The USDA’s Environmental Quality Incentives Program

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• USDA Program Aims To Balance Needs Of Farmers, Environment

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  The U.S. Department of Agriculture’s Environmental Quality Incentives Program aims to bring together Wisconsin’s strong farming economy and conservation ethic by helping agricultural producers make their operations more sustainable and eco-friendly.

  Tom Krapf, an assistant state conservationist for the USDA’s Natural Resources Conservation Service who works on EQIP, said that one of the many initiatives that the program leads is one that focuses on organic farming. There are funds available through EQIP that are earmarked for farmers who have already received organic certification, Krapf said, but also a pool of money to help other farmers get to that point.

  The Web page of the EQIP Organic Initiative lists the following areas in which it aims to help organic farmers:

  • Developing a conservation plan
  • Establishing buffer zones
  • Planning and installing pollinator habitat
  • Improving soil quality and organic matter while minimizing erosion
  • Developing a grazing plan and supportive livestock practices
  • Improving irrigation efficiency
  • Enhancing cropping rotations and nutrient management

  Krapf also pointed to EQIP’s On-Farm Energy Initiative, which uses a two-pronged approach to help farmers power their farms in a sustainable way. The first step is to provide an on-farm energy audit. Then, resources and funding are made available to implement the recommendations in that audit.

  “That’s really important when you’re looking at some of the lighting and electrical motors and energy use on the farm,” he said.

  Air and water quality are also addressed through other EQIP projects. The Air Quality Initiative, which works not only with farmers, but with forest owners as well, ​targets recipients who live in areas that aren’t meeting Clean Air Act benchmarks.

  Water issues are always of concern for farmers, and through EQIP, the goal is to both make sure that agricultural producers have the water that they need, while ensuring that the runoff doesn’t damage the environment.

  Krapf said that through the EQIP water management initiative, they’ve helped producers with very specific needs.

  “Say they’re looking at putting in storage to manage animal waste,” he said. “We assist them with ‘keeping clean water clean,’ as we call it. In other words, installing gutters on the barn, and taking the water that would normally run through the barnyard and add to the amount of liquid manure … and keeping it clean.”

  Assistance with proper storage of the waste and technical training on the proper time and method for application would also be key in such an instance, he said.

  To find out how to apply and what upcoming deadlines there are, visit the USDA’s Natural Resources Conservation Service “Get Started” Web page.