New York Natural Resources Conservation Service announces June 16, 2017, as the application cutoff date for the Environmental Quality Incentives Program for Fiscal Year 2018.
Through the EQIP program, NRCS offers financial and technical assistance to participants to implement practices which address priority resource concerns, including soil erosion, water quality and habitat degradation. Focus areas within the EQIP program include the farmstead, soil management, habitat, forestry and grazing. Examples of practices implemented through EQIP include: strip cropping, grassed waterways, forest stand improvement and manure storage facilities.
Applicants applying to implement practices to address farmstead resource concerns associated with livestock operations must provide a copy of their Comprehensive Nutrient Management Plan to NRCS by July 14, 2017. Applicants applying to implement forest management practices must provide their Forest Management Plan by July 14, 2017.
NRCS will review potential resource concerns on the land included, and work with applicants to develop a conservation plan to address the identified resource concerns.
Applications accepted after June 16, 2017, will be considered in the next signup. All applications are competitive and are ranked based on national, state and locally identified resource priorities and the overall benefit to the environment.
If you are interested in applying for an NRCS conservation program, please contact your local NRCS Field office: in Herkimer County (315-866-2520 ext. 3), Madison County (315-824-9076 ext. 3) and Oneida County (315-736-3316 ext. 3).
For more information, visit the NRCS website nrcs.usda.gov/wps/portal/nrcs/detail/ny/programs/financial/eqip/?cid=nrcs144p2_027058.