The National Resources
Conservation Service (NRCS) has
many programs to help farmers
convert to organic farming
operations. The Environmental
Quality Incentives Program
(EQIP) is “NRCS’ flagship
conservation program that helps
farmers, ranchers and forest
landowners integrate
conservation into working
lands.” Under EQIP, Organic
Transition Initiative 823 (OTI) is
specifically meant to help those
transitioning to organic
operations.
Plains
PDF
13264, 13264, _2024 Factsheet – 823 EQIP Practices – Plains-1, 2024-Factsheet-823-EQIP-Practices-Plains-1.pdf, 6227940, https://cms.organictransition.org/wp-content/uploads/2024/07/2024-Factsheet-823-EQIP-Practices-Plains-1.pdf, https://cms.organictransition.org/resource/nrcs-823-eqip-practices-plains/_2024-factsheet-823-eqip-practices-plains-1/, , 14, , , _2024-factsheet-823-eqip-practices-plains-1, inherit, 13263, 2024-07-08 16:17:54, 2024-07-08 16:17:54, 0, application/pdf, application, pdf, https://cms.organictransition.org/wp-includes/images/media/document.png
OFA FACTSHEET
The National Resources
Conservation Service (NRCS) has
many programs to help farmers
convert to organic farming
operations. The Environmental
Quality Incentives Program
(EQIP) is “NRCS’ flagship
conservation program that helps
farmers, ranchers and forest
landowners integrate
conservation into working
lands.” Under EQIP, Organic
Transition Initiative 823 (OTI) is
specifically meant to help those
transitioning to organic
operations.
HELP THE NRCS HELP YOU
This new practice provides cost share payments for
organic and transitioning producers.
The 823 practice is different for NRCS: it offers a suite
of practices that enhance the organic production
system on the farm, instead of just one practice.
The more practices you apply for, the higher your
payment. The contract for this practice is typically
three years long, but you don’t have to initiate all
practices each year.
Payments range from $250 to $2,000+ per acre
per year depending on how many practices are
done and your cropping system.
You pay up front for the practice in the spring
and get paid in the fall of that year after NRCS
has visited your farm to verify your contract
activities have been completed.
SOME 823 PRACTICES TO CONSIDER
Contour buffer strips
Diversion to control erosion
Field Border for beneficial insect habitat
Field Strip to channel water on steeper slopes
Conservation cover
High or low tunnel system
Irrigation water management
Mulching
Conservation crop rotation
Windbreak establishment
OFA FACTSHEET
GETTING STARTED
Since this practice is so new, many NRCS county offices
aren’t sure how to handle it. Here are a few pointers to
help them, help you!
Prepare:
Look over practice standard 823, and see which
practices you may want to implement. Most NRCS
practices can be rolled into 823, even if they’re not
specifically listed. You can have an 823 contract with
multiple practices in addition to separate contracts.
Not sure where to start? Call OFA’s Farmer Services
Team (833-724-3834) to talk through your ideas!
Brainstorm:
What resource concerns you have
What specific practices you want to do
Where you want to do it, and how many acres, linear
feet or square feet it may be
Add these ideas to a hand drawn map or on an aerial
photo of your farm, so they know what is being
requested and where on your land
Think about why you are doing the practice:
Improving soil health?
Reducing erosion?
Improvement of plant productivity and health?
Reduction of plant pest or disease pressure?
Enhancement of wildlife and beneficial insect
habitat, especially with native plantings?
Improve quality of forages for grazing or harvest?
NRCS wants to know what resource concerns you’re
addressing, and this will help earn your application
more points. One practice can provide numerous
benefits, for example, cover crops improve soil health,
lessen erosion, and if flowering, can provide beneficial
insect habitat.
MAKE AN APPOINTMENT
For 823, it would be useful to visit your NRCS office and
apply at least 6 weeks before the ranking date, to give
the NRCS agent time to visit your farm and discuss your
goals and ideas. They are very knowledgeable and
might think of things that you might have missed!
State
Position
Contact Name Contact
& Email Link
Number
Ranking Date
Deadline State Directory
State EQIP
Website
Colorado
FA EQIP
Progam
manager
Stacey Eskew
719-245-3020
Round 1- Dec 1, 2023
Round 2- Feb 16, 2024
2/16/24
NRCS CO State
Directory
EQIP Colorado
Kansas
EQIP Program
Assistant
Timothy
Weltmer
785-216-0364
Round 1- Nov 17, 2023
Round 2- April 19, 2024
4/19/24
NRCS KS State
Directory
EQIP Kansas
Nebraska
EQIP Program
Manager
Conor Ward
402-437-4112
Round 1- Nov 17, 2023
Round 2- March 9, 2024
3/9/24
NRCS NE State
Directory
EQIP Nebraska
North
Dakota
Program
Contact:
Jarvis R. Keney
Assistant State
Conservationist
701-530-2005
Round 1- March 15, 2024
Round 2- April 12, 2024
Round 3- May 10, 2024
3/1/24
NRCS ND State
Directory
EQIP North
Dakota
South
Dakota
EQIP
Coordinator
Andrew
Thomason
605-352-1281
Round 1- Sept 3, 2023
Round 2- Feb 16, 2024
3/8/24
NRCS SD State
Directory
EQIP South
Dakota
Oklahoma
EQIP Program
Manager
Dustin Stoner
405-742-1278
Round 1- Nov 3, 2023
Round 2- March 1, 2024
3/1/24
NRCS OK State
Directory
EQIP Oklahoma
*You can go into your NRCS office any time to apply for EQIP, but there are “ranking dates” where all applications are
ranked to decide which farmers are offered contracts. Contracts are usually written 4-6 months after you apply.
PO Box 709 Spirit Lake, Iowa 51360 | Info@OrganicFarmersAssociation.org
www.OrganicFarmersAssociation.org