# Environmental Quality Incentives Program - Oregon 

## Breadcrumb

-  Home 
-  Programs & Initiatives 
-  Environmental Quality Incentives Program 
-  Oregon 
-  Environmental Quality Incentives Program - Oregon  

The Environmental Quality Incentives Program (EQIP) is NRCS’ flagship conservation program that helps farmers, ranchers and forest landowners integrate conservation into working lands.

## On This Page

            - Contact Information
            - How to Get Assistance

### EQIP provides technical and financial assistance to agricultural producers and forest landowners to address natural resource concerns, such as:

                - Improved water and air quality;
                - Conserved ground and surface water;
                - Increased soil health ;
                - Reduced soil erosion and sedimentation;
                - Improved or created wildlife habitat; and
                - Mitigation against drought and increasing weather volatility.

### How It Works

NRCS works one-on-one with producers to develop a conservation plan that outlines conservation practices and activities to help solve on-farm resource issues. Producers implement practices and activities in their conservation plan that can lead to cleaner water and air, healthier soil and better wildlife habitat, all while improving their agricultural operations. EQIP helps producers make conservation work for them. Financial assistance for practices may be available through EQIP.  Some producers may also qualify for advance payment.

### Benefits

Some of these benefits include:
                - Reduced contamination from agricultural sources, such as animal feeding operations.
                - Efficient use of nutrients, reducing input costs and reduction in nonpoint source pollution.
                - Improved soil health, which mitigates against increasing weather volatility, improves drought resiliency and can positively affect climate change.
                - Implementation of climate-smart practices that improve carbon sequestration and reduce greenhouse gas emissions while building resilient landscapes.

### Conservation at Work Videos

Watch how farmers and ranchers across the country are implementing EQIP practices and other conservation activities in our Conservation at Work video series. For example, see how producers are using the nutrient management conservation practice to improve water quality by more effectively using nutrients.

### EQIP Initiatives

Targeted EQIP financial assistance is available through several conservation initiatives. See all of Oregon's EQIP Initiatives here.

EQIP offers grant opportunities through Conservation Innovation Grants, which awards competitive grants that stimulate the development and adoption of innovative approaches and technologies for conservation on agricultural lands.

### Technical Assistance

NRCS offers technical assistance at no cost. Producers can use our personalized advice and information, based on the latest science and research, to make informed decisions about their land.

Technical Service Providers (TSP) can help producers plan, design and implement conservation practices or develop conservation activity plans to improve their agricultural operations. For more information on the Technical Service Provider program, visit the TSP page.

Technical assistance is also offered through our Conservation Technical Assistance (CTA) program.

Need a local Technical Service Provider? Visit the locate a TSP page.

### How To Get Started

The first step is to contact your local NRCS office. An NRCS conservation planner will schedule a visit to your property. They will walk the land with you to discuss your goals and review any resource concerns. Following the site visit, the conservation planner will develop a conservation plan that includes a variety of conservation practices or activities to address the resource concerns and management goals discussed.

Applications for NRCS conservation programs are accepted on a continuous basis; however, customers should apply by state-specific ranking dates to be considered for the current funding cycle.
                - Find application ranking dates for your state.
                - See payment schedules for your state.
                - See application.

To learn more about EQIP, contact your local NRCS office.

----

## Oregon's Locally-Led General EQIP & RCPP

Locally-led conservation brings together community stakeholders to identify and resolve natural resource problems. It's based on the principle that community stakeholders are best suited to identify and manage resource concerns in their area. Conservation work begins with the community itself, working through the conservation district. Through this locally-led process, Oregon identifies Conservation Implementation Strategies and Regional Conservation Partnership projects for funding.

The map linked below shows current funding opportunities for Oregon farmers, ranchers and forestland owners to obtain financial assistance from the USDA Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS) through its Strategic Approach to Conservation. If your farm, ranch, or forestland is located within one of these project areas, you may be eligible for financial assistance to help you perform conservation activities on your land.

If you want to learn more about EQIP, you can contact your local NRCS office. Your NRCS conservationist will visit you and evaluate the natural resources on your land. NRCS will then present a variety of conservation practices or system alternatives to help you address those concerns or management goals to improve or protect the natural resource conditions on your land.

Once you have chosen the right conservation practices for your land, you may be offered an EQIP contract to receive financial assistance for the cost of implementing certain practices. Payment rates for conservation practices are reviewed and set each fiscal year.

**For FY2024, each EQIP application will be ranked against the program questions below in addition to the ranking questions on each individual project page:**
              - Is the application for a locally-led priority or a priority designated by the State Conservationist? 
              - Has the applicant implemented the operation and maintenance plans for all practices installed with program assistance in the past five years, or this is the applicant's first contract? 
              - Are each of the applicant's active program contracts in compliance, or is this the applicant's first contract?
              - Has the applicant avoided contract termination within the past 3 years, or is this the applicant's first contract?

### Contact Oregon's EQIP Specialist

Claire Tachella503-414-3274claire.tachella@usda.gov

Click here to see Oregon's project map!

 Learn More

##   EQIP Statewide Initiatives

        Conservation Incentive Contracts     

###                     Conservation Incentive Contracts                 

Learn more about EQIP Conservation Incentive Contracts.

