Due to the recent government shutdown, the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s (USDA) Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS) has extended the signup deadline for their most popular conservation program.

Farmers and forestland owners now have until Dec. 20 to apply for the Environmental Quality Incentives Program (EQIP).

“EQIP remains our most powerful tool for getting conservation on the ground,” Michael Stinebrink, NRCS District Conservationist, in Rhinelander said. “Our office is now open and we are working on the backlog of requests as quickly as possible.”
The Environmental Quality Incentives Program (EQIP) offers more than $20 million in flat-rate payments, to Wisconsin farmers and forestland owners, for more than 90 conservation practices. Eligible projects include fencing, watering systems and pasture planting for grazing systems; tree and shrub planting; invasive species control; manure management; erosion control; seasonal high tunnels (aka “hoop houses”); and most practices that are included in a forest management plan, including Managed Forest Law (MFL) plans.

Incentive payments are also offered for developing forest management plans and farm nutrient management plans, or plans to reduce energy use or transition to organic agriculture.

Potential applicants in Florence, Forest, Oneida or Vilas County, call Michael Stinebrink at 715-362-5941, Ext. 111, or michael.stinebrink@wi.usda.gov.
Additional information, including contact information for all NRCS District Conservationists, may be found on the Wisconsin NRCS website by searching for Wisconsin NRCS or Wisconsin EQIP.