Browse Ambrook’s collection of grants, loans, discounts, cost shares, easements, and insurance for operations interested in forest management.

To learn more about EQIP, contact your local NRCS office. Visit the Apply for EQIP page for more information on what to expect.
An 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.  At some point, you will likely need to complete the EQIP application form below. 

Applications for EQIP​ financial assistance are accepted throughout the year, but specific deadlines are set for ranking and funding opportunities within each state. We therefore recommend you apply as soon as possible to maximize acceptance into EQIP before your state's next funding deadline.

The Environmental Quality Incentives Program (EQIP) provides financial and technical assistance to agricultural producers to address natural resource concerns and deliver environmental benefits such as improved water and air quality, conserved ground and surface water, increased soil health and reduced soil erosion and sedimentation, improved or created wildlife habitat, and mitigation against drought and increasing weather volatility.


**How It Works**

This voluntary conservation programs helps producers make conservation work for them.  Together, NRCS and&#x2004;producers invest in solutions that conserve natural resources for the future while also improving agricultural operations.


Through EQIP, NRCS provides agricultural producers with financial resources and one-on-one help to plan and implement improvements, or what NRCS calls conservation practices.  Using these practices can lead to cleaner water and air, healthier soil and better wildlife habitat, all while improving agricultural operations.  Through EQIP, you can voluntarily implement [conservation practices](https://www.nrcs.usda.gov/wps/portal/nrcs/detailfull/national/technical/cp/ncps/?cid=nrcs143_026849), and NRCS co-invests in these practices with you.


**Benefits**

Some of these benefits include:

- Reduction of contamination from agricultural sources, such as animal feeding operations.

- Efficient utilization of nutrients, reducing input costs and reduction in non-point source pollution.

- Increased soil health to help mitigate against increasing weather volatility and improved drought resiliency.


**2018 Farm Bill EQIP Updates**


[Historically underserved](https://www.nrcs.usda.gov/wps/portal/nrcs/detail/national/people/outreach/slbfr/?cid=nrcsdev11_001040) (HU) participants are eligible for[ advance payments ](https://www.nrcs.usda.gov/wps/portal/nrcs/detail/national/programs/financial/eqip/?cid=nrcseprd1502414)to help offset costs related to purchasing materials or contracting through EQIP.  HU participants may elect to receive an advance of not less than 50 percent of the EQIP conservation practice payment amount.  If the participant elects to receive the advance payment, the funds must be expended within 90 days of receiving the advance.


The 2018 Farm Bill expanded eligibility regarding with whom NRCS can enter into an EQIP contract.  NRCS may enter into EQIP contracts with water management entities when they are supporting a water conservation or irrigation efficiency project.  These entities are defined as State, irrigation district, ground water management district, acequia, land grant-merced, or similar entity.


The 2018 Farm Bill requires a national 10 percent of mandatory program funding be targeted towards source water protection.  States will identify priority source water protection areas and may offer increased incentives and higher payment rates for practices that address water quality and/or water quantity.  


Beginning in 2020, States may provide increased payment rates for high-priority practices.  In consultations with the State Technical Committee, State Conservationists may designate up to 10 practices to be eligible for increased payments.  Eligible high-priority practices include those that address specific causes of ground or surface water impairment relating to excessive nutrients, address the conservation of water to advance drought mitigation and declining aquifers, meets other environmental priorities and other priority resource concerns identified in habitat or other area restoration plans, or is geographically targeted to address a natural resource concern in a specific watershed.


**EQIP Incentive Contracts**

The 2018 Farm Bill introduced EQIP incentive contracts to expand resource benefits to producers through incentive practices such as cover crops, transition to resource conserving crop rotations and precision agriculture technologies along with a similarly broad suite of incentive practices for ranchers and non-industrial private forest operators.  Every region within a State will have identified high-priority areas and each of these areas will target up to three priority resource concerns by land use.  In addition to the payment for practice implementation, incentive contracts offer annual payments to address operations and maintenance costs as well as foregone income.  EQIP incentive contracts can be a stepping stone for producers between EQIP classic and Conservation Stewardship Program (CSP) contracts.


You can [visit the 2018 Farm Bill Programs page](https://www.nrcs.usda.gov/wps/portal/nrcs/detail/national/programs/farmbill/?cid=stelprdb1242382) for for more information about other NRCS conservation opportunities.


**Popular Practices**

- [Cover Crops](https://www.nrcs.usda.gov/wps/PA_NRCSConsumption/download?cid=stelprdb1263481&ext=pdf)

- [Forest Stand Improvement](https://www.nrcs.usda.gov/wps/PA_NRCSConsumption/download?cid=nrcseprd340673&ext=pdf)

- [Prescribed Grazing](https://www.nrcs.usda.gov/wps/PA_NRCSConsumption/download?cid=stelprdb1255132&ext=pdf)

- [Irrigation](https://www.nrcs.usda.gov/wps/PA_NRCSConsumption/download?cid=nrcseprd340699&ext=pdf)


**EQIP Initiatives**

Targeted EQIP financial assistance is available through general EQIP, and several other initiatives. These initiatives address priority natural resource concerns on the most vulnerable lands, target conservation assistance in high priority watersheds, or help stimulate the development and adoption of innovation and technology. [Learn about Landscape Conservation Initiatives here](https://www.nrcs.usda.gov/wps/portal/nrcs/detailfull/national/programs/initiatives/?cid=stelprdb1042113).

- [High Tunnel Initiative](https://www.nrcs.usda.gov/wps/portal/nrcs/detail/national/programs/financial/eqip/?cid=stelprdb1046250)

- [Organic Initiative](https://www.nrcs.usda.gov/wps/portal/nrcs/detail/national/programs/financial/eqip/?cid=nrcs143_008224)

- [Air Quality Initiative](https://www.nrcs.usda.gov/wps/portal/nrcs/detail/national/air/quality/?cid=stelprdb1047144)

- [Landscape Initiative](https://www.nrcs.usda.gov/wps/portal/nrcs/detailfull/national/programs/initiatives/?cid=stelprdb1042113)

- [On Farm Energy Initiative](https://www.nrcs.usda.gov/wps/portal/nrcs/detail/national/programs/financial/eqip/?cid=stelprdb1046252)

- [Conservation Innovation Grant](https://www.nrcs.usda.gov/wps/portal/nrcs/main/national/programs/financial/cig)

- [Colorado River](https://www.nrcs.usda.gov/wps/portal/nrcs/detail/co/programs/landscape/?cid=nrcs144p2_062765)



The Environmental Quality Incentives Program (EQIP) provides financial and technical assistance to agricultural producers to address natural resource concerns and deliver environmental benefits such as improved water and air quality, conserved ground and surface water, increased soil health and reduced soil erosion and sedimentation, improved or created wildlife habitat, and mitigation against drought and increasing weather volatility.

How It Works
This voluntary conservation programs helps producers make conservation work for them.  Together, NRCS and producers invest in solutions that conserve natural resources for the future while also improving agricultural operations.

Through EQIP, NRCS provides agricultural producers with financial resources and one-on-one help to plan and implement improvements, or what NRCS calls conservation practices.  Using these practices can lead to cleaner water and air, healthier soil and better wildlife habitat, all while improving agricultural operations.  Through EQIP, you can voluntarily implement conservation practices, and NRCS co-invests in these practices with you.

Benefits
Some of these benefits include:
- Reduction of contamination from agricultural sources, such as animal feeding operations.
- Efficient utilization of nutrients, reducing input costs and reduction in non-point source pollution.
- Increased soil health to help mitigate against increasing weather volatility and improved drought resiliency.

