Ohio Environmental Quality Incentives Program on the Land Conservation Assistance Network

Ohio Environmental Quality Incentives Program
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last updated: February 2021

The Environmental Quality Incentives Program (EQIP) is a voluntary conservation program that helps agricultural producers protect the environment while promoting agricultural production. With EQIP, NRCS conservationist experts provide both technical and financial assistance to implement environmentally beneficial conservation practices on working agricultural land.

Any eligible agricultural producer can submit an EQIP application at any time. NRCS announces "cut-off" or application submission deadline dates to evaluate, rank, and approve applications received by the announced date. EQIP contains provisions to distribute percentages of program funds by categories including type of agricultural land use, type of producer, natural resource concern, conservation practice and special initiatives. Applications may be considered for funding under one or more of these categories.

Eligibility

Eligible EQIP applicants include agricultural producers, owners of non-industrial private forestland, and Tribes that:
Control or own eligible land
Comply with adjusted gross income limitation (AGI) provisions
Comply with the highly erodible land and wetland conservation requirements
Agree to develop an NRCS EQIP plan of operations
Eligible land includes cropland, rangeland, pastureland, non-industrial private forestland and other farm or ranch lands. Additional restrictions and program requirements may apply.

National and State Priorities

The following national priorities, consistent with statutory resources concerns that include soil, water, wildlife, air quality, and related natural resource concerns, may be used in EQIP implementation:

Reducing nonpoint source pollution, such as nutrients, sediment, pesticides, or excess salinity in watersheds identified as impaired with total maximum daily loads (TMDL) where available; reducing surface and groundwater contamination; and reducing contamination from agricultural sources, such as waste from animal feeding operations.
Conservation of ground and surface water resources
Reducing emissions, such as particulate matter, nitrogen oxides, volatile organic compounds, and ozone precursors and depleters that contribute to exceeding National Ambient Air Quality Standards
Reducing unacceptable levels of soil erosion and sedimentation on agricultural land
Conserving, developing and improving at-risk species wildlife habitat
Conserving energy, saving fuel, improving water use efficiency, maintaining production, and protecting soil and water by using fertilizers and pesticides efficiently
Storing and sequestering biological carbon

In addition to national priorities, Ohio priorities include:

Air Quality: Access Control, Farmstead Energy Improvement, Pumping Plants, and Roof and Covers.
Degraded Plant Condition: Brush Management, Fence, Prescribed Grazing, Forage and Biomass
Excess Water: Irrigation Pipeline, Micro-irrigation, Irrigation Water Management, and Subsurface Drains
Inadequate Habitat for Fish and Wildlife: Tree/Shrub Establishment, Upland Wildlife Habitat Management, Vegetative Barrier, and Windbreak Shelterbelt Renovation
Inefficient Energy Use: Building Envelope Improvement, Farmstead Energy Improvement, Grassed Waterway, and Underground Outlet
Insufficient Water: Pond, Residue Management, No-Till, Seasonal High Tunnel System for Crops, and Structures for Water Control
Livestock Production Limitation: Feed Management, Forage Harvest Management, Water Well, and Watering Facility
Soil Erosion: Conservation Cover, Conservation Crop Rotation, Cover Crop, and Forest Stand Improvement
Soil Quality Degradation: Access Road, Animal Mortality Facility, Heavy Use Area Protection, and Mulching
Water Quality Degradation: Constructed Wetland, Riparian Forest Buffer, Riparian Herbaceous Buffer, Windbreak Shelterbelt

Contact Ohio Environmental Quality Incentives Program

REMINDER: This listing is a free service of LandCAN.
Ohio Environmental Quality Incentives Program is not employed by or affiliated with the Land Conservation Assistance Network, and the Network does not certify or guarantee their services. The reader must perform their own due diligence and use their own judgment in the selection of any professional.