News

For immediate release

July 15 application ranking cut-off date announced for popular conservation program

SPOKANE, Wash. (March 17, 2008) – Washington’s most popular agricultural conservation program has a new application ranking cut-off date – July 15 – USDA’s Natural Resources Conservation Service announced today.

EQIP is a voluntary, cost-share assistance program that helps conservation practices including those aimed at helping farmers improve irrigation efficiency; manage nutrient run-off and/or animal waste; improve the health of native plant communities; and reduce soil loss. In most instances, producers who participate in the program pay for roughly half of the costs of the conservation measures or practices.

In 2006 and 2007, Washington agricultural producers qualified for more than $30 million in financial assistance through the program, according to the NRCS.

The new application ranking cut-off date represents an on-going agency effort to provide landowners and conservation planners additional time to develop more comprehensive conservation plans for implementing the various practices and activities funded through the program. Prospective applicants are encouraged to contact their local NRCS office as soon as possible to ensure eligibility and to begin the application process.

“Of course, producers can apply for the program at any time,” said NRCS Assistant State Conservationist Dave Brown. “But to be considered for fiscal year 2009 funding, they need to have their applications complete by July 15,” he said.

According to Brown, moving the date up has several advantages, but most importantly the earlier deadline will allow sufficient time to develop a higher quality conservation plan that producers have come to expect. “An earlier deadline will also give producers more time to consider the costs and benefits of their EQIP contract before making their final commitment,” he said.

Brown added that the earlier deadline will allow producers to plan well in advance for upcoming construction activities or management implementation measures outlined in their EQIP contract.

During the past two years, NRCS has moved up by a few weeks, the cut-off date for ranking the applications it receives in order to allow agency planners and technicians to develop more comprehensive conservation plans in concert with the EQIP contracts. While producers may still apply for the program throughout the year, the new deadline represents the earliest application ranking cut-off date since the inception of the program, according to the NRCS.

“It’s our hope that the advantages of beginning the EQIP application ranking and contract development earlier in the year will far outweigh any inconveniences that go along with establishing the new deadline,” Brown said.

The mid-July deadline will likely be in place for years to come, according to Brown. “Unless something comes up beyond our programmatic control,” he said, “the July 15th cut-off date will be consistent throughout the life of the new Farm Bill – and perhaps even beyond.”

-30-

USDA is an equal opportunity employer and service provider.

Helping People Help the Land

< Back to ...News