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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 volu ntary 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 tech nical assistance to implement structural and management conservation practices that optimize environmental ben efits on working agricultural land. 

### EQIP Signup Opportunities in Oregon Those who are interested in EQIP should work with the lo cal NRCS office to identify and plan the conservation measures you want on your land. Those who have previousl y developed a conservation plan with NRCS will already have the conservation planning step completed. Tho se who consider applying for EQIP for the first time should schedule a meeting with NRCS to discuss their options befor e moving forward. Local NRCS conservationists will help you develop a conservation plan, ident ify conservation measures and pursue funding through one of the EQIP signup options available in Oregon. 

### Benefits Eligible program participants receive financial and technical assista nce to implement conservation practices, or activities like conservation planning, that address natural re source concerns on their land. Payments are made to participants after conservation practices and activities ide ntified 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 approva l of eligible applications. EQIP is open to all eligible 

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# 1 of 4 3/15/2016 5:15 PMagricultural producers and submitted applications may be considered or evaluated in multiple funding pool opportunities.

Note -- See special information regarding cutoff dates for HarneyCounty-- 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 throug h 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 th e 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 pra ctices—Irrigation System, Sprinkler and Irrigation System, Micro Irrigation. EQ IP 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 EQI P may receive technical assistance to plan conservation measures. Through EQIP, NRCS p rovides 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 Pla n. Engineering designs 

### Participant Responsibilities Applicants are responsible for completing and filing all application a nd eligibility paperwork as required. If funded, participants are required to sign a contract and agree to imp lement the planned conservation practices to NRCS



# 2 of 4 3/15/2016 5:15 PMstandards and specifications as scheduled. 

### Socially Disadvantaged, Beginning, and Limited ResourceFarmers/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 increa sed 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 ind ividuals 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 t he costs associated with installation or adoption of conservation practices. Eligible conservation practices that a re 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 rat es 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 applican t 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



# 3 of 4 3/15/2016 5:15 PMPriorities for EQIP funding are established locally, based on lo cally identified natural resource needs consistent with state and national EQIP priorities. Local Work Grou ps 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 a nd are then prioritized for funding. Applications that best address natural resources as described in the ranking crit eria 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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