NRCS Announces EQIP Sign-Up Deadline

Nobody has to twist the arms of Johnnie and Sean Rutledge to get them to participate in the Environmental Quality Incentives Program (EQIP).

The father and son, who farm about 1,300 acres together in Stoddard County, have been participating in EQIP since 1997. With a sign-up deadline approaching, the Rutledges say they wouldn’t hesitate recommending the program to others. Though EQIP has a continuous sign up, the Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS) wants landowners to know that they need to apply for the program by December 16 to be eligible for the next round of funding.

“NRCS has done an excellent job of informing us about all of their programs, and we are very pleased with the assistance that we have received,” Johnnie Rutledge says. “They have helped us a lot.”

EQIP promotes agricultural production and environmental quality. Through EQIP, farmers and ranchers receive financial and technical assistance to help install structural conservation practices and to implement management systems that promote conservation.

The Rutledges raise rice, corn, soybeans, cotton and wheat. They have used EQIP primarily to make their irrigation system more efficient. They also have been active with nutrient management, pest management, grid soil sampling, urease inhibitor, split nitrogen applications, and field scouting.

“The money we get from the program helps us do things a little better,” Johnnie Rutledge says.

To sign up for EQIP, contact the NRCS office serving your county. For more information about NRCS programs, click here. To locate NRCS offices via the Internet, click here.

EQIP in Missouri

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