts. These practices include manure management systems, pest management and erosion control. They help improve and maintain the health of natural resources.

Cost sharing may pay up to 75% of the costs of certain conservation practices. Nationally, half of the funding for EQIP is targeted to livestock-related natural resource concerns. The remainder goes to other significant conservation priorities. 

Contract applications are provided through the Natural Resources Conservation Service at 262-878-1243.