MDC is providing a $100 per acre Sign-up Incentive Payment (SIP) to participants enrolled in the EQIP-Native Forages Initiative.
To be eligible for the MDC-provided SIP participants must meet the below requirements:
- Enrollment into the NRCS EQIP-Native Forages Initiative
- Enrolled acres must be located within the Grassland and Quail Focal landscapes shown in the map below.
If you meet the above requirements and would like to learn more about the MDC SIP, contact your local Private Land Conservationist.
NRCS in Missouri will accept applications for the EQIP-Native Forages Initiative until March29, 2024. Applications submitted prior to March 29, 2024, will be assessed and ranked as soon as the applicant has made treatment decisions through a conservation plan.
NRCS financial assistance within this initiative is only available for the following conservation practices and scenarios:
- 512 Pasture and Hay Planting
- Native Grass Establishment or Renovation – with Fertility
- High Diversity Native Grass Establishment or Renovation – with Fertility
- 810 Annual Forages for Grazing Systems
- Annual Forages Mix
Through the EQIP-Native Forages Initiative, producers and landowners can apply at NRCS Service Centers to receive technical and financial assistance for the establishment of native forages by either renovating existing non-native forage for haying or grazing or converting cropland to native forage for haying or grazing. This new initiative provides the unique opportunity for an accelerated application and funding process.
The MDC-provided SIP is offered in coordination with the Natural Resources Conservation Services’ (NRCS) Environmental Quality Incentives Program (EQIP) – Native Forages Initiative (EQIP-Native Forages Initiative). For more information about NRCS programs and assistance, contact the NRCS service office serving your county.