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2014 Farm Bill
The Conservation Title of the 2014 Farm Bill
streamlines and simplifies Natural Resources
Conservation Service (NRCS) conservation
programs and allows better targeting of
conservation and priority resource concerns.
2014 Farm Bill
This Farm Bill continues our focus on critical
resource concerns—to assist farmers, ranchers,
non-industrial private forest landowners, and
other land stewards with addressing the
resource issues of today while having the
flexibility to address emerging issues.
Environmental Quality Incentives Program (EQIP)
• WHIP* is folded into EQIP, but WHIP’s objectives are
still included in EQIP.
• EQIP has a strong ranch focus with at least 60 percent
of funds directed to addressing livestock resource
concerns.
*Wildlife Habitat Incentive Program
EQIP
• Eliminates the requirement for a contract to remain in
place for a minimum 1 year after last practice
implemented; retains requirement that contract term
may not exceed 10 years.
• Replaces rolling 6-year payment limitation for
fiscal years 2014–2018.
EQIP Basics
• Varies from 1 to 10 years
• You may have more than 1 contract
• Pays the contract holder after the
practice is installed
• Payment rates are flat rates, not a
percent
EQIP Basics
• Applications are ranked by
effectiveness, efficiency, and resource
concern
• Making application does not commit you
to anything
• You must have a resource concern to
be eligible
Water Quality
• Terraces—regular and tile outlet
• Waterways—new and replacement
• Concrete or block drop structures
• No-till
• Nutrient management
• Diversions
• Well Plugging
Soil Health
• Cover Crops
• No-till
• Grass seeding
Livestock Waste
• Sediment basins
• Lagoons
• Filter strips
• Pumps and pipelines to transfer manure
• Waste management plans
Rangeland and Pasture
• Grazing payments
• Wells/solar pumps/tanks/pipelines
• Spring developments
• Cross fencing
• Tree clearing
• Stream crossings
Irrigation
• Water Management
• Pivots
• Sub-surface drip
Wildlife• Shelter belt planting
• Grass seeding
• Pollinator habitat
• Wetland construction
• Management practices achieving
habitat needs
Forestry
• Timber stand improvement
• Windbreaks
• Riparian buffers
Conservation Stewardship Program (CSP)
• CSP will still enable conservation-minded farmers and
ranchers to take their efforts to the next level.
• CSP is reauthorized to enroll 10 million acres annually
in fiscal years 2014-2018.
• Contracts continue to be for five-year periods with the
option to renew if two additional priority resource
concerns will be addressed.
CSP• Contract offers must meet stewardship threshold for at
least 2 priority resource concerns and meet or exceed
one additional priority resource by the end of contract.
• At least 5 priority resource concerns should be
identified for each area or watershed.
• Although the CSP enrollment level is down from the
12.7 million-acre level of the 2008 Farm Bill, it remains
a substantial contributor toward improving land
stewardship across the country.
CSP
• Eligible land limited to land in production for at least 4
of the 6 years preceding October 1, 2014.
• Everything you operate according to records at the
Farm Service Agency (FSA) is applicable to the
program.
• If you cannot get control of land, that piece does not go in
• Payment limits are $40,000 per year per contract
and/or participant
• ($80,000 for general partnerships and joint ventures)
CSP – Limitations
• Can’t break out rangeland
• Can’t convert cropland to farmstead use
• Can’t convert rangeland to farmstead
use
Calculating Performance Points
• Existing Activities
– Crop rotation, tillage, nutrient application,
wildlife habitat, stream conservation,
grazing rates, herbicide applications, brush
management
• What you do now gives you existing
activity points
Calculating Performance Points
• Enhancements
– Air, Soil Health, Water Quality, Water
Quantity, Plants, Animals
– Like practices, but focused on
management—Build your conservation
“Grocery List” for your farm
• What you agree to add gives you
enhancement points
CSP Payments
• You turn in all your information for your
enhancements in September
• Payments start in November– They can be delayed till the next calendar year if
you so desire
• Payments have ranged between $8 and
$40 per acre
Initiatives
• Water Quality—EQIP
• Seasonal High Tunnel—EQIP
• On-Farm Energy—EQIP
• Ogallala—EQIP and CSP
• Lesser Prairie-Chicken—EQIP and CSP
• Organic—EQIP
Questions?
Regional Conservation Partnership Program (RCPP)
• RCPP promotes the implementation of conservation
activities through agreements between partners and
landowners.
• RCPP identifies specific geographical regions or areas
at the national and state level for targeted
conservation activities.
RCPP
• Projects may focus on water quality and quantity,
erosion, wildlife habitat, drought and flood control, or
other regional priorities.
• RCPP leverages Federal funds with partner funds at a
1:1 ratio.
RCPP
• Funding is delivered through the following programs:
o Agricultural Conservation Easement Program
o Conservation Stewardship Program
o Environmental Quality Incentives Program
o Watershed Operations and Flood Prevention Program
RCPP
• Partnership agreements may not exceed 5 years;
however, NRCS may extend the agreement one time
for up to 12 months when an extension is necessary to
meet the objectives of the program.
• The partnership agreement defines the scope of the
project, including:
o The eligible activities to be implemented.
o The potential agricultural or nonindustrial private forest
operation affected.
RCPP
• The partnership agreement defines the scope of the
project, including:
o The local, state, multi-state, or other geographic area
covered.
o The planning, outreach, implementation, and
assessment to be conducted.
