Minnesota 2009 State Environmental Quality Incentives Program (EQIP) Signup and Application Information
 

EQIP provides technical assistance, cost share payments, and incentive payments to assist crop, livestock, and other agricultural producers with environmental and conservation improvements to their operations.  All sign-ups are conducted at USDA Service Centers in Minnesota.

The Environmental Quality Incentives Program (EQIP) is a voluntary conservation program from the USDA Natural Resources Conservation Service. It supports production agriculture and environmental quality as compatible goals. Through EQIP, landusers may receive financial and technical help with structural and management conservation practices on agricultural land.

EQIP was reauthorized in the 2002 Farm Bill and is administered by the Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS).

EQIP may pay up to 75 percent of the costs of eligible conservation practices. Incentive payments may be made to encourage a farmer to adopt land management practices, such as nutrient management, manure management, integrated pest management, and wildlife habitat management.

Archives

• 2002 Program Accomplishments
• 2003 Program Accomplishments
• 2003 Guidelines and Program Information
• 2004 Program Accomplishments
• 2004 Guidelines and Program Information
• 2005 Guidelines and Program Information
• 2006 Guidelines and Program Information
• 2007 Guidelines and Program Information
• 2008 Guidelines and Program Information

These Documents Require Adobe Acrobat Reader.
 
 Guidelines 2009
  
Minnesota Application Scoring Worksheet (PDF; 10 KB)
Instructions for Minnesota Application Scoring Worksheet (PDF; 16 KB)

 Minnesota 2009 Eligible Conservation Practice List
 
Conservation Practice Payment Document (PDF; 315 KB)

Organic Initiative 2009

The EQIP Initiative for Organic Agriculture Fact Sheet (PDF; 131 KB)
Organic Initiative Pay Schedule (PDF; 19 KB)
Organic Screening Worksheets (PDF; 28 KB)
Score Sheet for Certified Producers (PDF; 34 KB)
Score Sheet for Transition Producers (PDF; 34 KB)

Minnesota 2009 Program Units

Soil and Water Conservation District (SWCD) Guidelines
2009 EQIP

For the 2009 year, EQIP cost-sharing will be offered on a SWCD  basis. Each district will have it's own rules and factors it uses in determining accepted contracts and cost-sharing for approved conservation practices.

Locate your county or Conservation District in the table below to find the worksheet  that NRCS offices use to evaluate EQIP applications. 

Other Links

• Minnesota Field Office Technical Guide (eFOTG)

• NRCS National EQIP Page