The Illinois Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS) has a new statewide funding opportunity for farmers through the Environmental Quality Incentives Program (EQIP) funded by the Inflation Reduction Act (IRA). This opportunity opens up $12 million to farmers through the ACT NOW Program for five conservation management practices: conservation crop rotation, cover crop, no-till, reduced tillage, and nutrient management.
Applications for these funds are currently open through January 26th. Local NRCS District Conservationist Cathy Froelich says while most programs take several months to go through the fund allocation process, the ACT NOW funding process will have a shorter turnaround time.
“Once we rank your application, if it meets the cutoff that Illinois establishes then you’re funded within a couple of weeks. Right now, we’re taking applications till January 26,” said Froelich. “The first cut-off will be January 5, obligation will be February 2, so you could tell it’s a pretty quick turnaround.”
The Illinois NRCS will make funding decisions every two weeks as funds are available. For more information on the ACT NOW program or other conservation programs through NRCS, you can call any of your local NRCS offices.
Monmouth: 309-734-9308 Extension 3;
Stronghurst: 309- 924-1167 Extension 3;
Galesburg: 309-342-5138 Extension 3