        Oregon's Inflation Reduction Act    

###                     Oregon's Inflation Reduction Act                

Learn more about Inflation Reduction Act (IRA) projects

        Beginning Farmer Initiative    

###                     Beginning Farmer Initiative                

Learn more about Oregon's statewide Beginning Farmer Initiative.

        High Tunnel Initiative    

###                     High Tunnel Initiative                

Learn more about Oregon's High Tunnel Initiative.

        Oregon's National Water Quality Initiative    

###                     Oregon's National Water Quality Initiative                

Learn more about Oregon's National Water Quality Initiative. 

        On-Farm Energy Initiative    

###                     On-Farm Energy Initiative                

Learn more about Oregon's On-Farm Energy Initiative. 

        Organic Initiative    

###                     Organic Initiative                

Learn more about Oregon's Organic Initiative.

        Socially Disadvantaged Initiative    

###                     Socially Disadvantaged Initiative                

Learn more about Oregon's Socially Disadvantaged Farmer Initiative.

        WaterSMART Initiative    

###                     WaterSMART Initiative                

Learn more about Oregon's WaterSMART Initiative. 

        Sage Grouse Initiative    

###                     Sage Grouse Initiative                

Learn more about Oregon's Sage Grouse Initiative. 

        Oregon's CPAs, DIAs and CEMAs    

###                     Oregon's CPAs, DIAs and CEMAs                

Learn more about Oregon's CPAs, DIAs and CEMAs statewide initiative. 

        Organic Transition Initiative     

###                     Organic Transition Initiative                 

Learn more about Oregon's Organic Transition statewide initiative. 

##   Additional Documents

Five Steps to Assistance.pdf(1.08 MB)

Working With NRCS.pdf(4.97 MB)

##   Additional Information

### Apply for Environmental Quality Incentives Program (EQIP)

The Environmental Quality Incentives Program (EQIP) provides financial and technical assistance to agricultural producers and non-industrial forest managers.
Learn More

### Historically Underserved Farmers and Ranchers

The Agriculture Improvement Act of 2018 (2018 Farm Bill) includes provisions that address the unique circumstances and concerns of socially disadvantaged, beginning, limited resource, and veteran farmers and ranchers (“historically underserved producers”).
Learn More

### Farm Bill

The 2018 Farm Bill was enacted on December 20, 2018. The Farm Bill continues its strong support for conservation efforts of America’s farmers and ranchers through reauthorization and expanded flexibility of NRCS conservation programs. 
Learn More

## Ready to get started?

Contact your local service center to start your application.

## Find Your Local Service Center

    USDA Service Centers are locations where you can connect with Farm Service Agency, Natural Resources Conservation Service, or Rural Development employees for your business needs. Enter your state and county below to find your local service center and agency offices. If this locator does not work in your browser, please visit offices.usda.gov.  

##   How to Get Assistance

**Do you farm or ranch and want to make improvements to the land that you own or lease?**

Natural Resources Conservation Service offers technical and financial assistance to help farmers, ranchers and forest landowners.

**Print this information

###         Step 1: Make a Plan    

**To get started with NRCS, we recommend you stop by your local NRCS field office. We’ll discuss your vision for your land.**

NRCS provides landowners with free technical assistance, or advice, for their land. Common technical assistance includes: resource assessment, practice design and resource monitoring. Your conservation planner will help you determine if financial assistance is right for you.

###         Step 2: Start an Application    

**We’ll walk you through the application process. To get started on applying for financial assistance, we’ll work with you:**
                        - To fill out an AD 1026, which ensures a conservation plan is in place before lands with highly erodible soils are farmed. It also ensures that identified wetland areas are protected.
                        - To meet other eligibility certifications.

Once complete, we’ll work with you on the application, or CPA 1200.

Applications for most programs are accepted on a continuous basis, but they’re considered for funding in different ranking periods. Be sure to ask your local NRCS district conservationist about the deadline for the ranking period to ensure you turn in your application in time.

###         Step 3: Check your eligibility    

**As part of the application process, we’ll check to see if you are eligible. To do this, you’ll need to bring:**
                        - An official tax ID (Social Security number or an employer ID)
                        - A property deed or lease agreement to show you have control of the property; and
                        - A farm number.

If you don’t have a farm number, you can get one from USDA’s Farm Service Agency. Typically, the local FSA office is located in the same building as the local NRCS office. You only need a farm number if you’re interested in financial assistance.

###         Step 4: Rank your application    

**NRCS will take a look at the applications and rank them** according to local resource concerns, the amount of conservation benefits the work will provide and the needs of applicants. View Application Ranking Dates by State.

###         Step 5: Implement your plan    

**If you’re selected, you can choose whether to sign the contract for the work to be done.**

Once you sign the contract, you’ll be provided standards and specifications for completing the practice or practices, and then you will have a specified amount of time to implement. Once the work is implemented and inspected, you’ll be paid the rate of compensation for the work if it meets NRCS standards and specifications.

----

## Related Resources

### Guides and Instructions

### Data and Reports

View All Resources

### Guides and Instructions

                      - EQIP Fact Sheet 
                      - EQIP Advance Payment Option 

View All Guides and Instructions

### Data and Reports

                      - RCA Data Viewer 

View All Data and Reports