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Environmental Quality Incentives Program

Information on this page:

EQIP Signup Opportunities in Oregon

Benefits

Technical and Financial Assistance

Participant Responsibilities

Socially Disadvantaged, Beginning, and Limited Resource Farmers/Ranchers, Military

Veteran Farmers

FY 2016 EQIP Practice Payment List

EQIP Eligibility

Funding Selection and Priorities

For More Information

Contacts

Archived EQIP Information

Introduction

The Environmental Quality Incentives Program (EQIP) is a voluntary conservation program that helps agricultural

producers in a manner that promotes agricultural production and environmental quality as compatible goals.

Through EQIP, agricultural producers receive financial and technical assistance to implement structural and

management conservation practices that optimize environmental benefits on working agricultural land.

EQIP Signup Opportunities in Oregon

Those who are interested in EQIP should work with the local NRCS office to identify and plan the conservation

measures you want on your land. Those who have previously developed a conservation plan with NRCS will

already have the conservation planning step completed. Those who consider applying for EQIP for the first time

should schedule a meeting with NRCS to discuss their options before moving forward. Local NRCS

conservationists will help you develop a conservation plan, identify conservation measures and pursue funding

through one of the EQIP signup options available in Oregon.

Benefits

Eligible program participants receive financial and technical assistance to implement conservation practices, or

activities like conservation planning, that address natural resource concerns on their land. Payments are made

to participants after conservation practices and activities identified in an EQIP plan of operations are

implemented. Contracts can last up to ten years in duration.

Accepting Applications

EQIP applications are accepted on a continuous basis, however, NRCS establishes application "cut-off" or

submission deadline dates for evaluation, ranking and approval of eligible applications. EQIP is open to all eligible

Natural Resources Conservation Service

Oregon

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agricultural producers and submitted applications may be considered or evaluated in multiple funding pool

opportunities.

Note -- See special information regarding cutoff dates for Harney County -- Note

Sign-Up Option Description

2016

Application

Cutoff Dates

Regular EQIP

EQIP applications may be submitted at any time with your

local USDA Service Center. For more information, see

“Technical and Financial Assistance” below.

01/15/2016

04/15/16

On Farm Energy

Initiative

Assist producers to conserve energy on their farms through

an Agriculture Energy Management Plan (AgEMP), also

known as an on-farm energy audit and provide assistance to

implement various recommended measures identified in an

energy audit.

01/15/2016

04/15/16

Wild Fire Rehabilitation

Initiative (Baker, Grant,

Malheur Counties)

Financial assistance is offered through the Wildfire Initiative

of the Environmental Quality Incentives Program to help

address resource concerns on private and tribal land stricken

by catastrophic fire.

10/16/2015

Wild Fire Rehabilitation

Initiative (Douglas

County)

Financial assistance is offered through the Wildfire Initiative

of the Environmental Quality Incentives Program to help

address resource concerns on private and tribal land stricken

by catastrophic fire.

11/20/2015

Wild Fire Rehabilitation

Initiative (Wallowa

County)

Financial assistance is offered through the Wildfire Initiative

of the Environmental Quality Incentives Program to help

address resource concerns on private and tribal land stricken

by catastrophic fire.

11/27/2015

Organic Initiative Special EQIP funding is available to organic growers and

those transitioning to organic production.

01/15/2016

04/15/16

EQIP National Water

Quality Initiative

Special EQIP funding is available to organic growers and

those transitioning to organic production.

01/15/2016

04/15/16

Sage-Grouse Initiative

Focuses on making measurable and significant progress

toward treating a specific threat to sage-grouse on private

lands through strategic use of conservation programs.

01/15/2016

04/15/16

Seasonal High Tunnel

Initiative

A Program available to agricultural producers, designed to

strengthen local and regional food markets and increase the

use of sustainable conservation practices that will improve

plant and soil quality, reduce nutrient and pesticide

transport and reduce energy inputs.

01/15/2016

04/15/16

East Face of the Elkhorn

Mountains FS

Partnership (Baker and

Union Counties)

Partnership between two USDA agencies—NRCS and the

Forest Service—to improve the health and resilience of

forest ecosystems on public and private lands.

01/15/2016

04/15/16

Ashland Forest All-Lands

Restoration (AFAR) FS

Partnership (Jackson

County)

Partnership between two USDA agencies—NRCS and the

Forest Service—to improve the health and resilience of

forest ecosystems on public and private lands.

01/15/2016

04/15/16

*PRACTICE PAYMENT CAPS: Linn County has established a practice payment cap for two practices—Irrigation

System, Sprinkler and Irrigation System, Micro Irrigation. EQIP payment amounts for those two practices are

limited to $50,000 each.

Technical and Financial Assistance

Technical Assistance: Those who submit an application and are accepted into EQIP may receive technical

assistance to plan conservation measures. Through EQIP, NRCS provides or covers the cost of professional

technical services to develop conservation measures. This includes:

On-site assessments

Site-specific practice and management plans/Conservation Activity Plan.