2018 Farm Bill EQIP Updates

Historically underserved (HU) participants are eligible for advance payments to help offset costs related to purchasing materials or contracting through EQIP.  HU participants may elect to receive an advance of not less than 50 percent of the EQIP conservation practice payment amount.  If the participant elects to receive the advance payment, the funds must be expended within 90 days of receiving the advance.

The 2018 Farm Bill expanded eligibility regarding with whom NRCS can enter into an EQIP contract.  NRCS may enter into EQIP contracts with water management entities when they are supporting a water conservation or irrigation efficiency project.  These entities are defined as State, irrigation district, ground water management district, acequia, land grant-merced, or similar entity.

The 2018 Farm Bill requires a national 10 percent of mandatory program funding be targeted towards source water protection.  States will identify priority source water protection areas and may offer increased incentives and higher payment rates for practices that address water quality and/or water quantity.  

Beginning in 2020, States may provide increased payment rates for high-priority practices.  In consultations with the State Technical Committee, State Conservationists may designate up to 10 practices to be eligible for increased payments.  Eligible high-priority practices include those that address specific causes of ground or surface water impairment relating to excessive nutrients, address the conservation of water to advance drought mitigation and declining aquifers, meets other environmental priorities and other priority resource concerns identified in habitat or other area restoration plans, or is geographically targeted to address a natural resource concern in a specific watershed.

EQIP Incentive Contracts
The 2018 Farm Bill introduced EQIP incentive contracts to expand resource benefits to producers through incentive practices such as cover crops, transition to resource conserving crop rotations and precision agriculture technologies along with a similarly broad suite of incentive practices for ranchers and non-industrial private forest operators.  Every region within a State will have identified high-priority areas and each of these areas will target up to three priority resource concerns by land use.  In addition to the payment for practice implementation, incentive contracts offer annual payments to address operations and maintenance costs as well as foregone income.  EQIP incentive contracts can be a stepping stone for producers between EQIP classic and Conservation Stewardship Program (CSP) contracts.

You can visit the 2018 Farm Bill Programs page for for more information about other NRCS conservation opportunities.

Popular Practices
- Cover Crops
- Forest Stand Improvement
- Prescribed Grazing
- Irrigation

EQIP Initiatives
Targeted EQIP financial assistance is available through general EQIP, and several other initiatives. These initiatives address priority natural resource concerns on the most vulnerable lands, target conservation assistance in high priority watersheds, or help stimulate the development and adoption of innovation and technology. Learn about Landscape Conservation Initiatives here.
- High Tunnel Initiative
- Organic Initiative
- Air Quality Initiative
- Landscape Initiative
- On Farm Energy Initiative
- Conservation Innovation Grant
- Colorado River

Eligible land includes:
- Cropland and hayland
- Rangeland
- Pastureland
- Non-industrial private forestland
- Other farm or ranch lands
- Environmentally sensitive areas

Eligible applicants(s) include:
- Agricultural producers
- Owners of non-industrial private forestland
- Indian Tribes
- Those with an interest in the agricultural or forestry operations
- Water management entities

A lump sum of money for a specific purpose that does not need to be paid back.

Grant

A payment that requires some percentage of matching contributions by the recipient.

Cost Share

- EQIP fact sheet (425.04 KB)
- Conservation Incentive Contracts (1.18 MB)

EQIP Initiatives
- High Tunnel Initiative
- Organic Initiative
- Air Quality Initiative
- Landscape Conservation Initiative
- On-Farm Energy Initiative
- Colorado River Basin Salinity Project


Air Quality

High Tunnel

Landscape

Soil Health

Wildlife & Pollinator Habitat

Trees

Biofuel

Hydro Power

Solar Power

Wind Energy

Reduced Tillage

Drought

Flood

Hurricane

Tornado

Trials

Fertilizer

Waste & Manure Management

Certified Organic

Certified Grassfed

Cover Crops

Weeds

Regenerative

Water Management

Infrastructure

Conservation

Certification

Carbon Capture

Disaster Relief

Weather

Marketing

Research

Compliance

Emergency

Contact your local NRCS office to get apply. 

The Agricultural Management Assistance (AMA) helps agricultural producers manage financial risk through diversification, marketing or natural resource conservation practices. NRCS administers the conservation provisions&#x2004;while Agricultural Marketing Service and Risk Management Agency implement the production diversification and marketing provisions.


**How It Works:**

Producers may construct or improve water management structures or irrigation structures; plant trees for windbreaks or to improve water quality; and mitigate risk through production diversification or resource conservation practices, including soil erosion control, integrated pest management, or transition to organic farming.


AMA is available in 16 states where participation in the Federal Crop Insurance Program is historically low: Connecticut, Delaware, Hawaii, Maine, Maryland, Massachusetts, Nevada, New Hampshire, New Jersey, New York, Pennsylvania, Rhode Island, Utah, Vermont, West Virginia, and Wyoming.


**Program At A Glance:**

- AMA provides financial assistance up to 75 percent of the cost of installing conservation practices.

- Total AMA payments shall not exceed $50,000 per participant for any fiscal year.

- Participants are not subject to Highly Erodible Land and Wetland Conservation provisions of the Food Security Act of 1985.

- Participants are subject to Adjusted Gross Income provisions of the Food Security Act of 1985.

- AMA offers an additional higher cost-share for historically underserved producers.



The Agricultural Management Assistance (AMA) helps agricultural producers manage financial risk through diversification, marketing or natural resource conservation practices. NRCS administers the conservation provisions while Agricultural Marketing Service and Risk Management Agency implement the production diversification and marketing provisions.

How It Works:
Producers may construct or improve water management structures or irrigation structures; plant trees for windbreaks or to improve water quality; and mitigate risk through production diversification or resource conservation practices, including soil erosion control, integrated pest management, or transition to organic farming.

AMA is available in 16 states where participation in the Federal Crop Insurance Program is historically low: Connecticut, Delaware, Hawaii, Maine, Maryland, Massachusetts, Nevada, New Hampshire, New Jersey, New York, Pennsylvania, Rhode Island, Utah, Vermont, West Virginia, and Wyoming.

Program At A Glance:
- AMA provides financial assistance up to 75 percent of the cost of installing conservation practices.
- Total AMA payments shall not exceed $50,000 per participant for any fiscal year.
- Participants are not subject to Highly Erodible Land and Wetland Conservation provisions of the Food Security Act of 1985.
- Participants are subject to Adjusted Gross Income provisions of the Food Security Act of 1985.
- AMA offers an additional higher cost-share for historically underserved producers.

Producers must:
- Be engaged in livestock or agricultural production.
- Have an interest in the farming operation associated with the land being offered for AMA enrollment.
- Have control of the land for the term of the proposed contract.
- Be in compliance with the provisions for protecting the interests of tenants and sharecroppers, including the provisions for sharing AMA payments on a fair and equitable basis.
- Be within appropriate payment limitation requirements.

Land Eligibility:
- Land on which agricultural commodities or livestock are produced, such as cropland, hayland, pastureland, rangeland, and grassland.
- Land used for subsistence purposes, private non-industrial forestland, or other land on which agricultural products, livestock, or forest-related goods are produced.
- Land on which risk may be mitigated through operation diversification or change in resource conservation practices.

Distribution

Diversification

Events

Trade Show

Buildings

Construction

Fencing

Greenhouse

HVAC

Irrigation

Lighting

Repairs

Storage

Succession

Trade Relief

Legal & Finance

Inputs

Nutrient Management

Forest Management

- AMA provides financial assistance up to 75 percent of the cost of installing conservation practices.
- Total AMA payments shall not exceed $50,000 per participant for any fiscal year.
- Participants are not subject to Highly Erodible Land and Wetland Conservation provisions of the Food Security Act of 1985.
- Participants are subject to Adjusted Gross Income provisions of the Food Security Act of 1985.
- AMA offers an additional higher cost-share for historically underserved producers.


