The Environmental Quality Incentives Program (EQIP) has been a popular and effective conservation program for livestock producers. So much so, that the Natural Resources Conservation Service has a serious backlog of applications it is not able to fund.

Stacey Satterlee, director of legislative affairs for the National Cattlemen’s Beef Association (NCBA) explains:

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The House version of the Farm Bill proposes an increase in EQIP funding to address this need. But Satterlee says the Senate Farm Bill currently keeps EQIP funding at baseline levels.

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Livestock producers did achieve one victory in the Senate Agriculture Committee markup of the Farm Bill, when Sens. Mike Crapo (R-Idaho), Patrick Leahy (D-Vt.) and Pat Roberts (R-Kan.) were successful in restoring the funding limit for individual EQIP projects. Ag Committee Chairman Tom Harkin (D-Iowa) had proposed to lower the cap from $450,000 to $240,000 over the life of the Farm Bill. But the amendment keeps the maximum limit at $450,000.
 
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Satterlee says it’s important to remember that EQIP is a cost share program. So farmers and ranchers must invest their own capital in order to qualify. And when they do, everyone benefits from the environmental improvements.

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