Eligible Partners
• Agricultural or silvicultural producer associations or
other groups of producers
• State or local governments
• Indian tribes
• Farmer cooperatives
• Municipal water treatment entities, water districts, or
other organizations with specific water delivery
authority to producers on agriculture land
Eligible Partners
• Irrigation districts
• Conservation and non-governmental organizations
• Institutions of higher education
Process
• NRCS will conduct a competitive process to select
applications for partnership agreements and may
assess and rank applications with similar conservation
purposes as a group.
• NRCS will make public the criteria used in evaluating
applications.
Process
• NRCS may give higher priority to applications that:
o Deliver high percentages of applied conservation to
address conservation priorities or local, state, regional,
or national conservation initiatives.
o Significantly leverage non-Federal financial and
technical resources and coordinate with other local,
state, regional, or national efforts.
o Provide innovation in conservation methods and
delivery.
o Assist producers in meeting or avoiding the need for a
natural resource regulatory requirement.
Eligible Producers
• Producers of agricultural and nonindustrial private
forest lands may:
o Enter into RCPP contracts to receive financial and
technical assistance under the framework of an RCPP
partner agreement.
o Enter into a contract directly, independent of a partner,
if the land associated with a program application is
located in a partner project area or a critical
conservation area designated by NRCS.
Agricultural Conservation Easement Program (ACEP)
A new program under the 2014 Farm Bill.
• ACEP consolidates three conservation easement
programs:
o Wetlands Reserve Program (WRP)
o Grassland Reserve Program (GRP)
o Farm and Ranch Lands Protection Program (FRPP)
ACEP
ACEP has two components—wetland and agricultural
land easements.
o The wetland component mirrors the WRP authorizing
language.
o The agricultural land component is modeled after
FRPP and GRP.
ACEP
• Funded at $400 million in FY2014, increasing to $500
million in FY2017, and reducing to $250 million in
FY2018.
• Maintains our certification process for partners for
agricultural land easements.
• While ACEP will require a new regulation for its
implementation, there are very few new statutory
provisions when compared to FRPP, GRP, and WRP.
Agricultural Land Easements
Agricultural Land Easements
ACEP—Agricultural Land Easements
• FRPP and GRP land protection will continue under the
Agricultural Land Easements (ALE) component of
ACEP.
• Limits federal share not to exceed 50 percent of the
fair market value.
• Allows an increase in the federal share (up to 75
percent) for grasslands of special environmental
significance.
ACEP—Agricultural Land Easements
• Similar to the FRPP, this program prohibits USDA from
establishing a bidding mechanism.
• Eligible entities will acquire and hold easements.
Wetland Reserve Easements
ACEP—Wetland Reserve EasementsThe wetland reserve component maintains the goals of
WRP—to achieve the greatest wetlands functions and
values, along with optimum wildlife habitat, on every
acre enrolled in the program.
• Establishes ownership requirement of 2 years prior to
enrollment
o WRP had a 7-year ownership requirement—waiver
provisions may still apply.
ACEP—Wetland Reserve Easements
• Authorizes a waiver process to allow enrollment of
CRP land established for trees—these lands were not
eligible for WRP.
• No authority to enroll restoration cost-share
agreements.
• Keeps WRP compensation and eligibility framework
from 2008 Farm Bill.
ACEP—Wetland Reserve Easements
• The Secretary of Agriculture will still:
o Hold the easements.
o Offer permanent easements, 30-year easements, and
30-year contracts with Indian tribes.
o Give priority for enrollment based on the value of the
easement for protecting and enhancing habitat for
migratory birds and other wildlife.
o Have the authority to grant compatible uses and
reserve grazing rights.
Conservation Innovation Grants (CIG)
• CIG provides direct or indirect payments to
individuals or entities to implement structural,
vegetative, or management practices. The
conservation approaches or technologies are likely
candidates for eventual technology transfer.
• At least 50 percent of the total cost of the project
must come from non-federal matching funds (cash
and in-kind contributions) provided by the grantee.
CIG
• The grantee is also responsible for providing the
technical assistance required to successfully
complete the project. NRCS will provide technical
oversight for each project receiving an award.
• Proposed projects must involve EQIP-eligible
farmers, ranchers, or forestland managers.
Questions?
Applying for Programs(Focus on CSP and EQIP)
Conservation Planning
• Planning comes first
– What is the resource concern?
– How can it be corrected?
– Which option is the best fit for my operation?
– What time frame do I want to implement my
plan?
Applying for Programs
• Establish FSA Records
– Associated with a farm
– Program eligibility
• HEL – Highly erodible land
• AGI – Adjusted Gross Income
• FTE – Farm/Tract Eligibility
• Data Universal Numbering System (DUNS)
and System for Award Management (SAM)
eligibility (entities only)
Applying for Programs
• Sign the NRCS Forms
– The NRCS-CPA-1200
• Used for almost all NRCS programs
• Asks basic applicant information
– Payment information (bank account)
– Control of land
Applying for Programs
• Review Conservation Plan and Rank
Application
– All programs are offered on a competitive
basis
– You are ranked by fund pool
– Ranking questions vary by program and
fund pool
Applying for Programs
• Application for easements under ACEP are made
by the entity that will hold the easement (The
Nature Conservancy, Kansas Land Trust, etc.)
• RCPP proposals are offered as partnership
agreements. Individual contracts are accepted
based on the program the proposal is funded
through.
Applying for Programs
• CIG Grants are grant proposals—separate
process
• Offered at National and state level
Questions?
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