By MICHELE F. MIHALJEVICH

Indiana Correspondent

WASHINGTON, D.C. — Application deadlines for funding under the Environmental Quality Incentives Program (EQIP) have been set by several states in the region.

While producers may apply at any time to participate in the program, state offices of the USDA Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS) occasionally announce deadlines in order to prioritize requests.

Illinois, Kentucky, Ohio and Tennessee have a deadline of Nov. 17, while Indiana’s cutoff is Dec. 15. Iowa’s deadline was last month but the state has another cutoff scheduled for March 16, 2018. Illinois has another deadline of Jan. 19, 2018. Michigan NRCS is expecting to have a cutoff date early in the 2018 calendar year.

EQIP is a voluntary program that offers funding to farmers who agree to implement certain conservation practices on their land in order to protect natural resources. Eligible practices include nutrient and pasture management, field buffers, cover crops and reduced tillage.

EQIP also provides technical assistance. The program pays for a portion of the cost of the practices.

Many EQIP practices in Kentucky involve grazing needs, said Kate Little, NRCS resource conservationist for the state. EQIP will help pay for boundary fence for producers wanting to convert crop land to grazing.

“The biggest benefit to applying for EQIP is definitely the financial benefit,” she explained. “There’s also a conservation and sometimes a production benefit. We start with a conservation plan where NRCS can really help the most.”

Kentucky received about 3,000 applications during fiscal year 2017, Little said. About 2,000 of those were not funded last year and have been carried over to fiscal year 2018.

A practice that has been gaining interest in the state is high tunnels, she noted. Similar to greenhouses, they are used to extend the growing season.

“I think word is getting out that high tunnels work,” Little said. “They can increase production. In some cases, producers have tried them, been successful with them and are now coming back to get more.”

Kentucky has also seen an increase in irrigation practices related to the use of high tunnels, she added.

Producers in the Hoosier State often use high tunnels for tomatoes and strawberries, said Gerald Roach, Indiana assistant state conservationist for programs.

“We have had increased interest in high tunnels and of course will try to promote that through our practices,” he said. “Interest seems to be closer to urban areas. With high tunnels, the growing season is extended and they’re able to control watering.”

There are probably some producers and landowners who could take advantage of EQIP funding but don’t, Roach said. “There’s a benefit to them to do a conservation plan on their land,” he noted.

“We can look at the resource concerns on that property and make suggestions on how to address those concerns. We’re interested in addressing resource concerns and doing what’s best for the environment.”

In addition to funding for soil erosion and water quality issues, money is also available for pasture and grazing land, confined livestock operations, drainage water management, invasive plant control and wildlife habitat improvement, according to the Indiana NRCS.

Some EQIP funding is designed to target niche producers, said John Wilson, Ohio assistant state conservationist for programs. Examples of niche targets include organic farmers or producers hoping to install habitats for honeybees or monarch butterflies.

“This is a voluntary program and we’re really there to work with farmers,” he explained. “We can help them identify the resource concerns that they have and work with them to develop a conservation plan. We can help them address those resource concerns with financial help.”

Producers interested in EQIP should contact their local NRCS office.