NRCS Programs and Applications:
The Farm Bill Programs made conservation districts responsible for organizing local work groups to identify and prioritize
resource concerns in Clay County.
ENVIRONMENTAL QUALITY INCENTIVES PROGRAM (EQIP)
Through the Environmental Quality Incentives Program (EQIP) the USDA Natural Resources Conservation Service provides a voluntary conservation program for farmers and ranchers to promote agricultural production and environmental quality as compatible national goals. EQIP priorities
in Arkansas are to reduce erosion; reduce pollution from animal wastes, nutrients and sediments; improve irrigation and reduce dependence on ground
water for irrigation; forest improvements; improve grazing lands; and improve wildlife habitat.
resource concerns in Clay County.
ENVIRONMENTAL QUALITY INCENTIVES PROGRAM (EQIP)
Through the Environmental Quality Incentives Program (EQIP) the USDA Natural Resources Conservation Service provides a voluntary conservation program for farmers and ranchers to promote agricultural production and environmental quality as compatible national goals. EQIP priorities
in Arkansas are to reduce erosion; reduce pollution from animal wastes, nutrients and sediments; improve irrigation and reduce dependence on ground
water for irrigation; forest improvements; improve grazing lands; and improve wildlife habitat.
WETLAND RESERVE PROGRAM (WRP)
The Wetlands Reserve Program (WRP) is a voluntary program offering landowners the opportunity
to protect, restore, and enhance wetlands on their property. The USDA
Natural Resources Conservation Service provides technical and financial support
to help landowners with wetland restoration. The NRCS goal is to achieve
the greatest wetland functions and values, along with optimum wildlife habitat.
This program offers landowners an opportunity to establish long-term
conservation and wildlife practices and protection. Arkansas ranks second
in the nation in number of acres enrolled.
CONSERVATION RESERVE PROGRAM (CRP)
The Conservation Reserve Program (CRP) is a voluntary program for agricultural
landowners. Through CRP, you can receive annual rental payments
and cost-share assistance to establish long-term, resource conserving covers on
eligible farmland. CRP protects millions of acres of American topsoil from
erosion and is designed to safeguard the Nation's natural resources. By
reducing water runoff and sedimentation, CRP protects groundwater and helps
improve the condition of lakes, rivers, ponds, and streams. Acreage
enrolled in the CRP is planted to resource-conserving vegetative covers, making
the program a major contributor to increased wildlife populations in many parts
of the country.
CRP is administered by the USDA Farm Service Agency http://www.fsa.usda.gov/
WILDLIFE HABITAT INCENTIVES PROGRAM (WHIP)
The Wildlife Habitat Incentive Program (WHIP) is a voluntary program for people who want to
develop and improve wildlife habitat primarily on private land. Emphasis
is on declining species: bobwhite quail, elk, neo-tropical migratory songbirds
and threatened or endangered species. Good habitats are also being
developed and managed for numerous game and non-game species.
THE CONSERVATION STEWARDSHIP PROGRAM (CSP)
The Conservation Stewardship Program (CSP) is a voluntary program providing
financial and technical assistance promoting the conservation and improvement of
soil, water, air, energy, plant and animal life, and other conservation purposes
on Tribal and private working lands. The 2008 Farm Bill replaced the
Conservation Security Program with the new Conservation Stewardship Program for
fiscal years 2009 through 2017. The program may enroll more than 12.7
million acres each fiscal year. Acreage will be allocated based primarily
on each state's or area's proportion of eligible acres to the total number of
all eligible acres. The 2008 Farm Bill provides for funding for all
current Conservation Security Program contracts.
CONSERVATION TECHNICAL ASSISTANCE (CTA)
The Conservation Technical Assistance (CTA) Program provides technical assistance
supported by science technology and tools to help people conserve, maintain, and
improve natural resources on their land. The CTA program provides the
technical capability, including conservation planning, design and implementation
provided to individuals, groups, and communities who make natural resource
management decisions on private, tribal, and other non-federal lands.
NRCS, through the CTA Program, provides conservation technical assistance
to address state and national natural resource conservation issues.
Notice to Hispanic and/or Women Farmers and Ranchers:
Click the link below if you are a woman or Hispanic farmer and believe you were improperly denied farm
loan benefits by USDA between 1981 and 2000. You may be eligible for
compensation. Follow the link for more information or to request a
package online: https://farmerclaims.gov/
| eqip_english.pdf |
| awep_english.pdf |
| whip_english.pdf |
| csp_english.pdf |
| arkansas_conservation_practice_catalog__october_2011_2.pdf |
