Organic Initiative

Environmental Quality Incentives Program (EQIP)

The Organic Initiative is available in all 50 states for farmers who are certified organic, transitioning to certified organic, or organic exempt according to USDA’s National Organic Program regulations. The Organic Initiative is a subset of the Environmental Quality Incentives Program, a voluntary program that provides financial and technical assistance to eligible persons who are willing to use conservation practices to protect and conserve our natural resources.

Participation in the Organic Initiative is open to persons who are certified organic or are transitioning to organic. In order to be eligible, those who are transitioning to organic certification must use conservation practices for certified organic production that are consistent with an Organic System Plan (OSP), and provide the name and contact information of the USDA accredited organic certifier they are working with. Those who are already certified organic must submit a copy of their Organic System Plan to NRCS along with the name and contact information of their organic certifier, and use conservation practices that are consistent with their Organic System Plan.

Conservation practices will be offered that address resource concerns consistent with the Organic System Plan. Eligible practices include but are not limited to Cover Crop, Diversion, Nutrient Management, Pest Management, and Prescribed Grazing. In addition, NRCS offers Conservation Activity Plans that support conservation planning for organic agriculture.

Eligible Conservation Practices

View a list of eligible conservation practices.

Ranking Periods

EQIP applications are accepted year-round. NRCS has established three ranking periods for 2012:

Ranking Period 1: February 3, 2012
Ranking Period 2: March 30, 2012
Ranking Period 3: June 1, 2012

To be considered for funding under a ranking period, each application must be received, determined eligible and evaluated by the deadlines listed above.

How to Apply for USDA-NRCS Conservation Programs

Learn what steps you will need to take to prepare for, and submit, your application to become a USDA-NRCS Conservation Program participant.

Learn more information on the criteria required to become an eligible EQIP applicant.

Ranking Tool Explained

New York NRCS uses a web based ranking tool for processing conservation program applications. This ranking tool uses national, state and locally developed questions to select applications which best optimize environmental benefits and achieve national, state and local priorities for conservation contracts. NRCS New York supports locally led conservation, in the delivery of conservation programs, by holding local working group meetings to provide input on natural resource concerns and priorities in each county. Information from these local working groups provides the basis for local ranking questions. All EQIP program applications receive a ranking score and ranked contracts are funded to the extent funding is available.

The following documents require Adobe Reader.

Financial Assistance Payment Rates, Program Information and Application

The NRCS New York Organic Agriculture Web page provides links to valuable resources for new and established certified organic producers.

Financial assistance for this initiative is made available through the Environmental Quality Incentives Program (EQIP) Organic Initiative.

For more information, contact your local USDA Service Center, or visit the USDA-NRCS Organic Initiative Web site.

Contact Information

Dianna Power, Program Manager: AMA, CBWI, EQIP
Phone: 315-477-6508
E-mail: Dianna Power

If you encounter problems with this Web page, please contact the Webmaster at 315-477-6524.

< Back to Environmental Quality Incentives Program