Environmental Quality Incentives Program

EQIP can provide financial and technical assistance to plan and design such measures as, but not limited to, the following.

• Grazing management:  fencing, stockwater systems, range and pasture planting

• Nutrient management:  manure storage structures, planned nutrient applications, soil testing

• Pest management:  crop and pest monitoring activities

• Erosion control:  grade control structures, diversions, water and sediment control basins

• Wildlife habitat enhancement:  stream buffers, upland wildlife habitat establishment

These and the many other measures included in EQIP can help producers accomplish a variety of operational goals, which may include:

• Improvements to the long-term productivity and sustainability of an agricultural operation;

• Improved condition of crops and forage for livestock;

• Reduced costs for fuel, labor, fertilizers and pesticides;

• Energy efficient systems and field operations; and

• Compliance with regulatory requirements.

        2013 General EQIP Practice Details (PDF; 326 KB)

        2013 Conservation Activity Plan Practice Details (PDF; 112 KB)

(Documents require Microsoft Word or Acrobat Reader)
        Energy Conservation and Soil Quality Improvement System (DOC; 476 KB)
        2008 Farm Bill - EQIP and Organic Agriculture (PDF; 167 KB)
        Healthy Forests - EQIP (PDF; 366 KB)

(Following document requires Microsoft Excel or Microsoft Word)
        TSP TA Request Spreadsheet (XLS; 18 KB)

        Participant TSP Documentation (DOC; 24 KB)

        TSP CAP Request (DOC; 24 KB)

Click on the following links to go directly to the Initiative

Air Quality Initiative                  

Agricultural Water Enhancement Program                

Edge of Field Monitoring Project

Indiana Drought Recovery Initiative

Indiana Wildlife Habitat Initiative

National On-Farm Energy Initiative               

National Organic Initiative               

National Seasonal High Tunnel         

The Agricultural Water Enhancement Program (AWEP) is a voluntary conservation initiative that provides financial and technical assistance to agricultural producers to implement agricultural water enhancement activities on agricultural land to conserve surface and ground water and improve water quality. As part of the Environmental Quality Incentives Program (EQIP), AWEP operates through program contracts with producers to plan and implement conservation practices in project areas established through partnership agreements. The Secretary of Agriculture has delegated the authority for AWEP to the Chief of the Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS).

Under AWEP, the NRCS enters into partnership agreements with eligible entities and organizations that want to promote ground and surface water conservation or improve water quality on agricultural lands. After the Chief has announced approved AWEP project areas, eligible agricultural producers may submit a program application.

Program Description

Each fiscal year, NRCS may make AWEP financial and technical assistance available to eligible owners and operators of agricultural lands who participate in approved AWEP project areas.

As authorized by Congress, this is not a grant program to eligible partners. This is a program whereby approved, eligible partners will enter into multi-year agreements with NRCS to promote ground and surface water conservation, or improve water quality on eligible agricultural lands.

The intent of AWEP is for the Federal government to leverage investment in natural resources conservation along with services and non-Federal resources of other eligible partners. Individual producers are not eligible to submit a partnership proposal.

Indiana AWEP Payment Rates

        2013 AWEP LaPorte Practice Information (PDF; 82 KB)

        2013 AWEP LaPorte Ranking Questions (PDF; 9 KB)

        2013 AWEP Southeast Lake Michigan Practice Information (PDF; 281 KB)

        2013 AWEP Southeast Lake Michigan Ranking Questions (PDF; 14 KB)

Other AWEP Information

        List of 2009 Approved Projects on the national NRCS Web site.
        Click here for more AWEP information on the national NRCS Web site.

Most of Indiana experienced record drought in 2012 which caused major damage to the natural resource base and impacted all types of agriculture production. The focus of the 2012 Wildlife Habitat Incentive Program Drought initiative was to provide more immediate relief for water shortages and to protect the grazing resource base by deferring grazing from pastures.

Indiana NRCS will offer assistance through the 2013 EQIP Drought Recovery Initiative to those counties most affected by the drought through with practices that contribute to soil health. Building soil health capacity is the key to recovering from the drought as it improves water infiltration through the soil profile and improves soil moisture retention to be able to provide water to plants during future dry periods.

2013 Drought Recovery Practice Information (PDF; 163 KB)

2013 Drought Recovery Ranking Sheet (PDF; 18 KB)

 

2013 Drought Recovery Initiative Eligible Counties (PDF; 271 KB)

Indiana will not receive any general WHIP funding for FY13. In order to continue to provide assistance for the establishment and enhancement of wildlife habitat, Indiana NRCS will continue to offer an EQIP Wildlife Habitat Initiative to target eligible applications with wildlife habitat as the primary purpose.

The EQIP Wildlife Habitat Initiative provides a separate, statewide pool of funds and a specific set of ranking criteria for these applications. The purpose of the Wildlife Habitat Fund Pool is to target eligible applications containing a core set of wildlife habitat development practices.