Funding for EFRP is determined by Congress. Up to 75% of the cost to implement emergency conservation practices can be provided, however the final amount is determined by the committee reviewing the application. The FSA County Committee is able to approve applications up to $50,000 while $50,000 to $100,000 requires state committee approval. Amounts over $100,000 require the approval of the national FSA office. Additionally, a limit on payments of $500,000 per person or entity per disaster applies.

Owners should check with their local FSA office to find out about EFRP sign-up periods after a natural disaster has occurred.

The Emergency Forest Restoration Program (EFRP) helps the owners of non-industrial private forests restore forest health damaged by natural disasters. The EFRP does this by authorizing payments&#x2004;to owners of private forests to restore disaster damaged forests. Forests provide shelter for wildlife, help provide nutrients for soil, and help protect water supplies. By restoring forests and forest health the EFRP works to protect natural resources and wildlife habitats.


The local FSA County Committee implements EFRP for all disasters with the exceptions of drought and insect infestations. In the case of drought or an insect infestation, the national FSA office authorizes EFRP implementation.



The Emergency Forest Restoration Program (EFRP) helps the owners of non-industrial private forests restore forest health damaged by natural disasters. The EFRP does this by authorizing payments to owners of private forests to restore disaster damaged forests. Forests provide shelter for wildlife, help provide nutrients for soil, and help protect water supplies. By restoring forests and forest health the EFRP works to protect natural resources and wildlife habitats.

The local FSA County Committee implements EFRP for all disasters with the exceptions of drought and insect infestations. In the case of drought or an insect infestation, the national FSA office authorizes EFRP implementation.

The FSA County Committee inspects the damage to determine if forest land is eligible for EFRP. For land to qualify for EFRP funds, the damage from the natural disaster must create new conservation problems that if not dealt with would (1) harm the natural resources on the land and/or (2) significantly affect future land use.

Only owners of nonindustrial private forests with tree cover existing before the natural disaster occurred are eligible to apply. The land must be owned by a private individual, group, association, corporation or other private legal entity that has decision making authority on the land and doesn’t use the land for business purposes.

FSA county committees determine land eligibility using on-site damage inspections that assess the type and extent of damage. To be eligible for EFRP,  nonindustrial private forest (NIPF) land must:
- Have existing tree cover (or had tree cover immediately before the natural disaster occurred and is suitable for growing trees); and
- Be owned by any nonindustrial private individual, group, association, corporation, or other private legal entity.

Forestry

Forest Residues

Timber

Coronavirus

Wildfire

To apply, contact the Forest Legacy Program national team at sm.fs.flp@usda.gov

Scott Stewart

Forest Legacy Program Manager

Claire Harper

The purpose of the Forest Legacy Program is to identify and conserve environmentally important forest areas that are threatened by conversion to non-forest uses. Providing economic incentives to landowners to keep their forest as forests encourages sustainable forest management and supports strong markets for&#x2004;forest products.


Landowners may participate in the Forest Legacy Program by either selling their property outright or by retaining ownership and selling only a portion of the property’s development rights; both are held by state agencies or another unit of government. The use of a conservation easement, a legal agreement between a landowner and a non-profit land trust or governmental agency, allows the land to remain in private ownership while ensuring that its environmental values are retained.




The purpose of the Forest Legacy Program is to identify and conserve environmentally important forest areas that are threatened by conversion to non-forest uses. Providing economic incentives to landowners to keep their forest as forests encourages sustainable forest management and supports strong markets for forest products.

Landowners may participate in the Forest Legacy Program by either selling their property outright or by retaining ownership and selling only a portion of the property’s development rights; both are held by state agencies or another unit of government. The use of a conservation easement, a legal agreement between a landowner and a non-profit land trust or governmental agency, allows the land to remain in private ownership while ensuring that its environmental values are retained.


A proposed project’s eligibility to be included in the Forest Legacy Program (FLP) is determined by both the Federal requirements included in this section plus any requirements identified by a State Forest Action Plan or other pertinent State law. For the purposes of these implementation guidelines, a proposed FLP tract meets the minimum eligibility if: 
- It is within, or partially within, a designated FLA.
- It has a minimum of 75 percent forestland or a documented plan that includes sufficient landowner capacity to reforest to at least 75 percent forestland. 
- It can be managed consistent with the purpose for which it was acquired by FLP.
- The landowner is willing to sell or donate the interest in perpetuity.
- The landowner acknowledges that the conservation easement will be held by a government entity if Federal funds are used for the acquisition.

State and local governments, individuals, tribal governments, and non-profit organizations are all eligible recipients.

Payment per unit of land to do or avoid certain practices related to land management.

Easement

- Inflation Reduction Act Call For Funding
- Land and Water Conservation Fund Call for Funding
- Forest Legacy Program Scoring Guidance
- Program Implementation Guidelines (PDF
- FS Budget and Performance
- FS Strategic Plan


Landowners with completed FLP conservation easements on their property(s) have the longterm responsibility for managing their land in a manner consistent with the purposes of the FLP and the terms specified in the conservation easement and Multi-Resource Management Part II – Forest Legacy Program Structure and Funding 16 Forest Legacy Program Implementation Guidelines Plan. Landowners who purchase or inherit properties with FLP conservation easements also assume these long-term roles.

Apply at your local USDA Service Center, which you can find at https://www.farmers.gov/service-center-locator 

The Healthy Forests Reserve Program (HFRP) helps landowners restore, enhance and protect forestland resources on private lands through easements and financial assistance. HRFP aids the recovery of&#x2004;endangered and threatened species under the Endangered Species Act, improves plant and animal biodiversity and enhances carbon sequestration.  


**Benefits:**


HFRP provides landowners with 10-year restoration agreements and 30-year or permanent easements for specific conservation actions. For acreage owned by an American Indian tribe, there is an additional enrollment option of a 30-year contract. Some landowners may avoid regulatory restrictions under the Endangered Species Act by restoring or improving habitat on their land for a specified period of time.



The Healthy Forests Reserve Program (HFRP) helps landowners restore, enhance and protect forestland resources on private lands through easements and financial assistance. HRFP aids the recovery of endangered and threatened species under the Endangered Species Act, improves plant and animal biodiversity and enhances carbon sequestration.  

Benefits:

HFRP provides landowners with 10-year restoration agreements and 30-year or permanent easements for specific conservation actions. For acreage owned by an American Indian tribe, there is an additional enrollment option of a 30-year contract. Some landowners may avoid regulatory restrictions under the Endangered Species Act by restoring or improving habitat on their land for a specified period of time.

HFRP applicants must provide proof of ownership, or an operator (tenant) must provide written concurrence from the landowner of tenancy for the period of the HFRP restoration agreement in order to be eligible. Land enrolled in HFRP easements must be privately owned or owned by Indian tribes and restore, enhance or measurably increase the recovery of threatened or endangered species, improve biological diversity or increase carbon storage.

Land enrolled in HFRP easements must be privately owned or owned by Indian tribes and restore, enhance or measurably increase the recovery of threatened or endangered species, improve biological diversity or increase carbon storage.

Socially Disadvantaged

People Of Color

Historically Underserved

Application Requirements
- Complete the AgEnhancement application at the bottom of this page.
- Upload a letter to the AgEnhancement Application outlining the purpose of the proposed program, activity or event and describing how it will be conducted.
- Up to three pages supporting materials may also be included.

Proposals for Farm Credit Northeast AgEnhancement Grant funding will be considered three times per year.

