Where to get more information

NRCS Technical and Financial Assistance Opportunities

Lauren Smith, District Conservationist, NRCSPictures and materials borrowed from Lauren Cartwright, NRCS

History of NRCS Hugh Hammond Bennett became aware of the threat

posed by the erosion of soils as a surveyor for the USDA Bureau of Soil

Bennett launched public crusade about the soil erosion crisis in 1928

President Franklin D. Roosevelt in 1932 made conservation of soil and water resources a national priority in the New Deal administration

The National Industrial Recovery Act (Public Law 73-67) passed in June 1933 included funds to fight soil erosion

Funds created the Soil Erosion Service (SES) established in the Department of Interior and appointed Hugh Hammond Bennett Chief in September 1933

History of NRCS On April 27, 1935 Congress passed Public Law 74-46

which established the Soil Conservation Service (SCS)

1994, SCS’s name was changed to the Natural Resources Conservation Service

Soil

WaterPlants

Air

Animals

Human

ENERGY

Since 1935

Technical Assistance Opportunities

Financial Assistance Opportunities

Since 1935

Technical Assistance Opportunities

Since 1935

FREE OF CHARGE!

Financial Assistance Opportunities

EQIPCSP ENERGY

INITIATIVE

SEASONAL HIGH

TUNNEL INITIATIVE

Environmental Quality Incentives

Program

Conservation Stewardship

Program

This is just an example of the most prevalent financial assistance programs and initiatives available nationally through NRCS. Depending on your location there may be other regional or state initiatives.

ORGANICINITIATIVE

GENERAL

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Sustainability

Historically Underserved (HU) Limited Resource Farmer (LRF)

• Gross Farm Sales Determination: In each of the last two years, was your direct or indirect Gross Farm Sales less than or equal to $172,800 (for Johnson/Massac & Pope Counties) per year?

Gross Farm Sales is defined as: Gross Income entered on IRS Form 1040, Schedule F, in the Farm Income Section. For FY 2013 Programs, the Gross Farm Sales level should be less than the 2010 and 2011 Farm Sales.

• Adjusted Gross Income Determination: In each of the last two years, was your Total Household Income less than the JOHNSON/MASSAC/POPE County "County/Area Value" of $23,050?

Total Household Income is defined as Adjusted Gross Income for all members in your household or the amount you entered on IRS Form 1040, Adjusted Gross Income Section. See IRS Web Site for more information on the IRS form. For FY 2013 Programs, this should be compared with your Adjusted Gross Income for 2010 and 2011.

County/Area Value is calculated as the higher of the National Poverty level or 50% of the County/Area Median Household Income.

Historically Underserved (HU) Beginning Farmer (BF)

• A Beginning Farmer or Rancher means an individual or entity who:

• Has not operated a farm or ranch, or who has operated a farm or ranch for not more than 10 consecutive years. This requirement applies to all members of an entity,

• Will materially and substantially participate in the operation of the farm or ranch.

In the case of a contract with an individual, individually or with the immediate family, material and substantial participation requires that the individual provide substantial day-to-day labor and management of the farm or ranch, consistent with the practices in the county or State where the farm is located

In the case of a contract with an entity, all members must materially and substantially participate in the operation of the farm or ranch. Material and substantial participation requires that each of the members provide some amount of the management, or labor and management necessary for day-to-day activities, such that if each of the members did not provide these inputs, operation of the farm or ranch would be seriously impaired.

Historically Underserved (HU) Socially Disadvantaged Farmer (SDF)

• According to Section 2501(e)(2) of the Food, Agriculture, Conservation, and Trade Act of 1990 (7 USC 2279(e)(2)), a Socially disadvantaged farmer or rancher (SDA) is defined as a farmer or rancher who is a member of a “Socially Disadvantaged Group". Therefore a "Socially Disadvantaged Farmer or Rancher" is defined as:

• Socially disadvantaged group- a group whose members have been subjected to racial or ethnic prejudice because of their identity as members of a group without regard to their individual qualities. The definition that applies to Titles I, V, and VI includes members of a group subject to gender prejudice, while the definition that applies to Titles II, IX, XII, and XV does not. Title XIV and the Education and Risk Management Assistance provision in Title XII do not make specific reference to the statutory definition of socially disadvantaged farmer or rancher.

• Socially disadvantaged Farmer or Rancher- a farmer or rancher who has been subjected to racial or ethnic prejudices because of their identity as a member of a group without regard to their individual qualities. This term means a farmer or rancher who is a member of a socially disadvantaged group. Specifically, a group whose members have been subjected to racial or ethnic prejudice because of their identity as members of a group without regard to their individual qualities. Those groups include African Americans, American Indians or Alaskan natives, Hispanics, and Asians or Pacific Islanders.

Payment Rates

EQIP

• Payment rates for HU Producers are 15-20% above the traditional payment rate for all practices.

• Funds allocated to separate fund pools

Application competes in regular fund pool and HU fund pool

CSP

• Funds allocated to separate fund pools

Application competes in regular fund pool and HU fund pool

NRCS – Natural Resources Conservation Service

FSA – Farm Service Agency

EQIP – Environmental Quality Incentives Program

CSP – Conservation Stewardship Program

GRP – Grassland Reserve Program

WRP – Wetland Reserve Program

How to participate in NRCS Programs

EQIP Programmatic Overview

CSP Programmatic Overview

How to Participate

Basic Eligibility Requirements (EQIP and CSP):

FSA Farm Number

Highly Erodible Land (HEL)

Wetland Conservation Provisions

Adjusted Gross Income (AGI)

Proceed to your county NRCS office to sign an application, then go to the county FSA office to begin this process

Environmental Quality Incentives Program

Payments are made to producers once conservation

practices are completed according to NRCS

requirements

Develops and implements contracts with agricultural producers to implement conservation practices to

address natural resource problems.

