Environmental Quality Incentives Program

In-field Practices Covered and Eligibility

• Cropland, hayland, pastureland, rangeland, and non-industrial private forest land, Livestock operations and other eligible working lands

Rates and Time to Payment

• Cost-share payments typically cover up to 75% of practice implementation costs; for beginning, socially disadvantaged, or limited-resource farmers, up to 90%.
  Payments are issued after practice implementation and approval by NRCS.

Contract length, renewability and deadlines

• 1–10 years depending on the practice and conservation plan.
  Applications are accepted continuously; NRCS ranks projects based on resource concerns and funding availability.

Lead Organization

• USDA

• Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS)
  Local delivery via county SWCD offices.

Funding Source

• Federal – USDA (NRCS)

Conservation Stewardship Program

In-field Practices Covered and Eligibility

• Eligible lands include cropland, pastureland, rangeland, non-industrial private forest land, and associated agricultural lands

• Contracts enroll your entire operation, not just specific fields

• Applicants must already meet or exceed NRCS stewardship threshold for at least two priority resource concerns and commit to at least one additional priority concern during the contract term

Rates and Time to Payment

• Payments have two components:

  • Maintain existing conservation activities

  • Implement additional or enhanced practices

• Program defines a minimum payment to ensure participation is worthwhile

• Payments are typically issued annually after approval of the conservation plan

• Payment caps: up to $40,000 per year or $200,000 over a 5-year contract under certain rules

Contract Length, Renewability, and Deadlines

• Standard contract length: 5 years

• Eligible contracts may be renewed for another 5 years if criteria are met

• Applications are accepted continuously, ranked in batches based on conservation benefits

Lead Organization

• USDA Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS)

• Local delivery through county SWCD offices

Funding Source

• Federal – USDA (NRCS)

Clean Water Indiana

CWI (Clean Water Indiana) Grant Program – 2025

In-field Practices Covered and Eligibility

• Eligible applicants: Indiana SWCDs and their partners (e.g., nonprofits, watershed groups); landowners participate through locally managed cost-share programs

• Project focus: Must align with at least one of SSCB’s five core natural resource concerns: water quality, soil health, erosion, invasive species, or pollinator habitat

• Practices supported include: cover crops, shoreline stabilization, nutrient management, native plantings, and other conservation measures

Rates and Time to Payment

• Provides competitive grant funding to support local cost-share programs

• Applicants must provide at least 50% match, which can include landowner cost-share or in-kind contributions

• Grants are typically two to three years in duration, depending on project scope and deliverables

• Preference given to projects that direct the majority of funds toward on-the-ground implementation rather than salaries

Contract Length, Renewability, and Deadlines

• Grants typically run 2–3 years

• Applications are submitted for competitive review; funding decisions depend on alignment with program priorities and available funds

Lead Organization

• Indiana State Department of Agriculture (ISDA), administered through the State Soil Conservation Board (SSCB)

• Local delivery via county SWCD offices and partner organizations

Funding Source

• State – Indiana

Ducks Unlimited Archer Daniels Midland Company

In-field Practices Covered and Eligibility

• Covers implementation of cover crops in high-priority agricultural landscapes

• Eligible locations: Indiana and Michigan (some materials also include Ohio)

• Field requirements: Typically must be in rotation of crops such as corn, soybeans, or wheat

• New or expanded practice: Payments focus on acres not previously enrolled in certain programs to maximize additionality

Rates and Time to Payment

• Payments per acre: Example region pays ~$10/acre annually for 4 years (up to $40 total/acre)

• Payments issued after contract signing, practice implementation, and documentation submission

• Participants provide data collection via FBN, and may attend a learning event or report acres planted

Contract Length, Renewability, and Deadlines

• Typical 4-year contract for enrolled acres

• Requires signing an implementation agreement with DU/ADM

• Acres cannot already be enrolled in conflicting privately-funded programs, or must meet certain eligibility criteria

Lead Organization

• Ducks Unlimited (DU) in cooperation with ADM, Farmers Business Network (FBN), National Fish and Wildlife Foundation (NFWF), and USDA

Funding Source

• Private and nonprofit partnership funding, with program support from ADM, DU, FBN, NFWF, and USDA

Soil and Water Outcomes Fund

In-field Practices Covered and Eligibility

• Cover crops are a key eligible practice, planted on new acres or newly adopted

• Practices encourage conservation-friendly tillage to maximize soil health benefits

• Approved tillage/seeding implements:

  • No-Till

  • Roller Crimper / Roller Packer

  • Strip Till

  • Vertical Tillage (VT) – gang angle <5°, depth ≤3", straight blades, no finishing tools

  • Harrow, Drag Reduced – depth ≤3", no aggressive tines or attachments

  • Inline Ripper – deep compaction relief (8–16") with minimal surface disturbance

  • Rotary Hoe – break crust or aerate surface while maintaining residue

Rates and Time to Payment

• Provides financial incentives for newly implemented cover crops or cover crops on new acres

• Payments are tied to compliance with technical standards for planting and tillage practices

Contract Length, Renewability, and Deadlines

• Farmers must follow specific regional planting deadlines for overwintering and winter-kill species

• No early termination: cover crops cannot be terminated with herbicide or tillage before March 15

Lead Organization

• Soil and Water Outcomes Fund (SWOF) – private-sector conservation incentive program

Funding Source

• Private-sector funding

Field Evaluation Criteria

• SWOF staff evaluate:

  • Visible soil disturbance

  • Residue remaining after tillage

  • Depth and intensity of tillage

• Ensures cover crops are planted and managed to maximize soil health and water-quality benefits