Application materials must be received by the close of business April 1, August 1 and December 1. Receipt of projects after these dates will be held for consideration in the next review. It is recommended that the application be submitted in a grant cycle well in advance of the project date so that if the project is funded, the applicant will receive funding prior to the project start date. For example: If the project date is August 29-31, 20XX, then the application should be submitted for the April 1 grant cycle. The application form will be closed for the month directly after the grant cycle due date. 

Applicants will be notified by email that the application has been received. Applicants are encouraged to contact AgEnhancement if they do not receive an acknowledgement email.

Notification of the funding decision will normally be within 30 days of the application deadline.

Kyle Bell

Each year, Northeast agricultural credit associations and CoBank award&#x2004;grants ranging from $500 to $10,000 to help organizations promote awareness and strengthen agriculture, commercial fishing and forest products in the six New England states, New York and New Jersey. Since its inception in 1996, the Farm Credit AgEnhancement Program has awarded more than two million dollars in grants to organizations across the Northeast. [Learn more](https://www.farmcrediteast.com/industry-support/AgEnhancement-grants/agenhancment-projects) about the projects we support and what some of the recipients say about the AgEnhancement Grants


**Applications are accepted three times a year:**

**April 1st, August 1st and December 1st**



Each year, Northeast agricultural credit associations and CoBank award grants ranging from $500 to $10,000 to help organizations promote awareness and strengthen agriculture, commercial fishing and forest products in the six New England states, New York and New Jersey. Since its inception in 1996, the Farm Credit AgEnhancement Program has awarded more than two million dollars in grants to organizations across the Northeast. Learn more about the projects we support and what some of the recipients say about the AgEnhancement Grants

Applications are accepted three times a year:
April 1st, August 1st and December 1st

Eligible projects are ones that promote and strengthen the agriculture, forest products or commercial fishing industries in any of the following ways:
- Development of young and beginning farmers
- Encourage leadership
- Develop a greater understanding of agriculture
- Recognize the accomplishments of ag leaders
- Study the economic viability of agriculture
- Promote interest in the industry
- Impact the Northeast (statewide and regional projects also eligible)

The following projects are not eligible:
- County or local school projects
- Programs and projects of non-agricultural charities
- Contributions for political support purposes, scholarships or memberships in professional societies or trade organizations
- General operating funds and ongoing program support
- Support for website administration and enhancement
- Capital or building projects
- Projects for an individual or individual farm operation
- Funding for annual state meetings general business or corporate meetings or regularly scheduled conferences 
- Indirect costs associated with sponsored projects

Local Food

Stewardship

Farmers Market

Deadlines
- Proposals for Northeast Farm Credit AgEnhancement grant funding will be considered three times per year.
- Application materials must be received by the close of business April 1, August 1 and December 1. Receipt of projects after these dates will be held for consideration in the next review. It is recommended that the application be submitted in a grant cycle well in advance of the project date so that if the project is funded, the applicant will receive funding prior to the project start date. For example: if the project date is August 29-31, 20XX, then the application should be submitted for the April 1 grant cycle.
- Applicants will be notified by email that the application has been received. Applicants are encouraged to contact AgEnhancement if they do not receive an acknowledgement email.
- Notification of the funding decision will normally be within 30 days of the application deadline.


- Step 1: Partners interested in submitting a proposal must obtain level 2 eAuthentication permissions. This process can be lengthy and is solely a partner responsibility. Partners are strongly encouraged to begin the eAuth process as soon as possible to minimize the possibility of the eAuth process creating a roadblock to RCPP proposal submission. Details on how to apply for eAuth permissions are in the RCPP Partner Proposal Guide.
- Step 2: Partners must request access to the RCPP portal . This process typically takes a few business days. During this process NRCS must verify a users’ eAuth permissions and during high volume periods it may take over a week.
- Step 3: At least 4 weeks prior to the application deadline, and before starting an application in the RCPP portal, eligible entities interested in applying to RCPP are advised to request a meeting with the appropriate NRCS State RCPP coordinator(s).

Partners are responsible for ensuring the above steps are completed early enough to meet the deadline for submitting an RCPP proposal. Most steps involve actions outside of NRCS and cannot be expedited.

Steve Musser

Kristine Harper

Jason Kepler

Dianne Schlenker

Raeann Dubay

Frank Velazquez

James Sperry

Joyce Purcell

Karri Honaker

Nina Bhattacharyya

Marcus Griffin

Daniel Esposito

Shannon Allen

Jill Reinhart

Scott Cagle

Troy Munsch

Sonya Keith

Sarah Trichel

Ben Naumann

Carol Rivera

Rita Thibodeau

Kim Wieber

Jessica Weis

Clarence Finley

Brad Mccord

Jerry Shows

Jacob Bliven

Paulette Balliette

Valerie Hartman

Nicholas Saumweber

Kristin Grahamchavez

Emily Armstrong

Jessica Schmelz

Jill Howard

Cheryl Rice

Steven Glasgow

Tom Miewald

Susan Kubo

Susan Marquart

Brunilda Velez

Kellee Melton

Jeffrey Vanderwilt

Kelly German

Lori Ziehr

Travis Mote

Obediah Racicot

Stacey Bradshaw

Laura Williams

Pamela Yost

Matt Otto

Jamison Jewkes

The Regional Conservation Partnership Program (RCPP) promotes coordination of NRCS conservation activities with partners that offer value-added contributions to expand our collective ability to address on-farm, watershed, and regional natural resource concerns. Through RCPP, NRCS seeks to co-invest with partners to implement projects that demonstrate innovative solutions to conservation challenges and provide measurable improvements and&#x2004;outcomes tied to the resource concerns they seek to address.


There are two types of national funding announcements under RCPP.

1. RCPP Classic is the standard version of the program where NRCS and the lead partner both oversee contracts with producers and landowners engaged in RCPP activities.

2. RCPP Alternative Funding Arrangements are partner-led projects that propose innovative use of federal assistance to achieve conservation benefits that are not possible under the RCPP Classic construct.


**RCPP funds are distributed by project. See the list of 2023 projects [he](https://www.nrcs.usda.gov/wps/portal/nrcs/detail/national/programs/financial/rcpp/?cid=nrcseprd1829036)[re.](https://www.nrcs.usda.gov/regional-conservation-partnership-program-2023-awarded-projects)**


**The New RCPP:**


The 2018 Farm Bill made a number of substantial changes to RCPP:

- RCPP is now a standalone program with its own funding—$300 million annually. Moving forward, landowners and ag producers will enter into RCPP contracts and RCPP easements.

- Enhanced Alternative Funding Arrangement provision—NRCS may award up to 15 AFA projects, which are more grant-like and rely more on partner capacity to implement conservation activities.

- Three funding pools reduced to two—the National pool was eliminated. Partners must apply to either the Critical Conservation Area (CCA) or State/Multistate funding pool.

- Emphasis on project outcomes—all RCPP projects must now develop and report on their environmental outcomes.


Successful RCPP projects embody the following core principles:

- Impact: RCPP applications must propose effective and compelling solutions that address one or more natural resource priorities to help solve natural resource challenges. Partners are responsible for evaluating a project's impact and results.

- Partner Contributions: Partners are responsible for identifying any combination of cash and in-kind value-added contributions to leverage NRCS's RCPP investments. It is NRCS's goal that partner contributions at least equal the NRCS investment in an RCPP project. Substantive partner contributions are given priority consideration as part of the RCPP application evaluation criteria. 

- Innovation: NRCS seeks projects that integrate multiple conservation approaches, implement innovative conservation approaches or technologies, build new partnerships, and effectively take advantage of program flexibilities to deliver conservation solutions.