Nutrient Management

Alley Cropping

Rotational Grazing Systems

Windbreak/Shelterbelt

Stripcropping

Hedgerow Planting

Pollinator HabitatRiparian Forest Buffer

Contour Buffers

TerraceCover Crop

Filter Strip

Grassed Waterway

Brush Management

Pest Management

Field Border

Conservation Crop Rotation

Seasonal High Tunnel

Environmental Quality Incentives Program

…And Much More!

Environmental Quality Incentives Program

Regular EQIP and EQIP National Initiatives…

Funding is competitive

Applications are ranked based upon national, state and local criteria – developed annually

EQIP National Initiatives & Regular

EQIP General Fund – Statewide funding pools, participants compete statewide

Regular EQIP Grazing & Forestland Funds – County funding pools, participants

compete within a county (land use pools)

Environmental Quality Incentives Program

Deadlines:

FY14 EQIP

Continuous sign up

Application cutoff

Funding cutoff

Obligation cutoff

Janurary 17 March 14 April 11

March 21 May 18 June 6

April 11 May 30 June 27

Environmental Quality Incentives Program

Eligibility for EQIP

Persons engaged in livestock or agricultural

production

Land: cropland, pastureland, private non-industrial forestland

EQIP Payment RatesConservation Practice

Practice Lifespan (years)

Unit Practice Code

Regular Payment Amount

HU Payment Amount

Description

Brush Management

10 Acre 314 $310.85 $373.01 Biological control with grazing animals (goats)

Conservation Crop Rotation

1 Acre 328 $76.60 $77.38 Add small grain to rotation

Cover Crop 1 Acre 340 $37.13 $44.55 Species Mix

Field Border 10 Acre 386 $580.58 $618.88 Pollinator Habitat

Grassed Waterway

10 Acre 412 $3511.58 $4136.09 36’ top width with checks

Integrated Pest Management

1 Acre 595 $7.35 $8.82 Basic IPM with 1RC

Nutrient Management

1 Acre 590 $10.81 $12.97 Basic NM

Seasonal High Tunnel for Crops

4 Sq Ft 789 $2.74 $3.29 SHT

Windbreak Establishment

15 Ft 380 $0.33 $0.35 1 row – bare-root seedling planting stock

Environmental Quality Incentives Program

Conservation Stewardship Program

Five Year Contracts, annual per acre payments for maintaining existing conservation activities and implementing new activities (enhancements)

Conservation Stewardship Program encourages maintenance of existing conservation activities and

adoption of additional conservation activities – called enhancements

Water Quality: Integrated Pest

Management for Organic Farming

Examples of Enhancements

Energy: Locally grown and marketed farm products

Plant: Habitat development for beneficial insects for pest management

Intensive Management of

Rotational Grazing

Soil Erosion: Continuous No Till

Soil Quality: Use of Cover

Crop Mixes

Water Quantity: Mulching for

moisture conservation

Conservation Stewardship Program

Applicants are ranked using an interactive tool – Conservation Measurement Tool

Continuous sign up

FY14 Application Deadlline: February 7

Tool generates points based upon existing level of stewardship and new enhancement activities. Annual payment based upon points. National Average $18/ac maximum

Evaluate applications

Fund Applications

Obligate Contracts

March 20 March 21 May 9

Conservation Stewardship Program

CSP Eligibility

Applicants: Must be the operator of record on FSA farm records

Land: cropland, grassland, prairie land, improved

pastureland, nonindustrial private forestland

Conservation Stewardship Program

CSP Resources

NRCS- CSP website: Programmatic information

www.nrcs.usda.gov/programs/new_csp/csp.html

Enhancementswww.nrcs.usda.gov/wps/portal/nrcs/main/national/programs/financial/csp/

Farmers’ Guide to the Conservation Stewardship Program http://sustainableagriculture.net/wp-content/uploads/2008/08/CSP_FarmersGuide_final_September_2009.pdf

WHERE DO I GET MORE INFORMATION?

Since 1935

www.nrcs.usda.govwww.iL.nrcs.usda.gov

OR…Phone Book

Government Listings

Federal – US Government Services

USDA – US Dept of Agriculture

Natural Resources Conservation Service

Call and make an appointment to visit with your local NRCS conservationist!

Since 1935

35

Equal Opportunity

The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) prohibits discrimination in all its programs and activities on the basis of race, color, national origin, age, disability, and where applicable, sex, marital status, familial status, parental status, religion, sexual orientation, genetic information, political beliefs, reprisal, or because all or a part of an individual's income is derived from any public assistance program. (Not all prohibited bases apply to all programs.) Persons with disabilities who require alternative means for communication of program information (Braille, large print, audiotape, etc.) should contact USDA's TARGET Center at (202) 720-2600 (voice and TDD).

To file a complaint of discrimination write to USDA, Director, Office of Civil Rights, 1400 Independence Avenue, S.W., Washington, D.C. 20250-9410 or call (800) 795-3272 (voice) or (202) 720-6382 (TDD).

Helping People Help the Land