Engineering designs

Participant Responsibilities

Applicants are responsible for completing and filing all application and eligibility paperwork as required. If funded,

participants are required to sign a contract and agree to implement the planned conservation practices to NRCS

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standards and specifications as scheduled.

Socially Disadvantaged, Beginning, and Limited Resource Farmers/Ranchers,

Military Veteran Farmers

The 2014 Farm Bill continues to address the unique circumstances and concerns of socially disadvantaged

farmers and ranchers, as well as beginning and limited resource farmers and ranchers and Veteran Farmers. It

provides for voluntary participation, offers incentives, and focuses on equity in accessing U.S. Department of

Agriculture (USDA) programs and services. Enhancements include increased payment rates and advance

payments of up to 50 percent to purchase materials and services needed to implement conservation practices

included in their EQIP contract.

Oregon is committed to reaching out to Historically Underserved individuals and groups. Historically Underserved

participants may also receive higher payment rates in addition to being considered in high priority funding pools.

See the Small & Limited and Beginning Farmers and Ranchers page for the NRCS definition of the Historically

Underserved.

 2016 EQIP Practice Payment Lists

EQIP participants may also receive financial assistance to offset the costs associated with installation or adoption

of conservation practices. Eligible conservation practices that are listed in the EQIP Practice Payment Schedule

list below:

Irrigation systems

Irrigation water management

Forest stand improvements

Fence

Livestock watering

Waste management systems

Vegetative buffers

and more

The following are lists of practices and associated payment rates for each of the EQIP sign-up options.

2016 EQIP Practice Payment

List

2016 EQIP Practice Payment List --

Historically Underserved

Regular EQIP FY 16 Regular EQIP (PDF, 339

KB)

FY 16 Regular EQIP HU (PDF, 317

KB)

EQIP On Farm Energy

Initiative

FY 16 On Farm Energy Initiative

(PDF, 115 KB)

FY 16 On Farm Energy Initiative HU

(PDF, 113 KB)

EQIP Wildfire Initiative FY 16 Wildfire Initiative (PDF,

103 KB)

FY 16 Wildfire Initiative HU (PDF,

102 KB)

EQIP Organic Initiative FY 16 Organic EQIP (PDF, 353

KB)

FY 16 Organic EQIP HU (PDF, 366

KB)

EQIP Sage Grouse

Initiative

FY 16 Sage Grouse Initiative

(PDF, 73 KB)

FY 16 Sage Grouse Initiative HU

(PDF, 72 KB)

EQIP Seasonal High Tunnel

Initiative

FY 16 Seasonal High Tunnel

(PDF, 80 KB)

FY 16 Seasonal High Tunnel HU (PDF

80 KB)

East Face of the Elkhorn

Mountains FS Partnership

(Baker and Union

Counties)

FY 16 East Face of the Elkhorn

Mountains FS Partnership (Baker

and Union Counties) (XLSX, xx KB)

-- Coming Soon

FY 16 East Face of the Elkhorn

Mountains Partnership FS HU (Baker

and Union Counties) (XLSX, xx KB) --

Coming Soon

Ashland Forest All-Lands

Restoration (AFAR) FS

Partnership (Jackson

County)

Ashland Forest All-Lands

Restoration (AFAR) FS Partnership

(Jackson County) (XLSX, xx KB) --

Coming Soon

Ashland Forest All-Lands Restoration

(AFAR) FS Partnership HU (Jackson

County) (XLSX, xx KB) -- Coming

Soon

EQIP Eligibility

To participate in any of the EQIP sign-up options, an applicant must be an individual, entity or joint operation that

meets EQIP eligibility criteria. For more detailed information, go to: EQIP Eligibility

EQIP Funding Selection and Priorities

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Priorities for EQIP funding are established locally, based on locally identified natural resource needs consistent

with state and national EQIP priorities. Local Work Groups convened by local Soil and Water Conservation

Districts (SWCDs) provide advice to NRCS about natural resource issues and priorities within their counties. EQIP

applications are evaluated based on these county priorities and are then prioritized for funding. Applications that

best address natural resources as described in the ranking criteria are prioritized for funding.

For detailed ranking criteria based on location, click on one of the pages below:

EQIP Ranking Questions (PDF, 46 KB)

EQIP Conservation Activity Plan (CAP) -- Coming Soon

For More Information

NRCS National EQIP Website

Federal Register, 2008 EQIP Interim Final Rule and Correction (PDF, 54 KB)

Contact

Program Contact

Todd Peplin

1201 NE Lloyd Blvd

Portland Oregon 97232

503-414-3292

Local Contact

Please contact the District Conservationist in the USDA Service Center nearest the location of your property.

Archived EQIP Information

2015

2014

2013

2012

2011

2010

2009

2008

2007

2006

2005

2004

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