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$3 Billion available through NRCS
More than $3 Billion in funding is available through the United States Department of Agriculture for agricultural producers and forest landowners to participate in voluntary conservation programs and adopt climate-smart practices in fiscal year 2024, which began Oct. 1, 2023. The Inflation Reduction Act provides funds to the Environmental Quality Incentives Program (EQIP), Conservation Stewardship Program (CSP), Agricultural Conservation Easement Program (ACEP) and Regional Conservation Partnership Program (RCPP). Specifically, an additional $1.65 billion for EQIP, $472 million for CSP, and $189 million for ACEP, and $754 million for RCPP has been allocated and the Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS) is accepting applications.
NRCS accepts producer applications for its conservation programs year-round, but producers interested in this cycle of Inflation Reduction Act funding should apply as soon as possible. Producers interested in EQIP or CSP should apply by their state’s ranking dates for consideration this year.
Louisiana’s application ranking dates are as follows:
CSP, November 17, 2023, February 2, 2024, and April 26, 2024
EQIP, November 17, 2023, February 2, 2024, and April 26, 2024
Funding is provided through a competitive process and will include an opportunity to address the unmet demand from producers who have previously sought funding for climate-smart conservation activities.
NRCS accepts applications year-round for ACEP Agricultural Land Easements (ACEP-ALE) and Wetland Reserve Easements (ACEP-WRE), producers interested in this funding cycle must apply by Nov. 13, 2023. NRCS will also consider previously unfunded applications in this round.
NRCS plans to roll out the next RCPP funding opportunity in late January 2024.
NRCS will announce other opportunities for agreements and partnerships at the state level for fiscal year 2024 in the coming months.
The Inflation Reduction Act provides funding to support those strategic partnerships with local, regional and national organizations. This will include outreach to underserved producers to ensure Inflation Reduction Act climate funding is reaching those who have been previously unable to access conservation assistance. Interested producers should contact the NRCS at their local USDA Service Center. The NRCS Louisiana State Office is located at 3737 Government Street, Alexandria, Louisiana 71302-3327 and the office number is 318-473-7752. Louisiana has 44 services centers located throughout the state, please use the office locator to find the USDA/NRCS field offices closest to you.
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