- Partnerships and Management: Partners must have experience, expertise, and capacity to manage the partnership and project, provide outreach to producers, and quantify the environmental outcomes of an RCPP project. RCPP ranking criteria give preference to applicants that meaningfully engage historically underserved farmers and ranchers.


**RCPP Funding:**


RCPP funding is divided evenly among two funding pools. 

- Critical Conservation Areas: For projects in eight geographic areas chosen by the Secretary of Agriculture. These receive 50 percent of funding. Learn more about [RCPP Critical Conservation Areas.](https://www.nrcs.usda.gov/wps/portal/nrcs/detail/national/programs/financial/rcpp/?cid=stelprdb1254053)

- State/Multistate: For projects in a single state or across several states. These receive 50 percent of funding.


**RCPP Conservation Activities:**


RCPP projects may include a range of on-the-ground conservation activities implemented by farmers, ranchers and forest landowners. These activities include:

- Land management/land improvement/restoration practices

- Land rentals

- Entity-held easements

- United States-held easements

- Public works/watersheds


A single RCPP project application can propose to employ any combination of these eligible activity types as part of an RCPP project. For more details about eligible RCPP conservation activities, please see the RCPP funding announcement.



The Regional Conservation Partnership Program (RCPP) promotes coordination of NRCS conservation activities with partners that offer value-added contributions to expand our collective ability to address on-farm, watershed, and regional natural resource concerns. Through RCPP, NRCS seeks to co-invest with partners to implement projects that demonstrate innovative solutions to conservation challenges and provide measurable improvements and outcomes tied to the resource concerns they seek to address.

There are two types of national funding announcements under RCPP.
1. RCPP Classic is the standard version of the program where NRCS and the lead partner both oversee contracts with producers and landowners engaged in RCPP activities.
2. RCPP Alternative Funding Arrangements are partner-led projects that propose innovative use of federal assistance to achieve conservation benefits that are not possible under the RCPP Classic construct.

RCPP funds are distributed by project. See the list of 2023 projects here.

The New RCPP:

The 2018 Farm Bill made a number of substantial changes to RCPP:
- RCPP is now a standalone program with its own funding—$300 million annually. Moving forward, landowners and ag producers will enter into RCPP contracts and RCPP easements.
- Enhanced Alternative Funding Arrangement provision—NRCS may award up to 15 AFA projects, which are more grant-like and rely more on partner capacity to implement conservation activities.
- Three funding pools reduced to two—the National pool was eliminated. Partners must apply to either the Critical Conservation Area (CCA) or State/Multistate funding pool.
- Emphasis on project outcomes—all RCPP projects must now develop and report on their environmental outcomes.

Successful RCPP projects embody the following core principles:
- Impact: RCPP applications must propose effective and compelling solutions that address one or more natural resource priorities to help solve natural resource challenges. Partners are responsible for evaluating a project's impact and results.
- Partner Contributions: Partners are responsible for identifying any combination of cash and in-kind value-added contributions to leverage NRCS's RCPP investments. It is NRCS's goal that partner contributions at least equal the NRCS investment in an RCPP project. Substantive partner contributions are given priority consideration as part of the RCPP application evaluation criteria. 
- Innovation: NRCS seeks projects that integrate multiple conservation approaches, implement innovative conservation approaches or technologies, build new partnerships, and effectively take advantage of program flexibilities to deliver conservation solutions.
- Partnerships and Management: Partners must have experience, expertise, and capacity to manage the partnership and project, provide outreach to producers, and quantify the environmental outcomes of an RCPP project. RCPP ranking criteria give preference to applicants that meaningfully engage historically underserved farmers and ranchers.

RCPP Funding:

RCPP funding is divided evenly among two funding pools. 
- Critical Conservation Areas: For projects in eight geographic areas chosen by the Secretary of Agriculture. These receive 50 percent of funding. Learn more about RCPP Critical Conservation Areas.
- State/Multistate: For projects in a single state or across several states. These receive 50 percent of funding.

RCPP Conservation Activities:

RCPP projects may include a range of on-the-ground conservation activities implemented by farmers, ranchers and forest landowners. These activities include:
- Land management/land improvement/restoration practices
- Land rentals
- Entity-held easements
- United States-held easements
- Public works/watersheds

A single RCPP project application can propose to employ any combination of these eligible activity types as part of an RCPP project. For more details about eligible RCPP conservation activities, please see the RCPP funding announcement.

Partner Eligibility:

Individual producers are not directly eligible for either RCPP program, however, they can apply as part of a producer organization. Producers seeking to carry out conservation activities consistent with a RCPP project in the project’s geographic area can apply directly to NRCS.

Entities that are classified as one of the following organizational types can serve as an eligible RCPP partner:
- An agricultural or silvicultural producer association or other group of producers.
- A State or unit of local government.
- An Indian Tribe.
- A farmer cooperative.
- A water district, irrigation district, acequia, rural water district or association, or other organization with specific water delivery authority to agricultural producers.
- A municipal water or wastewater treatment entity.
- An institution of higher education.
- An organization or entity with an established history of working cooperatively with producers on agricultural land, as determined by NRCS, to address—
    - Local conservation priorities related to agricultural production, wildlife habitat development, or nonindustrial private forest land management; or
    - Critical watershed-scale soil erosion, water quality, sediment reduction, or other natural resource issues.
- An entity, such as an Indian Tribe, State government, local government, or a nongovernmental organization that has a farmland or grassland protection program that purchases agricultural land easements
- A conservation district.

Producer and Landowner Eligibility:

Once NRCS selects a project and executes an RCPP agreement with a lead partner, agricultural producers may participate in an RCPP project in one of two ways. First, producers may engage with project partners and delegate a willing partner to act as their representative in working with NRCS. Second, producers seeking to carry out conservation activities consistent with a RCPP project in the project's geographic area can apply directly to NRCS.

Land Eligibility:

RCPP projects must be carried out on agricultural or nonindustrial private forest land or associated land on which NRCS determines an eligible activity would help achieve conservation benefits (i.e., improved condition of natural resources resulting from implementation of conservation activities).

Eligible conservation activities may be implemented on public lands when those activities will benefit eligible lands as determined by NRCS and are included in the scope of an approved RCPP project.

View the application questions and complete your application online at this portal.

The Agricultural Enterprise Fund (AEF) is an incentive program that supports Governor Lee’s priority of job creation and economic development by facilitating agricultural development in Tennessee. It is administered by the Department of Agriculture in conjunction with the Department of Economic and Community Development.

The AEF awards grants to starting or expanding agricultural, food, and forestry businesses; nonprofits, local governments, and other entities in Tennessee, or those whose project will be located in Tennessee. The program focuses on value-added&#x2004;and processing projects that benefit other producers or forest landowners. Farming projects such as livestock, row crop, or horticulture production expansions will not be competitive, but may be supported through the [Tennessee Agricultural Enhancement Program (TAEP)](https://www.tn.gov/agriculture/farms/taep.html).

Successful grant recipients must demonstrate a strong potential for impact on local farm income, access to markets, increased capacity or agricultural innovation. Priority will be given to businesses located in at-risk counties, distressed counties, and counties adjoining at-risk or distressed counties, and the AEF selection process is competitive. 



The Agricultural Enterprise Fund (AEF) is an incentive program that supports Governor Lee’s priority of job creation and economic development by facilitating agricultural development in Tennessee. It is administered by the Department of Agriculture in conjunction with the Department of Economic and Community Development.
The AEF awards grants to starting or expanding agricultural, food, and forestry businesses; nonprofits, local governments, and other entities in Tennessee, or those whose project will be located in Tennessee. The program focuses on value-added and processing projects that benefit other producers or forest landowners. Farming projects such as livestock, row crop, or horticulture production expansions will not be competitive, but may be supported through the Tennessee Agricultural Enhancement Program (TAEP).
Successful grant recipients must demonstrate a strong potential for impact on local farm income, access to markets, increased capacity or agricultural innovation. Priority will be given to businesses located in at-risk counties, distressed counties, and counties adjoining at-risk or distressed counties, and the AEF selection process is competitive. 

