Landowner Assitance Programs
Summary of Key Federal Assistance Programs
Environmental Quality Incentives Program (EQIP)
Established in 1996 and reauthorized by the 2002 Farm Bill, EQIP provides financial, educational and technical assistance to farmers, ranchers and forest producers to promote both production and environmental quality. Many private, non-industrial forest landowners qualify as agricultural producers and thus are potentially eligible for EQIP funding. Efforts are underway to expand EQIP funding for forest stewardship.
Forest Land Enhancement Program (FLEP)
The 2002 Farm Bill gave the Forest Service authority to launch the Forest Land Enhancement Program, replacing the Forestry and Stewardship Incentive Programs (FIP and SIP). FLEP helps the nation's 10 million private forest landowners balance stewardship with economic concerns. Though $100 million was allocated through mandated funding, only $40 million has actually made its way to the program, and it is currently severely underfunded. (More...)
Wildlife Habitat Incentives Program (WHIP)
The Wildlife Habitat Incentives Program provides assistance to landowners who want to develop and improve wildlife habitats on their land. It is open to all landowners, making it an important tool for conservation on lands that do not meet the production requirements of other USDA conservation programs. Through technical assistance and cost-sharing, WHIP targets wildlife habitat projects on potential habitat for rare and declining species.
Conservation Reserve Program (CRP)
The Conservation Reserve Program is available to assist with tree planting on certain agricultural lands to reduce erosion and water pollution and enhance wildlife populations. With both cost-sharing and rental payments provided through this program, existing agricultural lands with marginal productivity can transition to less intensive forest management by establishing many of the conservation practices encouraged through CRP. (Read SELC's comments to the Farm Service Agency on the need to protect CRP.)
