On-Farm Energy Initiative

Environmental Quality Incentives Program (EQIP)

The 2008 Farm Bill provides authority to use the Environmental Quality Incentives Program (EQIP) to address energy conservation on agricultural operations. During 2012, the EQIP On-Farm Energy Initiative is designed to assist producers in two ways:

1. Identify ways to conserve energy on farms through an Agricultural Energy Management Plan (AgEMP), also known as an on-farm energy audit.
2. Provide assistance to implement various recommended measures through the use of eligible conservation practices, such as the Farmstead Energy Improvement practice.

All AgEMPs must be developed by a Technical Service Provider (TSP). A directory of TSPs can be found at the TechReg Web page. Development of the Conservation Activity Plan must be complete within 12 months of the contract obligation and contract lengths are typically limited to two years.

Practice Standards and Codes eligible for the On-Farm Energy Initiative

Conservation Activity Plan (CAP)

A Conservation Activity Plan, or CAP, is a plan developed for specific resource issues with appropriate practices that may be funded under EQIP. These plans are typically developed through a Technical Service Provider.

Funding is available for two separate energy AgEMPs or on-farm energy audits. One plan can be developed for the farm headquarters area and another plan is available for the landscape or field areas of an agriculture operation.

• The AgEMP (Headquarters) will be individually tailored to ensure coverage of the primary energy use areas on the farm headquarters, such as milk cooling, irrigation pumping, heating and cooling of livestock production facilities, manure collection and transfer, and other common on-farm activities.
• The AgEMP (Landscape) determines and documents current energy usage, over the past annual cycle, and provides cost-effective alternatives and recommendations for energy conservation. The evaluation of energy conservation activities shall include energy used in the cultivation, protection, and harvesting of agricultural crops.

Ranking Periods

EQIP applications are accepted year-round. NRCS has established three ranking periods for 2012:

Ranking Period 1: February 3, 2012
Ranking Period 2: March 30, 2012
Ranking Period 3: June 1, 2012

For more information, contact your local USDA Service Center, or visit the USDA-NRCS Environmental Quality Incentives Program Web site.

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