Applicant Requirements
- Applicants must be a Tennessee entity (i.e. agriculture, food, or forestry business, farmer, local government, or nonprofit in Tennessee) or have a project based in Tennessee.
- Applicants must demonstrate that their project will increase farm income for local farmers, enhance access to agricultural markets, increase capacity of their business, or contribute to the agriculture industry through innovation.
- Applicants must be making an investment into the project. AEF funds may not be more than 25% of the project’s total budget.
- Applicants must submit project updates to measure impact of the grant on the applicant as well as the local economy, and agree to work with the Department of Agriculture to track success of the project.
- Applicants may not submit proposals that will result in relocation of a facility from one place in Tennessee to another.
- Applicants must purchase at least 25% of any agricultural inputs from Tennessee producers. This requirement may be relaxed when compliance would be impracticable – i.e. in times of drought, disease, etc.
Project Requirements
Projects funded by the Agricultural Enterprise Fund must match the description of at least one of the following four categories. Many projects will potentially match the description of more than one category and applicants should indicate so on their application.
- Increase in Farm Income - This category includes projects that will increase farm income by offering farmers higher commodity prices than other markets, processing value-added products for farmers, or allowing a single farmer to add value to their own farm products.
- Increased Access to Markets - This category includes projects that will create or expand a market for Tennessee farmers or forest landowners, including reducing miles that farmers must transport their products to market or creating a new market entirely. 
- Increased Capacity - This category includes projects that will expand the capacity of an existing agricultural, food, or forestry business, including their production or processing capacity or the number of employees.
- Agricultural Innovation - This category is appropriate for entrepreneurs who wish to market a new technological innovation with the potential to impact Tennessee agriculture or the forestry industry by creating efficiencies in production, reducing costs, etc.

- Application Scoring
- Metrics
- Frequently Asked Questions

Application for Payment: Must be submitted within 90 calendar days of the disaster event or when the loss is apparent.

To apply for the Tree Assistance Program, producers must complete and submit an application for TAP assistance to their local FSA office. The application process includes providing documentation of the losses and costs associated with replanting or rehabilitation. Detailed enrollment instructions and deadlines are available through the local FSA office.

Find your Local FSA Office

The Tree Assistance Program (TAP) provides financial assistance to eligible orchardists and nursery tree growers to replant or rehabilitate eligible trees, bushes, and vines lost by natural disasters. TAP is administered&#x2004;by the Farm Service Agency (FSA) of the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA).


Covered Losses

- Replanting or rehabilitating trees, bushes, and vines that have been damaged or destroyed by natural disasters.

- Eligible plantings must have suffered more than a 15% mortality rate (adjusted for normal mortality) to qualify for assistance.

Payment Rates: TAP provides cost-share assistance of up to 65% of the actual cost of replanting or rehabilitating damaged or destroyed trees, bushes, and vines. Limited resource, socially disadvantaged, and beginning farmers or ranchers may be eligible for up to 75% cost-share.



The Tree Assistance Program (TAP) provides financial assistance to eligible orchardists and nursery tree growers to replant or rehabilitate eligible trees, bushes, and vines lost by natural disasters. TAP is administered by the Farm Service Agency (FSA) of the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA).

Covered Losses
- Replanting or rehabilitating trees, bushes, and vines that have been damaged or destroyed by natural disasters.
- Eligible plantings must have suffered more than a 15% mortality rate (adjusted for normal mortality) to qualify for assistance.
Payment Rates: TAP provides cost-share assistance of up to 65% of the actual cost of replanting or rehabilitating damaged or destroyed trees, bushes, and vines. Limited resource, socially disadvantaged, and beginning farmers or ranchers may be eligible for up to 75% cost-share.

Eligible Tree Types

Eligible trees, bushes, and vines are those from which an annual crop is produced for commercial purposes. Nursery trees include ornamental, fruit, nut and Christmas trees produced for commercial sale. Trees used for pulp or timber are not eligible for TAP assistance.

Eligible Losses
Covered Losses
- Replanting or rehabilitating trees, bushes, and vines that have been damaged or destroyed by natural disasters.
- Eligible plantings must have suffered more than a 15% mortality rate (adjusted for normal mortality) to qualify for assistance.
Payment Rates: TAP provides cost-share assistance of up to 65% of the actual cost of replanting or rehabilitating damaged or destroyed trees, bushes, and vines. Limited resource, socially disadvantaged, and beginning farmers or ranchers may be eligible for up to 75% cost-share.

To be considered an eligible loss:
- A requisite death loss must first be sustained; a stand of eligible trees, bushes, or vines must have suffered more than a 15 percent mortality loss (after normal mortality) due to a natural disaster;
- Mortality loss on a stand of eligible trees, bushes, or vines is based on:
- Each eligible disaster event, except for losses due to plant disease; and
- For plant disease, the time period as determined by the FSA for which the stand is infected.
- The loss must not have been preventable through reasonable and available measures;
- The loss must be visible and obvious to the FSA representative; if the loss is no longer visible, FSA may accept other loss evidence and determine whether that other evidence substantiates that an eligible loss due to natural disaster occurred; and
- FSA may require information from a qualified expert to determine extent of loss in the case of plant disease or insect infestation.

Eligible Orchardists and Nursery Tree Growers

To qualify for TAP, eligible orchardists and nursery tree growers must:
- Have suffered a qualifying tree, bush or vine loss in excess of 15 percent mortality for the stand (adjusted for normal mortality) due to an eligible natural disaster;
- Have owned the eligible trees, bushes and vines when the natural disaster occurred, but eligible growers are not required to own the land on which owned eligible trees, bushes and vines are planted; and
- Replace eligible trees, bushes and vines within 12 months from the date the TAP application is approved.

Nursery Trees

Fruit Trees

Nut Trees

Nursery Crops

Acreage Limitation
The cumulative total quantity of acres planted to trees, bushes, or vines for which an eligible orchardist or nursery tree grower can receive TAP payments cannot exceed 1,000 acres annually.

Payment Limitation and Average Adjusted Gross Income (AGI)
For losses that occurred on or after January 1, 2017, there is no payment limitation for TAP.
In applying the limitation on average adjusted gross income (AGI), a person or legal entity is ineligible for payment under TAP if the AGI of the person or legal entity for the relevant tax years exceeds $900,000. Direct attribution applies to TAP and is used for AGI purposes as well. Under direct attribution, any payment to a legal entity will be considered (for payment limitation purposes) to be a payment to persons or legal entities with an interest in the legal entity or in a sub-entity.

To apply for one of the sub-programs under WLFW, reach out to your local NRCS service center.

Mark Defley

Tim Griffiths

Bridgett Costanzo

Through Working Lands for Wildlife (WLFW), USDA uses a win-win approach to systematically target conservation efforts to improve agricultural and forest productivity which enhance wildlife habitat on working landscapes. Target species are used as barometers for success because their habitat needs are representative of healthy, functioning ecosystems where conservation efforts benefit a much broader suite of species.


Through the Farm Bill, NRCS provides technical and financial assistance to participants who&#x2004;voluntarily make improvements to their working lands while the US Fish and Wildlife Service (FWS) provides participants with regulatory predictability for the Endangered Species Act (ESA). This innovative approach empowers landowners with a means to make on-the-ground improvements and provides peace of mind that no matter the legal status of a species, they can keep their working lands working.


