If you’re a row-crop producer looking to improve your land, protect your yields, and tap into financial assistance, without taking acres out of production, the Environmental Quality Incentives Program (EQIP) might be your next smart move. The good news is that now, Advanced Agrilytics, working with CIBO Technologies, can help growers access the tools and agronomic advice to make the consideration and application process easier than ever.
Advanced Agrilytics has partnered with CIBO Technologies, making it faster, easier, and far more accessible to growers who want to adopt practices that align with long-term profitability and sustainability. This article breaks down the most common questions we hear from corn and soybean producers and shows how Advanced Agrilytics and CIBO can help.
What Is EQIP and Why Should I Care?
EQIP, administered by the USDA’s Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS), is a voluntary conservation program that provides technical support and financial assistance to farmers and ranchers implementing conservation practices on working lands. The goal is to improve soil health, water quality, and long-term land productivity—all while keeping acres in production.
Here’s the best part – depending upon the conservation practices a grower implements and their location, EQIP payments can range from $25-$75 per acre annually.
Do I Qualify for EQIP?
To be eligible, you’ll need to meet a few key criteria:
- You must own or rent and actively manage the acres you want to enroll in the program.
- Your land must be in compliance with wetland and highly erodible land requirements.
- You’ll need to have updated records with the Farm Service Agency (FSA).
- Your average gross income must be less than $900,000.
That seems like a lot of details to keep track of, but don’t worry, with the help of CIBO’s platform, Advanced Agrilytics can help you identify your eligibility up front, and make sure you’re ready with all the documentation you’ll need. Contact us to get the checklist and to get more information on how to enroll.
What Conservation Practices Are Covered?
Growers can receive payments for more than 100 supported conservation practices under EQIP. For corn and soybean producers, the most relevant often include:
- Cover cropping
- No-till or reduced tillage
- Conservation crop rotation
- Nutrient management
- Soil carbon amendments
These practices not only reduce input costs and environmental impact but can also enhance resilience to extreme weather and improve long-term yield potential. Advanced Agrilytics and CIBO partnered up to create a comprehensive list of supported practices. Contact us to get the list and to get more information on how to enroll.
Annual ryegrass (pictured above) is a popular cover crop in corn and soybean production, for several key reasons. It has a deep root system that penetrates compacted soil layers, improving soil structure and aeration. It is also an excellent nitrogen scavenger and helps control erosion. Photo courtesy of the Oregon Ryegrass Commission.
How Does Advanced Agrilytics Make This Easier?
Traditionally, applying for EQIP meant multiple in-person visits to your NRCS office and a confusing paper trail. Because we are a partner with CIBO Technologies, we have access to the CIBO Impact platform, which is designed to significantly reduce application time and improve chances of application acceptance for growers applying for USDA programs such as EQIP. The entire process can be done online in under an hour. Advanced Agrilytics supplies the staff and resources to guide applicants through the process.
Here’s what makes it better:
- More Efficient Consideration: CIBO and Advanced Agrilytics can help growers evaluate whether participating in EQIP is the right decision for them. CIBO’s program includes a prequalification step to determine eligibility, which can be determined with a combination of using the growers’ boundary files and obtaining some basic information about presence of cover crop, confirmation about cash crop, and tillage practices.
- Digital Applications: Advanced Agrilytics provides dedicated resources to help its customers through the EQIP application process.
- Practice Guidance: CIBO uses publicly available state data to help you select conservation practices more likely to receive funding.
- Expert Support: You stay in the driver’s seat, but your advisor and NRCS conservation planners are your pit crew, guiding you through every step.
Will These Practices Hurt My Yield or Profitability?
Not if implemented properly. For example, growers who use Advanced Agrilytics customized, predictive agronomic prescriptions find that it results in agronomic practices that allow them to farm more sustainability and productively.
In fact, our data shows that Advanced Agrilytics growers typically use 15% less nitrogen per bushel of corn produced, and they produce 27% more bushels per acre compared to county averages. By optimizing nutrient placement and improving soil and water management, you’re setting your farm up for sustainable success, both environmentally and agronomically.
And the EQIP payments? They function as a cost-share, giving you a financial buffer as you implement new practices.
What’s the Timeline and What Happens After I Apply?
EQIP applications are accepted year-round, but each state has its own ranking and funding deadlines. If your application is selected, you’ll work with an NRCS conservation planner to finalize your conservation plan and contract. Practices must be implemented to NRCS standards, and payments are made only after certification.
Pro tip: The earlier you apply, the better your chances of getting into the first ranking pool.
Need Help Getting Started? We’ve Got You.
We recommend starting with these three steps:
- Review EQIP basics with this simple backgrounder.
- Contact us to get the Grower Prep Checklist so you’re ready for documentation requests.
- Talk to your Advanced Agrilytics advisor about working with CIBO. Together, we’ll assess your eligibility, identify applicable practices, and get your application moving.
Doing the Right Thing for the Land and Your Bottom Line
As weather variability increases and sustainability becomes more critically important in helping us preserve natural resources, programs like EQIP can help you protect your land, boost profitability, and future-proof your operation. CIBO and Advanced Agrilytics are here to help every step of the way.
Ready to get started? Reach out to your advisor or visit www.advancedagrilytics.com to learn more.
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