USDA-NRCS opens call for ’21 environmental quality incentives program
The U.S. Department of Agriculture’s Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS) Caribbean announced the first sign-up period for Fiscal 2021 Environmental Quality Incentives Program (EQIP) funding to address farmers’ natural resource concerns.
EQIP is a voluntary conservation program that provides financial and technical assistance to farmers and ranchers to help install and implement conservation practices on eligible agricultural land, said USDA-NRCS Area Director Luis Cruz-Arroyo
Through EQIP, NRCS helps farmers in Puerto Rico and the U.S. Virgin Islands improve agricultural production and environmental quality, he said.
EQIP applications are accepted year-round, however, NRCS sets application “cut-off” or submission deadlines to evaluate, rank and approve eligible applications.
The following are the cut-off dates for fiscal year 2021:
- EQIP Period 1 cut-off date: Oct. 30, 2020
- EQIP FY 2021 Evaluation and Ranking deadline: Feb. 26, 2021
- EQIP FY 2021 Obligation deadline: June 11, 2021
