The U.S. Department of Agriculture’s Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS) established a national January 15, 2026, batching deadline for the first funding round of key conservation programs. This national batching date ensures producers have a clear, consistent timeline for participating in Environmental Quality Incentives Program (EQIP), Conservation Stewardship Program (CSP), and Agricultural Conservation Easement Program (ACEP). This includes NRCS’s new Regenerative Pilot Program, which provides targeted Farmer First assistance through EQIP and CSP.
NRCS programs are continuous sign-up programs, but due to the government shutdown, the agency is implementing an initial national batching period to ensure producers have access to funding and support.
Updated NRCS Program Timelines
All NRCS conservation programs remain continuous sign-up.
Woodland owners, farmers and ranchers have until January 15, 2026, to apply for the first batching period
Programs with a January 15, 2026, batching period deadline include:
New NRCS Regenerative Pilot Program (EQIP & CSP)
Environmental Quality Incentives Program (EQIP): This USDA-Natural Resources Conservation Service program provides financial and technical assistance to woodland owners to address natural resource concerns. EQIP offers payments for more than 120 basic conservation practices. While applications are accepted throughout the year, they are ranked for funding only once or twice a year, so applications received after January 15, 2026 will automatically be deferred to the next funding cycle.
Funding can be used for creating a stewardship forest management plan if one does not already exist for the property. EQIP funding is designed to cover about 75% of costs for eligible conservation practices and about 90% for limited resource or beginner landowners and for priority practices (tree planting has been a priority practice the last few years). Contracts vary, usually 1-3 years, but can last up to 10 years.
Please click on the links in green to find more information.
Find your local USDA Service Center
Other helpful resources regarding the topic of USDA-Natural Resource Conservation Service (NRCS) cost-share assistance opportunities:
Natural Resource Conservation Service (NRCS) - Who We Are and What We Do
5 Steps to Assistance How to Get Assistance from NRCS for Farms, Ranches and Forests