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Environmental Quality Incentives Program
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The USDA Natural Resources Conservation Service's Environmental Quality Incentives Program (EQIP) was established to provide a voluntary conservation program for farmers and ranchers to address significant natural resource needs and objectives. EQIP offers contracts with a minimum term that ends one year after the implementation of the last scheduled practices and a maximum term of ten years. These contracts provide financial assistance to program participants to implement conservation practices. Persons or legal entities, who are owners of land under agricultural production or who are engaged in livestock or agricultural production on eligible land may participate in EQIP. EQIP activities are carried out according to an environmental quality incentives program plan of operations developed in conjunction with the producer that identifies the appropriate conservation practice or practices to address the resource concerns. The practices are subject to NRCS technical standards adapted for local conditions. NRCS approves the plan of operations and obligates contract funds for the conservation practices listed in the plan of operations. EQIP-related programs include Conservation Innovation Grants, Cooperative Conservation Partnership Initiative and Agricultural Water Enhancement Program. |
$1.067 billion
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