2012 EQIP Organic Initiative
The Environmental Quality Incentives Program (EQIP) was reauthorized in the Farm Security and Rural Investment Act of 2002 (Farm Bill) to provide a voluntary conservation program for farmers and ranchers that promotes agricultural production and environmental quality as compatible national goals.
FY 2012 EQIP Organic Initiative
Each fiscal year, NRCS will focus financial and technical assistance through the EQIP Organic Initiative to applicants who are:
- Certified organic producers
- Transitioning to organic production, or
- Producers selling less than $5000 organic products annually
The 2012 Organic Initiative provides financial assistance to implement a broad set of conservation practices to assist Organic producers meet their resource concerns and fulfill many of the requirements in an Organic System Plan (OSP) including, but not limited to assistance with:
- Developing a conservation plan
- Developing a transition to organic production plan
- Establishing boundaries and buffer zones
- Improving soil quality and organic matter while minimizing erosion
- Improving pest management
- Developing a grazing plan and improving grazing resources
- Improving waste utilization and composting
- Improving irrigation efficiency
- Enhancing cropping systems and nutrient management
Applications for the EQIP Organic Initiative are accepted on a continuous basis throughout the fiscal year; however, NRCS will establish specific dates where eligible applications will be evaluated, ranked, and approved for funding. For fiscal year 2012, NRCS has established application deadlines where eligible applications will be ranked and approved for funding as follows:
Application Period 1 Submission Deadline: Friday, February 3, 2012
Application Period 2 Submission Deadline: Friday, March 30, 2012
Application Period 3 Submission Deadline: Friday, June 1, 2012
