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Environmental Quality Incentives Program Environmental Quality Inventive Program: Photo of NRCS District Conservationist and farmer.(EQIP) in Wisconsin            

Sign up by January 18, 2013

Applications for EQIP can be submitted to NRCS at any time.  Dates are set periodically to rank applications for available funding.  Read the news release

 

Eligible Conservation Practices, Payment Rates and Limits  (pdf 754 kb)


Waste Storage/Alternative Waste Treatment Practices

Applications for the waste storage and alternative waste treatment practices are considered on an area-wide basis.   Details about the Waste Storage/Alternative Waste Treatment Practices Sign-up. 

 


Quick Access

EQIP Program Policy (EQIP Manual, Conservation Programs Contracting Manual, Notices, Wisconsin Amendments)

Eligible Conservation Practices, Payment Rates and Limits  (pdf 754 kb)- comprehensive list of practices approved in Wisconsin  

Wisconsin EQIP General Practice Cost List ( excel file 30 kb) 

Program Process & Ranking Criteria by County   Practices selected by local work groups for county-level program

EQIP Application Form CCC-1200  (pdf)

System for Award Management (SAM) Quick Guide (49 kb pdf)
          More information on SAM National website

Data Universal Numbering System (DUNS) Instructions (pdf)

 Wisconsin Tribal Conservation Advisory Council Sign-up Ranking Sheet and Eligible Conservation Practices


Special Initiative Opportunities   Sign up by January 18, 2013

Organic Initiative   

Conservation practices for certified organic producers and those transitioning to organic production 

Some individual practices under this Organic Initiative have higher payments than regular EQIP, in recognition of the higher cost of organic seeds or fertilizers in an organic system.  All states offer Conservation Activity Planning for the Transition to Organic. The Transition plan provides a road map for future conservation cost-share activities to enhance organic agriculture on each farm. 

NRCS staff have had training to help organic farmers access this opportunity for financial assistance of up to $20,000 per year, and $80,000 total.  Cover crops and crop rotations, installing intensive grazing infrastructure (grazing plans, fencing, walkways, water lines), establishing wildlife and pollinator friendly habitat, and high tunnels are examples of potential practices available for funding under this program.

Contact your local NRCS office soon to meet with your conservation planning professional and determine which practices could enhance your farming operation.

Local Contacts:  NRCS District Conservationist for your County

State Organic Initiative Contact:   Pat Murphy pat.murphy@wi.usda.gov

 

Energy Initiative

Seasonal High Tunnel

    


 

Comprehensive Nutrient Management Plans (CNMP)

The CNMP sign-up is done through local county signups, at all NRCS field offices.  Funds are for development of CNMPs for animal feeding operations.      Detailed information on CNMPs.

 

EQIP Overview

The Environmental Quality Incentives Program (EQIP) is a voluntary conservation program. It supports production agriculture and environmental quality as compatible goals. Through EQIP, farmers may receive financial and technical help with structural and management conservation practices on agricultural land. EQIP offers contracts for practice implementation from 1-10 years.

EQIP in Wisconsin offers financial assistance to help off-set the costs of eligible conservation practices. Incentive payments may also be made to encourage a farmer to adopt land management practices, such as nutrient management, manure management, integrated pest management, or wildlife habitat management.  EQIP offers many practices geared to livestock operations of all types. 


Eligibility

Any producer engaged in livestock or crop production on eligible land, or owner of eligible production land, may apply for EQIP. Eligible land includes cropland; rangeland; pasture; private non-industrial forestland; and other farm or ranch lands, as determined by the Secretary of Agriculture.
 

How EQIP Works

Signup and details about eligible practices and payment rates are announced each year.  NRCS will evaluate each application, with higher priorities given to applications that use cost-effective conservation practices, address local priorities, and provide the most environmental benefit.

Farmers will develop a conservation plan, if they don’t already have one, for the acreage affected by the EQIP practices. Conservation practices must meet NRCS technical standards. Farmers may elect to use an approved third-party provider for technical assistance, if available.
 

What Are My Chances of Being Funded?

EQIP is a competitive program.  Since program inception in 1997, demand for EQIP financial assistance has exceeded the funds available. In recent years, NRCS in Wisconsin has been able to fund about 60 percent of the applicants.  We estimate approximately two of every five applicants in the statewide signups will be successful in securing an EQIP contract this year. Since the signups for most practices are handled on a county basis, individual county results may vary from this statewide average.

Final results for this year's sign up will depend on the number of applications and the level of funding received.

Those applicants who are interested in waste storage should be aware that historically only one in five applications have been successful in Wisconsin. 

Decision Making Process for EQIP

Input from Outside Groups, Agencies, and Citizens: The list of eligible practices in Wisconsin, cost share rates and limits, eligible resource concerns, and scoring criteria for waste storage were developed based on input and recommendations from the Wisconsin State Technical Committee (WSTC). The WSTC is made up of representatives from various agribusinesses, producer groups, conservation organizations, and federal, state, and tribal government agency representatives.

The county sign-up process and county scoring criteria, were based on input from the Local Work Groups (LWG). The LWG is made up of county officials. Landowners may provide advice and information to the LWG as part of the locally led process.

The priorities set at the state and county level are those that the WSTC and LWG respectively determined were of the greatest need and would have the greatest positive environmental impact. The scoring process at both the state and local level was developed in order to select those projects that would provide the greatest environmental benefit, and therefore provide the greatest public good.

See EQIP Program Policies, Manual, Wisconsin Notices and Amendments for more information on EQIP rules.

 

For More Information

If you need more information about EQIP, please contact NRCS at your local USDA Service Center, or your local land conservation department.

State EQIP Contact:  Matt Otto, 608-662-4422 x 245 matt.otto@wi.usda.gov