ENVIRONMENTAL QUALITY INCENTIVES PROGRAM (EQIP) The Environmental Quality Incentives Program (EQIP) promotes agricultural production and environmental quality as compatible goals. It provides financial and technical assistance to install or implement structural and management conservation practices on agricultural land.
with nearly 160 producers who will be using $1 million in FY13 EQIP financial assistance under the High Tunnel Initiative to extend the crop growing season, improve plant quality, improve soil quality and improve water quality from reduced nutrient and pesticide transport.
Missouri farmers received a total of $31.7 million in EQIP financial assistance in Fiscal Year 2013, funding 1,464 of the nearly 5,200 eligible applications received in Missouri. This financial assistance will help install conservation practices to reduce soil erosion, use water more efficiently and improve grazing land, wildlife habitat and water quality.
The On-Farm Energy Initiatve, created in 2011, enables producers to identify ways to conserve energy on the farm through two types of Agricultural Energy Management Plans (AgEMP). It also provides financial and technical assistance to help producers implement various measures and practices recommended in these onfarm energy audits. In FY13, Missouri funded 46 contracts for $118,496 accounting for 30,797 acres.
In Fiscal Year 2013, Missouri continued to see interest from agricultural producers in the Organic Initiative, first offered in Fiscal Year 2009, allowing Missouri NRCS to obligate $122,693 in EQIP financial assistance to all eligible applicants in the initiative. These Organic Initiative funds will be used by 13 contract holders for conservation practices on USDA-Certified organic operations and also assist other producers to transition to organic production. Seasonal High Tunnel Systems, which were introduced as a new component in 2010, continued in 2013 to promote locally grown food for personal or commercial use. Missouri worked 5
$31.7 million: EQIP financial assistance received by Missouri farmers