Nevada EQIP Organic Initiative

Financial Assistance Available for Organic Producers

Apply by May 29 Deadline Extended to June 12

Reno, May 5 — A special funding opportunity for Nevada’s certified organic farmers and those who are transitioning to organic farming is being offered by the Natural Resources Conservation Service in Nevada. According to Bruce Petersen, NRCS state conservationist, interested producers must apply by May 29.

The Organic Initiative is part of the Environmental Quality Incentives Program (EQIP), a voluntary conservation program that provides financial and technical assistance to landowners willing to implement practices to improve natural resources on privately owned agricultural land. Applications for EQIP are taken continuously throughout the year; however to be considered for Fiscal Year 2009 funding, producers need to have an application signed and returned to their local NRCS office by May 29 to be eligible for this round of funding under the EQIP Organic Initiative.

While EQIP has always been available for organic producers to treat resource concerns on their land, specific funds are being set aside under the new Farm Bill to assist organic producers. Individual applicants can receive a maximum of $80,000 over the life of the 2008 Farm Bill, and no more than $20,000 in any one year. Applications for the EQIP Organic Initiative are competitive and are ranked based on national and state resource priorities as well as their overall benefit to the environment.

Organic farming is one of the fastest growing segments in U.S. agriculture. The 2008 Farm Bill helps producers of all commodities become environmentally sustainable. Producers may receive financial assistance to install practices such as micro-irrigation systems, pest management, conservation cover crops, prescribed grazing and other practices. NRCS provides free technical assistance to help producers design and transition to organic farming, and provides financial assistance to install the practices. Producers are required to develop and carry out an organic system plan or carry out practices consistent with an organic system plan.

Producers must be pursuing an organic certification or be in compliance with their organic certification. In order to be considered an agricultural producer under the 2008 Farm Bill, an annual minimum of $1,000 of agricultural products must be produced and/or sold from the operation. Other eligibility requirements and determinations apply.

Some participants, such limited resource farmers, beginning farmers, and socially disadvantaged groups, are eligible to receive a higher rate of financial assistance. For more information, go to http://www.nrcs.usda.gov/programs/SLB_Farmer/.

These documents require Adobe Acrobat or Microsoft Word.

EQIP Special Initiative for Organic Production Fact Sheet (PDF; 1.1MB)  NEW!
Organic Farming At a Glance Fact Sheet (PDF; 384KB)
Organic Initiative Sign Up News Release (DOC; 54KB)
Conservation Plan Practices for Organics in Nevada (DOC; 8KB)

Other Resources

Agricultural Marketing Service National Organic Program

Nevada Department of Agriculture Organic Certification Program

ATTRA National Sustainable Agriculture Information Service

• National Organic Program Compliance Checklist for Producers (June 2003)

• Organic System Plan (OSP) Templates for Certifiers (Summary)
• Organic Farming
• Accessing the Environmental Quality Incentives Program Organic Initiative for Conversion or Expansion

More Information

For more information about the EQIP Organic Initiative, please contact your local district conservationist.  NRCS Nevada office locations can be found at http://www.nv.nrcs.usda.gov/contact/.

State Contact

Rod Dahl, Programs Specialist, (775) 857-8500 x 146.

Last Modified: 06/01/2009