2013 Indiana Wildlife Habitat Initiative Practice Information (PDF; 271 KB)

2013 Indiana Wildlife Habitat Ranking Sheet (PDF; 271 KB)

Under the Food Conservation and Energy Act of 2008, Title II, Subtitle F – EQIP, Section 2501 provides authority for use of EQIP (as a national purpose) to specifically address energy conservation through practice implementation and for development of an Agricultural Energy Management Plan. During fiscal year (FY) 2013, the program is designed to assist producers in two ways:

1) Identify ways to conserve energy on their farms through an Agricultural Energy Management Plan (AgEMP) conservation activity plan (CAP), also known as an on-farm energy audit; and also

 

2) Provide assistance to implement various recommended measures through the use of conservation practice standards offered through this initiative, such as the Farmstead Energy Improvement 374.

Only through implementation of recommended measures and conservation practices will energy conservation, efficiency, and savings be achieved.

       2013 National On Farm Energy Initiative Screening Tool (PDF; 92 KB)

       2013 National On Farm Energy Initiative Practice Information (PDF; 142 KB)

       Producer Handout - Energy Initiative Frequently Asked Questions (PDF; 35 KB)

The Environmental Quality Incentives Program (EQIP) was reauthorized in the Farm Security and Rural Investment Act of 2002 (Farm Bill) to provide a voluntary conservation program for farmers and ranchers that promotes agricultural production and environmental quality as compatible national goals. EQIP offers financial and technical help to assist eligible participants install or implement structural and management conservation practices on eligible agricultural land.

In addition, the 2008 Farm Bill included specific provisions for use of EQIP to provide assistance for organic growers to implement conservation practices consistent with organic production per the  National Organic Program (NOP) requirements.

National EQIP Organic Initiative Information

Through the EQIP Organic Initiative, NRCS provides assistance to eligible producers for installation of conservation practices on organic or agricultural operations transitioning to organic production. According to statute, eligible producers include those who agree to develop and carry out an organic system plan (OSP), or develop and implement conservation practices for certified organic production that are consistent with an OSP.

The assistance from the Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS) through the EQIP program helps producers plan and implement conservation practices to achieve increased conservation benefits on their operations. EQIP is primarily used to provide financial and technical assistance to implement conservation practices to address soil, water, air, plant, animal, and energy resources.

A new organic provision targets organic producers and producers transitioning to organic production:

• Assistance is for conservation practices related to organic production

• Assistance is limited to $20,000 per year and $80,000 during a six year period

• Producers are required to develop and carry out an Organic System Plan (OSP) or carry out practices consistent with an OSP

National Organic Payment Rates

          2013 National Organic Initiative Practice Information (PDF; 362 KB)

National Organic Initiative Ranking Questions

2013 National EQIP Organic Transitioning Initiative Questions (PDF; 18KB

2013 National EQIP Certified Organic Initiative Questions (PDF; 18KB)

2013 National Organic Producer Self Certification Worksheet (PDF; 16 KB)

Other National Organic Initiative Information

Do I Need to be Certified Organic Factsheet

What is Organic Certification Factsheet

Producer Handout - National Organic Initiative Frequently Asked Questions (PDF; 45 KB)

National EQIP Organic Information
USDA Accredited Certifying Agents - Locate a USDA accredited Organic Certifying Agent in your area by following this link to USDA Agricultural Marketing Service site. Then choose the following link path: National Organic Program, Accreditation and Certification, Info for ACA's and Those Seeking Accreditation, and List of Accredited Certifying Agents.

The Natural Resources Conservation Service announced the opportunity for producers to participate in the National Seasonal High Tunnel Initiative being offered through the Environmental Quality Incentives Program (EQIP).  The National Seasonal High Tunnel Initiative is a voluntary program that provides financial and technical assistance to agricultural producers.  The goal of the initiative is to assist producers to extent the growing season for high value crops in an environmentally safe manner. The Initiative may assist producers in addressing a resource concern by: improving plant quality; improving soil quality; reducing nutrient and pesticide transportation; improving air quality through reduced transportation inputs and; reducing energy use by providing consumers with a local source of fresh produce.

2013 National EQIP Seasonal High Tunnel Initiative Ranking Questions (PDF; 16KB)

2013 National Seasonal High Tunnel Initiative Practice Information (PDF; 151 KB)

 

Producer Handout - National Seasonal High Tunnel Frequently Asked Questions (PDF; 63 KB)

National EQIP Seasonal High Tunnel Initiative Website

2012 National EQIP Seasonal High Tunnel Fact Sheet

2012 Indiana EQIP Seasonal High Tunnel Program Guidelines

Indiana Seasonal High Tunnel System for Crops Jobsheet (PDF; 103 KB)

For program information, please contact your local district conservationist at the nearest USDA Service Center.

If you encounter problems with documents on this page, contact Adam Heichelbech at adam.heichelbech@in.usda.gov or (317) 295-5857