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EQIP application deadlines across states coming soon

 

By MICHELE F. MIHALJEVICH

Indiana Correspondent

 

LEXINGTON, Ky. — Officials in Illinois, Indiana, Kentucky and Ohio have set deadlines for registering for the USDA’s Environmental Quality Incentives Program (EQIP).

EQIP is voluntary but offers funding to farmers who agree to implement certain conservation practices on their land in order to protect natural resources. Eligible practices include cover crops, nutrient and waste management and grassy waterways. The program also provides technical assistance.

While producers may apply any time to participate in the program, the USDA’s Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS), which administers EQIP, occasionally sets deadlines in order to prioritize requests. For Illinois, the deadlines are Nov. 21, 2014, and Jan. 16, 2015, and for Indiana, Dec. 19, 2014.

The Kentucky dates are Nov. 21, 2014, and March 20, 2015. Ohio’s deadline is Jan. 16, 2015.

State NRCS offices may set deadlines on the third Friday of any month between October and May, said Kate Little, NRCS resource conservationist for Kentucky. States may opt to have only one deadline, or choose to offer more, she added.

Iowa’s deadline was in early October, while Tennessee and Michigan hadn’t set dates as of Friday.

"A farmer is a steward of the land and should be concerned about the practices they’re implementing on their land," Little said. "Some of these practices may also increase production, though that’s not really the goal of the program."

State offices haven’t been told how much funding they’ll been given for 2015, she said. They also don’t know the details of any new initiatives that might be offered for next year as a part of the program.

EQIP offers several practices focusing on soil quality and conservation, Little said.

"Cover crop practices, such as which crops are the best to grow, have been reworked the last few years," she said. "Conservation nutrient plans, waste management plans, allow producers to write more specialized plans for their operations."

Farmers interested in improving their farm’s soil health or who have concerns such as protecting wildlife habitats should think about EQIP, said Adam Heichelbech, NRCS EQIP program manager for Indiana. Over the last five or six years, Indiana has seen a steady increase in the number of applicants each year, he noted.

"The soil health message is starting to sink in," Heichelbech said. "It’s something farmers have to consider because it’s what they’re growing their crops in."

To participate in EQIP, farmers must have a conservation plan in place for their operation. They must also own or control eligible land and be in compliance with highly erodible land and wetland conservation requirements, according to the NRCS.

Farmers interested in EQIP should contact their local NRCS office, Little said. One of the first steps in the process will probably be a visit to the farm by an agency representative. "They’ll take a look at the operation and how they’re managing their resources. If they see something that needs to be addressed, the farmer will be shown some of the programs we have that may help."

The agency offers a higher financial assistance rate to applicants who qualify as a historically underserved participant, Little said. Those categories include beginning farmers, limited resource producers, socially disadvantaged producers and veteran farmers.

Farmers who want to learn more about the eligibility criteria for these categories should contact their local NRCS office, Little said. They may also visit www.nrcs.usda.gov/wps/portal/nrcs/main/national/programs/farmbill and look under "financial assistance programs."

10/29/2014