NRCS Farm Bill Programs Assistance

Working with the NRCS

The Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS) is a Department within the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA). NRCS and Conservation Districts share a history and mission of assisting land owners with implementing conservation practices on their land.

The NRCS Farm Bill programs are the primary way in which both technical assistance and funding are provided to landowners (in particular producers). The Washtenaw County Conservation District (WCCD) is able to assist producers with accessing technical assistance and funding applications.

The USDA Client Gateway is an online portal that allows producers to submit technical and financial assistance requests, sign documents, and access updates in real time.

Apply for a client gateway

Financial Assistance Available

Environmental Quality Incentives Program (EQIP):
The EQIP program is intended to help producers access cost-share assistance in order to implement conservation practices on the land. Based on the producer's completed conservation plan, the EQIP application will be based on the producer's specific goals and resource concerns. Over 200 practices are considered part of EQIP and include everything from cover crops and seasonal high tunnels to erecting livestock fencing.
Learn more on the NRCS EQIP website.

Technical Assistance Available

Conservation Planning:
A conservation plan is a road map of resource concerns on your farm as well as a plan for strategies to address those concerns. All financial assistance through NRCS requires a completed conservation plan after submitting an application.

To learn more, visit the NRCS website.

Conservation Stewardship Program (CSP):
The CSP program is designed for producers that have already implemented conservation practices on the land and want to extend their efforts further. The CSP program utilizes your completed conservation plant to cost-share enhancements (or practices) that meet your land and management goals. CSP contracts are typically longer than EQIP.

Learn more at the NRCS CSP website.

Get NRCS Support

Contact our Natural Resource Technician to request a meeting to begin your conservation plan, receive support with EQIP, or learn about the Conservation Stewardship Program.