United States Department of Agriculture
Natural Resources Conservation Service
New Mexico Go to Accessibility Information
Skip to Page Content

 


New Mexico Environmental Quality Incentives Program

    On This Page:

NRCS is accepting EQIP applications on a continuous basis throughout the year for funding in Fiscal Year (FY) 2011. The application period for FY 2010 funding has closed.

Overview

The Environmental Quality Incentives Program (EQIP) is a voluntary program that helps producers install measures to protect the soil, water, air, and other natural resources while ensuring sustainable production on their farms, ranches and working forest lands. The Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS) administers EQIP funding and provides participants with professional conservation expertise.

EQIP applications may be submitted at any time at the local USDA Service Center through a continuous sign-up process. NRCS announces cutoff dates when applications are ranked and selected for funding.
 

Technical and Financial Assistance

Those who submit an application and are accepted into EQIP may receive payments to offset costs associated with materials and installation of conservation Practices. Practices funded through EQIP may include such measures as: manure management practices, pest management treatments, efficient irrigation upgrades, forest stewardship plans and management practices, erosion control and buffers, range and pasture planting, fencing and stockwater, and a number of other practices.

Through EQIP, NRCS may also provide or cover the cost of professional technical services to design the selected measures. This includes: on-site assessments, site-specific practice and management plans, and engineering designs.

Practice Payment Rates for Historically Underserved Clients: EQIP provides higher practice payment rates to agricultural producers (individuals, joint operations or entities) who qualify as a Beginning Farmer-Rancher, a Socially Disadvantaged Farmer-Rancher, or Limited Resource Farmer-Rancher. An individual, joint operation or entity which self-certifies they meet the criteria for any of the above designations will be eligible to receive a higher financial assistance payment for contracted practices, if selected for a contract. Participants may be required to provide certain tax documents  to verify eligibility as a Limited Resource or Beginning Farmer or Rancher. Click here for more information on Historically Underserved Clients.


EQIP Sign-up Options

Agricultural producers and private, non-industrial forest landowners may submit an EQIP application for financial and technical assistance for conservation measures through one of the options listed below. For each sign-up option, applicants must meet basic EQIP Eligibility Requirements.

Click on the sign-up options below to find more information about each, including eligible practices, current payment rates, and application evaluation and ranking criteria.

EQIP Sign-up Options
Click on each sign-up option below for more information, including practices and payment rates.
Next Application Cutoff Date
General EQIP EQIP applications may be submitted at any time with your local USDA Service Center. For more information, see “Technical and Financial Assistance” below. The application period for FY 2010 funding has closed.

FY 2011cutoff to be announced (TBA)

EQIP Organic Initiative Special EQIP funding is available to certified organic growers and those transitioning to organic production. FY 2010 cutoff: March 12, 2011
EQIP Tribal Initiative A percentage of the state's EQIP funds have been set aside specifically to fund applications received on Tribal lands. The application period for FY 2010 funding has closed.

FY 2011cutoff to be announced (TBA)

New Mexico Watershed Initiative Watersheds with high priority resource concerns have been approved to receive funds held in a funding pool at the state level. The application period for FY 2010 funding has closed.

FY 2011cutoff to be announced (TBA)

New Mexico Small Farms and Ranches Initiative New Mexico sets aside a portion of EQIP funding for producers who meet certain acreage and income requirements. The application period for FY 2010 funding has closed.

FY 2011cutoff to be announced (TBA)

Agricultural Water Enhancement Program (AWEP) Through AWEP, entities such as federally recognized Indian Tribes, States, units of local government, agricultural or silvicultural associations, or other such groups may propose partnership agreements to work with NRCS to deliver EQIP funding to landowners and growers in a targeted area. FY 2010 cutoff: TBA
Cooperative Conservation Partnership Initiative (CCPI) CCPI is another partnership initiative that allows entities to propose partnership agreements to deliver funding for a targeted rsource concern or area through  EQIP, the Wildlife Habitat Incentives Program (WHIP) and the Conservation Stewardship Program (CSP). FY 2010 cutoff: TBA


Application Information

Interested applicants are encouraged to begin working with their local NRCS office well in advance of the current application cutoff date. The application process can be involved and time consuming.  Submitting an application does not obligate an individual to sign a contract.

The following documents require Adobe Acrobat.
NRCS-CPA-1200, Application and NRCS-CPA-1202, Contract Appendix (PDF)
NRCS-CPA-1200, Application and NRCS-CPA-1202, Spanish Version of Contract Appendix (PDF; 32 KB)

NRCS application forms can also be found on the USDA Service Center EForms Web Site.

Application Evaluation and Selection

EQIP sign-up applications are evaluated and ranked for available funding based on local program priorities. The criteria is slightly different from one county to another. To view local ranking criteria, visit the 2010 New Mexico EQIP - Application Evaluation and Selection Web site.
 

More Information

The following document requires Adobe Acrobat.
New Mexico Environmental Quality Incentives Program Fact Sheet (PDF, 110 KB)

Links

New Mexico Field Office Technical Guide
National EQIP Information
State Technical Committee

Archived EQIP Information

2009 New Mexico EQIP Web page
 

Contacts

Please contact the District Conservationist in the USDA Service Center nearest the location of your property.

Michael Neubeiser
State Program Manager
(505) 761-4419
E-mail: Michael.Neubeiser@nm.usda.gov

< Back to Programs

Last Modified: 02/02/2010