Kansas NRCS announces Environmental Quality Incentives Program and Conservation Stewardship Program funding
David S. Doctorian, State Conservationist for the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS), announced the 2025 application deadline of Monday, September 9, 2024, for both Environmental Quality Incentives Program (EQIP) and the Conservation Stewardship Program (CSP).
Through the Farm Bill and Inflation Reduction Act (IRA), Kansas is projected to have over 70 million dollars to help producers improve the natural resources on their land. “Farmers can adopt structural, vegetative and management practices to help with their identified natural resource concerns on working agricultural lands,” Doctorian said. “Kansans can benefit from water conservation, soil health and grassland conservation with multiple available practices.”
NRCS accepts conservation program applications on a continuous basis and makes funding decisions throughout the year. Interested Kansas agricultural producers and landowners must apply during the initial application period for Fiscal Year (FY) 2025 financial assistance by Monday, September 9, 2024.
All contract participants must meet Farm Bill Program eligibility. Eligibility includes working with the Farm Service Agency to report the Highly Erodible Land and Wetland Compliance requirements as well as Adjusted Gross Income limits. Financial assistance eligibility for NRCS programs is based upon identified resource concerns documented within the producer’s application. A conservation plan will be developed based upon the NRCS nine-step planning process.
“We are excited to announce the application deadline for EQIP and CSP programs in 2025, providing support to Kansas agricultural producers and landowners,” Doctorian said. “This funding opportunity underscores our commitment to addressing resource concerns on diverse lands, from traditional farms to urban and wildlife habitats. We encourage producers to apply to ensure that our shared conservation goals are met while adhering to program requirements. Technical assistance is readily available at local Service Centers, and we look forward to working together to protect and enhance Kansas’s natural resources.”
To learn more about NRCS programs, producers can contact their local USDA Service Center. Producers can also apply for NRCS programs, manage conservation plans and contracts, and view and print conservation maps by logging into their farmers.gov account. If you don’t have an account, sign up today.
