NRCS Conservation Programs​
​NRCS's (Natural Resources Conservation Service) helps people reduce soil erosion, enhance water supplies, improve water quality, increase wildlife habitat, and reduce damages caused by floods and other natural disasters by addressing the resource concerns through voluntary programs.

Funding Opportunities Available From NRCS Programs
NRCS provides funding opportunities for agricultural producers and other landowners through the following programs.

Cost Share Programs - These voluntary programs offer financial and technical assistance to help eligible agricultural producers:

• Implement conservation practices, or activities, such as conservation planning, that address natural resource concerns on their land (Environmental Quality Incentives Program - EQIP)  
  • Application deadline is January 14th, 2022 to be considered for FY22 Classic fund pool.
• Improve resource conditions such as soil quality,  water quality, water quantity, air quality, habitat quality, and energy (Conservation Stewardship Program -  CSP)  by building on your existing conservation efforts while strengthening your operation.
  • We accept applications year-round, but there is currently no fund pool available.

Applicants must for both programs must:  

• Have control or own eligible land;
• Comply with adjusted gross income limitation (AGI) provisions;
• Be in compliance with the highly erodible land and wetland conservation requirements;
• Land already enrolled in some USDA Farm Bill programs, such as CRP and some easement programs, may not be eligible.
  • Starting/implementing a conservation practice prior to written contract approval will result in the ineligibility of that practice for EQIP assistance
  • Additional restrictions and program requirements may apply. 
    
    

In specific watersheds, funding may also be available for priority issues such as air quality, agricultural energy management plans, seasonal high tunnels and organic operations may be available during fiscal year 2022.  Visit Michigan’s EQIP page for more information.
Technical Assistance - NRCS offers this assistance at no cost to the producers we serve. Our goal is to give our customers personalized advice and information, based on the latest science and research, to help them make informed decisions.

Easements
These programs are available to eligible landowners to conserve working agricultural lands, wetlands, grasslands and forestlands:

• Protect working agricultural lands and limit non-agricultural uses of the land, or wetlands and their benefits, through Agricultural Land Easements or Wetland Reserve Easements (Agricultural Conservation Easement Program -  ACEP)
  • We accept applications year-round, but there is currently no fund pool available.

 
If you are interested in these programs and would like to learn more, please contact the Natural Resource Conservation Service (NRCS) at 989-426-9461 Ext. 3
 
Caitlain Thompson - District Conservationist

Caitlain received a Bachelor’s in Environmental Science and Planning and a minor in Geographic Information Systems from the University of Michigan – Flint.  She is currently in a certification program through Texas A&M for Poultry Meat Production.  Her interests are to become certified in Manure Management.
Her previous career was with Environmental Protection Agency as a 319 (Nonpoint Source) Program Manager and then CAFO (Concentrated Animal Feeding Operation) Coordinator.  She returned to NRCS as a District Conservationist to work with agricultural producers and landowners to make a local impact on water quality.