INDIANAPOLIS – Producers in Indiana interested in conservation programs offered by the USDA’s Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS) have until Dec. 18 to apply for funding to be distributed during fiscal year 2027.

Financial help is available for several conservation programs, including the Environmental Quality Incentives Program (EQIP) and the Conservation Stewardship Program (CSP), NRCS said.

EQIP provides producers with the technical and financial resources they need to address resource concerns on their land, including improved water and air quality, increased soil health, reduced soil erosion and improved natural vitality, the agency said in a release. CSP works with producers to build on existing conservation efforts while strengthening their operation, NRCS said.

Participation in NRCS conservation programs is 100 percent voluntary, said Curtis Knueven, assistant state conservationist for programs for the agency’s office in Indiana.

“Our goal is to work with landowners/farmers to find conservation practices that make sense for both their operation and natural resource concerns,” he told Farm World. “NRCS can provide technical expertise and financial assistance to help make those improvements more achievable.

“We get a lot of questions concerning the specific program details. Each program is unique and we encourage landowners/farmers to work directly with their local district conservationist to see which program fits their operation’s goals and objectives.”

EQIP and CSP are the two main programs NRCS offers for private landowners in the state, the agency said.

Indiana currently has 2,534 active contracts for EQIP, covering more than 422,000 acres and totaling over $125 million, Knueven said. For CSP, the state has 1,351 active contracts covering close to 540,000 acres and totaling more than $85 million.

“We know that America’s producers know the land the best and are the best stewards,” Damarys Mortenson, NRCS state conservationist, said in the release. “We encourage producers interested in conserving natural resources and keeping their operations productive, profitable and sustainable for future generations to contact their local NRCS office.”

Other programs farmers and landowners may apply for by the December deadline are the Agricultural Conservation Easement Program (ACEP), the Regional Conservation Partnership Program (RCPP) and the Regenerative Pilot Program (RPP).

ACEP has two components, according to NRCS – an Agricultural Land Easement, which enables producers to protect their agricultural land from development by enrolling it in a permanent agricultural land easement; and the Wetland Reserve Easement, which helps landowners protect, restore and enhance wetlands previously degraded due to agricultural uses.

Under the RCPP, the agency said producers can apply for financial assistance in geographically focused program project areas. NRCS recommends talking to a district conservationist to see if your property is in a project area.

The RPP enables producers to implement whole-farm regenerative practices through a single application for EQIP and CSP, the agency said.

RPP is a new priority for USDA to encourage and reward farmers to adopt regenerative farming conservation practices such as cover crops, nutrient management and reducing their tillage, Knueven said. States target 25 percent of their EQIP and ESP funds to RPP applications, he added.

“RPP is the same as the classic EQIP and CSP programs, but with a limited list of priority practices that focus on soil and water improvements, and a higher conservation bar to be eligible,” he explained. “However, all other practices are available as ‘supporting’ as well.

“In addition, RPP requires farmers to conduct soil health testing on at least one field at the beginning of the contract and at the end of the contract to quantify the benefits of the installed conservation practices.”

Farmers and landowners may apply for the programs at any time, but must apply by the December deadline to be considered for the next round of funding, NRCS said.