	Program Overview

The Environmental Quality Incentives Program (EQIP) is a voluntary program that provides technical and financial assistance to eligible agricultural producers who wish to implement soil and water conservation practices. EQIP is the largest agriculture conservation program for working lands. EQIP was amended and reauthorized in both the 2002 and 2008 farm bills. The U.S. Department of Agriculture's (USDA's) Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS) administers EQIP under an interim final rule. EQIP funding levels were revised in Section 1203 of the Deficit Reduction Act of 2005 ( P.L. The 2008 farm bill further increased the annual authorized funding levels incrementally from $1.34 billion in FY2009 to $1.75 billion in FY2012. 110-246 ) created AWEP to promote ground and surface water conservation and to improve water quality on agricultural lands. During the 112 th Congress, several issues may attract congressional interest, including budgetary pressures, a continuing backlog of unfunded applications, program reauthorization, and measuring program accomplishments. With the 112 th Congress's emphasis on reducing federal spending, similar reductions to EQIP could be considered either in the appropriations process or through possible reconciliation.
The Environmental Quality Incentives Program (EQIP) is a voluntary program that provides farmers with financial and technical assistance to plan and implement soil and water conservation practices. EQIP is the largest agriculture conservation financial assistance program for working lands. EQIP was first authorized in 1996 and was most recently revised by Section 2501 of the Food, Conservation, and Energy Act of 2008 (P.L. 110-246, the 2008 farm bill). It is a mandatory spending program (i.e., not subject to annual appropriations) and is administered by the U.S. Department of Agriculture's (USDA's) Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS). Funding is currently authorized to grow to $1.75 billion in FY2012. Eligible land includes cropland, rangeland, pasture, non-industrial private forestland, and other land on which resource concerns related to agricultural production could be addressed through an EQIP contract.
With the 112th Congress's emphasis on reducing federal spending, EQIP could face tighter budget constraints with a potential reduction in mandatory funding levels and a continuing backlog of unfunded applications. Congress will also likely consider reauthorization of the 2008 farm bill because much of the current law, including EQIP, expires in 2012.