This model has proven extremely popular with private landowners across the United States. To date, WLFW has helped producers conserve more than 7.1 million acres of wildlife habitat and has helped many species such as the greater sage-grouse in the West and the New England cottontail in the Northeast. For both of these species — in large part because of voluntary conservation efforts on private lands — the FWS determined listing under ESA was not warranted. Beginning in 2017, NRCS expanded this model and now includes 19 landscapes covering 48 States.


**Conservation Model**


The conservation model builds on lessons learned in conservation over the years and includes:

- **Trust and Credibility**: NRCS takes a community, grassroots approach to conservation that's based on the principles of neighborliness.

- **Shared Vision**: NRCS-recommended conservation practices benefit both wildlife and agriculture. 

- **Strategic Approach**: NRCS invests resources efficiently, where the biological returns are the highest. 

- **Accountability**: NRCS and conservation partners use science to measure effectiveness of conservation and to quantify outcomes. 

- **Leverage**: NRCS brings together partners to multiply investments to achieve more conservation.


**Regulatory Predictability**: Through WLFW, NRCS partners with the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service to provide regulatory predictability under the Endangered Species Act. Similar to an insurance policy, predictability provides landowners with peace of mind that no matter the legal status of a species, they can keep their working lands working with an NRCS conservation plan in place.


​WLFW is currently active in 48 states, encompassing 19 different landscapes. Eight national and 11 state-identified species are used to focus individual projects that meet both the needs of the species as well as those of the agricultural operations. Individual species are used as barometers for healthy, functioning landscapes where conservation efforts also benefit a multitude of additional species as well.

- [Greater Sage-Grouse](https://www.nrcs.usda.gov/programs-initiatives/sage-grouse-initiative)

- [Lesser Prairie-Chicken](https://www.nrcs.usda.gov/programs-initiatives/lesser-prairie-chicken-initiative)

- [Gopher Tortoise](https://www.nrcs.usda.gov/programs-initiatives/working-lands-for-wildlife/gopher-tortoise)

- [Golden-Winged Warbler](https://www.nrcs.usda.gov/programs-initiatives/working-lands-for-wildlife/golden-winged-warbler)

- [Southwestern Willow Flycatcher](https://www.nrcs.usda.gov/programs-initiatives/working-lands-for-wildlife/southwestern-willow-flycatcher)

- [Monarch Butterflies](https://www.nrcs.usda.gov/programs-initiatives/monarch-butterflies)

- [WLFW Projects (State-Identified Projects](https://www.nrcs.usda.gov/programs-initiatives/working-lands-for-wildlife/wlfw-projects-state-identified-projects)


Conservation efforts on private lands are making a difference across the country, from the sagebrush country of the West to the forests of Appalachia and New England. For these stories and many more, download the agency's WLFW magazine, A Partnership for Conserving Landscapes, Communities & Wildlife.



Through Working Lands for Wildlife (WLFW), USDA uses a win-win approach to systematically target conservation efforts to improve agricultural and forest productivity which enhance wildlife habitat on working landscapes. Target species are used as barometers for success because their habitat needs are representative of healthy, functioning ecosystems where conservation efforts benefit a much broader suite of species.

Through the Farm Bill, NRCS provides technical and financial assistance to participants who voluntarily make improvements to their working lands while the US Fish and Wildlife Service (FWS) provides participants with regulatory predictability for the Endangered Species Act (ESA). This innovative approach empowers landowners with a means to make on-the-ground improvements and provides peace of mind that no matter the legal status of a species, they can keep their working lands working.

This model has proven extremely popular with private landowners across the United States. To date, WLFW has helped producers conserve more than 7.1 million acres of wildlife habitat and has helped many species such as the greater sage-grouse in the West and the New England cottontail in the Northeast. For both of these species — in large part because of voluntary conservation efforts on private lands — the FWS determined listing under ESA was not warranted. Beginning in 2017, NRCS expanded this model and now includes 19 landscapes covering 48 States.

Conservation Model

The conservation model builds on lessons learned in conservation over the years and includes:
- Trust and Credibility: NRCS takes a community, grassroots approach to conservation that's based on the principles of neighborliness.
- Shared Vision: NRCS-recommended conservation practices benefit both wildlife and agriculture. 
- Strategic Approach: NRCS invests resources efficiently, where the biological returns are the highest. 
- Accountability: NRCS and conservation partners use science to measure effectiveness of conservation and to quantify outcomes. 
- Leverage: NRCS brings together partners to multiply investments to achieve more conservation.

Regulatory Predictability: Through WLFW, NRCS partners with the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service to provide regulatory predictability under the Endangered Species Act. Similar to an insurance policy, predictability provides landowners with peace of mind that no matter the legal status of a species, they can keep their working lands working with an NRCS conservation plan in place.

​WLFW is currently active in 48 states, encompassing 19 different landscapes. Eight national and 11 state-identified species are used to focus individual projects that meet both the needs of the species as well as those of the agricultural operations. Individual species are used as barometers for healthy, functioning landscapes where conservation efforts also benefit a multitude of additional species as well.
- Greater Sage-Grouse
- Lesser Prairie-Chicken
- Gopher Tortoise
- Golden-Winged Warbler
- Southwestern Willow Flycatcher
- Monarch Butterflies
- WLFW Projects (State-Identified Projects

Conservation efforts on private lands are making a difference across the country, from the sagebrush country of the West to the forests of Appalachia and New England. For these stories and many more, download the agency's WLFW magazine, A Partnership for Conserving Landscapes, Communities & Wildlife.

To enroll for any CRP program, or to learn which CRP programs your land is eligible for, contact your local FSA office at the details above and ask about CRP.

USDA Farm Service Agency's (FSA) Conservation Reserve Program (CRP) is a voluntary program that contracts with agricultural producers so that environmentally sensitive agricultural land is not farmed or ranched, but instead devoted to conservation benefits. CRP participants establish long-term, resource-conserving plant species, such as approved grasses or&#x2004;trees (known as "covers") to control soil erosion, improve water quality and develop wildlife habitat. In return, FSA provides participants with rental payments and cost-share assistance. Contract duration is between 10 and 15 years.

CRP is authorized by the Food Security Act of 1985 and was reauthorized by the Agricultural Improvement Act of 2018 (the 2018 Farm Bill). The program is also governed by regulations published in 7 CFR, part 1410. The program is implemented by FSA on behalf of USDA's Commodity Credit Corporation.


**Program Administration:**

FSA administers CRP while technical support functions are provided by: USDA's Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS); State forestry agencies; Local soil and water conservation districts and; Non-federal technical assistance providers.


**Benefits:**

CRP protects more than 20 millions of acres of American topsoil from erosion and is designed to safeguard the nation's natural resources. By reducing water runoff and sedimentation, CRP protects groundwater; helps improve the condition of lakes, rivers, ponds and streams; and is a major contributor to increased wildlife populations in many parts of the country


**Application Deadlines are for CRP General Sign-up period. Those interested in the Continuous CRP program may contact FSA at any time to begin enrollment.**


The FSA has recently added two new options to the continuous CRP. Apply for the below two programs in the same way as you would apply for the continuous CRP.

