USDA EQIP — Environmental Quality Incentives Program
USDA Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS)
Varies by practice
Up to 75% cost-share for farm conservation
EQIP is the USDA's primary cost-share program for working farmers and ranchers. It pays up to 75% of the cost of installing conservation practices — irrigation efficiency upgrades, nutrient management plans, cover crops, fencing, high tunnels, drainage improvements, and 170+ other practices. Contracts run 1–10 years. No repayment required; this is a direct cost-share payment, not a loan.
- Funding type
- Grant
- Level
- Federal
- Amount range
- $1,000
- Realistic amount
- Most small-to-mid-size farm contracts receive $5,000–$25,000 total. Large livestock or irrigated operations can receive…
- Deadline
- Rolling — NRCS accepts applications year-round; national batching deadline typically January 15 each year for primary funding cycle
- Status
- active
- States
- Nationwide
- Payment model
- reimbursement
Who qualifies
- Individuals, legal entities, joint operations, or Indian Tribes that control eligible agricultural or non-industrial private forestland
- Must be engaged in agricultural, forestry, or livestock production on eligible land
- Eligible land: cropland, rangeland, pastureland, non-industrial private forestland, and other farm or ranch lands
- Must be in compliance with USDA's Highly Erodible Land and Wetland Conservation provisions
- Must meet adjusted gross income (AGI) limitations: average AGI must be at or below $900,000 for 3 preceding tax years (unless 75%+ of income from farming)
- Beginning farmers, limited resource producers, socially disadvantaged producers, and military veterans qualify for higher payment rates (up to 90%) and advance payment options
Hard requirements
- Restricted to industry: agriculture or non-industrial private forestry
What it covers
Eligible expenses
- Irrigation system upgrades (drip, micro-irrigation, flow meters, soil moisture sensors)
- Cover crop seed and establishment costs
- High tunnel or hoop house construction
- Fencing for prescribed grazing or livestock exclusion from waterways
- Nutrient management plan development and implementation
- Waste storage facilities (lagoons, digesters, composting systems)
- Riparian buffers and filter strips
- Drainage improvement (tile drain, water control structures)
- Organic transition planning and implementation costs
- Prescribed burn implementation
- Pollinator habitat establishment
Ineligible expenses
- Practices installed before the EQIP contract is signed
- Land acquisition or easements
- Construction of farm buildings not directly related to a conservation practice
- Legal fees or general business operating expenses
- Practices ineligible under the state's approved EQIP practice list
- Reimbursement for practices already covered by another federal cost-share program
How to apply
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1
Contact your local NRCS Service Center
Visit or call your local NRCS office to discuss your operation's resource concerns and potential conservation practices. NRCS will conduct a free site visit to assess needs and help prioritize practices. Find your office at farmers.gov.
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2
Submit application (CCC-1200 form)
File a completed application at your local NRCS office before the state's ranking cutoff date. Application is free. Include your Farm Service Agency farm record number. NRCS ranks all applications based on resource concern priority and cost-effectiveness.
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3
NRCS ranks and selects contracts
NRCS scores applications using a statewide ranking process considering environmental benefits, priority resource concerns, and local needs. Higher-priority operations receive funding first. You will be notified if selected — typically within 60–90 days of the ranking date.
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4
Develop conservation plan and sign contract
If selected, NRCS works with you to develop a site-specific conservation plan. You sign an EQIP contract committing to implement the identified practices within the agreed timeframe (typically 1–3 years per practice).
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5
Implement practices and receive payment
Implement the approved conservation practices using your own funds or contractor. NRCS inspects completed practices and issues cost-share payments after verification. Advance payment of up to 50% is available to underserved producers for purchasing materials.
Industry & certifications
NAICS codes: 111, 112, 113
Apply before your state's first batching deadline (usually Jan 15) — that round has the most funding. Beginning farmers and underserved producers rank higher and get 90% cost-share.
Deadline & timing
Applications accepted continuously at local NRCS Service Centers. States rank applications after each batching deadline (often in Jan/Aug). Apply before your state's cutoff to be considered for the next funding cycle. Ask your local NRCS office for state-specific ranking dates.
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Last reviewed 2026. GrantCompass is an independent funding-discovery tool and is not affiliated with any government agency. Always confirm details on the official program page.