- [CLEAR30 which provides 30-year contracts for practices to improve water quality](https://www.fsa.usda.gov/Assets/USDA-FSA-Public/usdafiles/FactSheets/fsa_clear30_factsheet_032522.pdf)

- [SAFE which provides large up-front incentive payments for practices and easements that protect critical wildlife habitat.](https://www.fsa.usda.gov/Assets/USDA-FSA-Public/usdafiles/FactSheets/2022/crp_safe_initiative-fact_sheet.pdf)




USDA Farm Service Agency's (FSA) Conservation Reserve Program (CRP) is a voluntary program that contracts with agricultural producers so that environmentally sensitive agricultural land is not farmed or ranched, but instead devoted to conservation benefits. CRP participants establish long-term, resource-conserving plant species, such as approved grasses or trees (known as "covers") to control soil erosion, improve water quality and develop wildlife habitat. In return, FSA provides participants with rental payments and cost-share assistance. Contract duration is between 10 and 15 years.
CRP is authorized by the Food Security Act of 1985 and was reauthorized by the Agricultural Improvement Act of 2018 (the 2018 Farm Bill). The program is also governed by regulations published in 7 CFR, part 1410. The program is implemented by FSA on behalf of USDA's Commodity Credit Corporation.

Program Administration: 
FSA administers CRP while technical support functions are provided by: USDA's Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS); State forestry agencies; Local soil and water conservation districts and; Non-federal technical assistance providers.

Benefits: 
CRP protects more than 20 millions of acres of American topsoil from erosion and is designed to safeguard the nation's natural resources. By reducing water runoff and sedimentation, CRP protects groundwater; helps improve the condition of lakes, rivers, ponds and streams; and is a major contributor to increased wildlife populations in many parts of the country

Application Deadlines are for CRP General Sign-up period. Those interested in the Continuous CRP program may contact FSA at any time to begin enrollment.

The FSA has recently added two new options to the continuous CRP. Apply for the below two programs in the same way as you would apply for the continuous CRP.
- CLEAR30 which provides 30-year contracts for practices to improve water quality
- SAFE which provides large up-front incentive payments for practices and easements that protect critical wildlife habitat.


For CRP General Enrollment
A producer must have owned or operated the land for at least 12 months prior to submitting the offer for continuous or 12 months before the close of general or grasslands signup, unless:
- The new owner acquired the land due to the previous owner's death;
- The ownership change occurred due to foreclosure where the owner exercised a timely right of redemption in accordance with state law or;
- The circumstances of the acquisition present adequate assurance to FSA that the new owner did not acquire the land for the purpose of placing it in CRP. 

Eligible Land:
For cropland, land must be planted or considered planted to an agricultural commodity for four of six crop years from 2012 to 2017, and that is physically and legally capable of being planted (no planting restrictions due to an easement or other legally binding instrument) in a normal manner to an agricultural commodity. For general signup, land also must meet one of the following criteria:
- Have a weighted average erosion index of eight or higher;
- Be enrolled in a CRP contract that expires Sept. 30 or;
- Be located in a national or state CRP conservation priority area.

For CRP Continuous Enrollment
A producer must have owned or operated the land for at least 12 months prior to submitting the offer, unless: 
- The new owner acquired the land due to the previous owner’s death; 
- The ownership change occurred due to foreclosure where the owner exercised a timely right of redemption in accordance with state law; or 
- The circumstances of the acquisition present adequate assurance to FSA that the new owner did not acquire the land for the purpose of placing it in CRP.

Eligible Land:
Land must be cropland that is planted or considered planted to an agricultural commodity four of the six crop years from 2012 to 2017 and is physically and legally capable of being planted (no planting restrictions due to an easement or other legally binding instrument) in a normal manner to an agricultural commodity. Certain marginal pastureland that may be devoted to riparian buffers, wildlife habitat buffers, or wetland buffers is also eligible.
Eligible Practices:
Land must be eligible and suitable for any of the following conservation practices: 
- Grass Waterway 
- Shallow Water Area for Wildlife 
- Contour Grass Strip
- Filter Strip 
- Riparian Buffer 
- Denitrifying Bioreactor on Filter Strip and Riparian Buffer 
- Saturated Filter Strip and Riparian Buffer 
- Habitat Buffers for Upland Birds 
- Wetland & Buffer SAFE Practices 
- Wetland Restoration on Floodplain and Non- floodplain 
- Prairie Strips 
- Windbreaks, Shelterbelts and Living Snow Fences 
- Marginal Pastureland Wetland Buffer and Wildlife Habitat Buffers 
- Long Leaf Pine Establishment 
- Duck Nesting Habitat 
- Pollinator Habitat 
- Bottomland Timber Establishment on Wetlands 
- Farmable Wetlands Program (FWP) Constructed Wetland 
- FWP Aquaculture Wetland Restoration 
- FWP Flooded Prairie Wetland 
- Farmable Wetlands and Farmable Wetland Buffer 
- Wellhead Protection Area Practices 
- State Acres for Wildlife Enhancement (SAFE) 
- Highly Erodible Land Initiative (HELI)

- CRP Fact Sheet 
- CRP General Signup Fact Sheet 
- CRP General EBI Fact Sheet
- CRP Continuous Signup Fact Sheet 
- CRP State Acres for Wildlife Enhancement (SAFE) Initiative Fact Sheet
- CRP Clean Lakes Estuaries and Rivers (CLEAR) Initiative Fact Sheet
- CLEAR30 Fact Sheet
- HELI Fact Sheet
- Conservation Reserve Program Fact Sheet
- Emergency Haying and Grazing
- Conservation Reserve Program Statistics
- Practices Library

FSA provides those applicants who are selected for CRP general enrollment with annual rental payments and costshare assistance. 
- Rental Payments: In return for establishing longterm, resource- conserving covers, FSA provides rental payments to participants. FSA bases rental rates on the relative productivity of the soils within each county and the average dryland cash rent subject to a statutory 85 percent proration. County office staff working with the producer will calculate the maximum CRP rental rate for each offer prior to enrollment. Producers may offer land below the rate to increase the likelihood that their offer will be accepted.
- Cost-Share Assistance: FSA provides cost-share assistance to participants who establish approved cover on eligible cropland. The cost-share assistance cannot exceed 50 percent of the participant’s costs to establish approved practices. 
- Climate-Smart Practice Incentive: FSA provides an incentive of 3, 5, or 10 percent for CRP practices that will increase carbon sequestration, reduce GHG emissions, and otherwise are climate smart practices. The incentive amount is based on the estimated benefits of each practice.

PDF Instructions & Application

If you need assistance with the financial documents requested in the application, there is support available through UVM Extension. Please contact Zac Smith at zachary.m.smith@uvm.edu or 802-656-7624 for more information.

VHCB staff will be hosting 3 informational sessions which will provide a brief overview of the program and provide an opportunity for Q&A. Register here:
    - Wednesday, December 3, 2025 – 1:00pm-2:00pm
    - Thursday, December 18, 2025 – 11:00am-12:00pm
    - Monday, January 5, 2025 – 12:00pm-1:00pm


Betsy McGavisk

The Viability Program provides grants of up to $40,000 to help Vermont farmers invest in water quality-related on-farm infrastructure. This year, the program is funded by Federal American Rescue Plan Act (ARPA) funds, but VHCB reserves the right to use other funding sources if necessary. All grantees will be required to comply with VHCB and Federal ARPA requirements.



Eligible Applicants
Any Vermont farm with a gross farm income of $15,000 or more that is required to comply with Vermont’s Required Agricultural Practices (RAPs). 
Eligible Projects
Projects to make on-farm capital improvements that also have direct, positive impacts on water quality are eligible for funding. The following types of projects have been funded in the past: 
- Construction, renovation, or upgrades to farm infrastructure.
- Purchase of equipment that will be used frequently; is essential to the business; cannot be rented; and leads to innovative farm practices. Note that applications for equipment must include a price quote.

Awards require one-to-one matching funds, meaning that VHCB can only pay for up to 50% of a project’s total cost.
Match can be in the form of state or federal awards or in the form of farm cash, loans, or in-kind labor from the applicant. A match waiver may be requested in the application. Awards will be paid on a reimbursement basis upon the receipt of project invoices.

List of Agricultural Funding for Forest Management