Utah NRCS Programs

The Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS) provides assistance to land users, communities, units of state and local government, and other Federal agencies in planning and implementing conservation systems.  The purposes of the conservation systems are to reduce erosion, improve soil and water quality, improve and conserve wetlands, enhance fish and wildlife habitat, improve air quality, improve pasture and range condition, reduce upstream flooding and improve woodlands.  Also see the National NRCS Programs page.

NRCS and its Partnering Agencies administer a broad range of programs to assist farmers, ranchers, and other landowners in conserving natural resources. These programs provide incentives such as technical and cost-sharing assistance to install conservation practices.  Click on any of the programs below for a summary of key provisions, eligibility requirements, and application procedures.

List of Programs by Category
Alphabetical Program List
 

NRCS Programs by Category

Conservation Technical Assistance Programs and Activities

• Cooperative Conservation Partnership Initiative (CCPI) - - administers grants to local governments and agencies; Indian tribes; and non-governmental organizations to focus technical and financial resources on conservation priorities.
• Conservation Technical Assistance  - The CTA Program provides the technical capability, including direct conservation planning, design, and implementation assistance, that helps people plan and apply conservation on the land.
• Conservation Reserve Program (USDA Farm Service Agency)
• Grazing Lands Conservation Initiative (GLCI) - coordination of efforts to identify priority issues, find solutions, and effect change on private grazing land.
• Conservation of Private Grazing Lands
• State Technical Advisory Committee

Environmental Improvement Programs

• Environmental Quality Incentives Program (EQIP)
- voluntary financial and technical assistance for structural and management conservation practices on working agricultural lands.
• Agricultural Water Enhancement Program (AWEP) - a program under the Environmental Quality Incentives Program (EQIP) through which NRCS may enter into partnership agreements with eligible entities to conserve ground and surface water or improve water quality, or both, in the region.
• 2009 EQIP Air Quality Program - special EQIP funding available to Salt Lake, Weber and Utah Counties for targeted practices to improve air quality.
• Colorado River Basin Salinity Control
• Organic EQIP - Special EQIP funding is available to organic growers and those transitioning to organic production.
• Wildlife Habitat Incentives Program (WHIP) - voluntary technical and financial assistance to non-federal landowners and tribes to create, restore, and enhance fish and wildlife habitats.

Stewardship Programs

• Conservation Security Program - voluntary program that provides financial and technical assistance to promote the conservation and improvement of private lands.
• Conservation Stewardship Program - voluntary program that encourages producers to address resource concerns in a comprehensive manner by undertaking additional conservation activities and improving, maintaining, and managing existing conservation activities.

Easement Programs

• Farm and Ranchland Protection Program (FRPP) - voluntary program that allows productive farm and ranch lands to remain in agricultural production under private ownership.
• Grassland Reserve Program (GRP) - voluntary program offering landowners the opportunity to protect, restore, and enhance grasslands.
• Wetlands Reserve Program (WRP) - a voluntary land easement program to help people restore, enhance, and protect wetlands.

Grant Programs

• Conservation Innovation Grants (CIG) - grants to develop and refine cutting-edge technologies and approaches that can help producers maintain viable agricultural operations.
• Cooperative Conservation Partnership Initiative (CCPI) - - administers grants to local governments and agencies; Indian tribes; and non-governmental organizations to focus technical and financial resources on conservation priorities.

Community Assistance Programs

• Farmland Protection Policy Act
• Resource Conservation and Development Program (RC&D) - strategies and assistance to help rural communities plan, develop and carry out programs for resource conservation and development.
• Socially Disadvantaged, Beginning, and Limited Resource Farmers/Ranchers
• Tribal Government Assistance
• Community Assistance

Resource Inventory and Assessment

• Utah Resource Assessment and National Resource Inventory - a statistical survey of land use and natural resource conditions and trends on U.S. non-Federal lands.
• Soils Information and the Soil Survey Program - soils related information including soil survey maps and reports.
• Snow Survey and and Water Supply Forecasting - mountain snowpack data and streamflow forecasts for the western United States.

Water Resources Programs

• Areawide Planning
• Emergency Watershed Protection Program (EWP)
• Watershed Protection and Flood Prevention Program
• Watershed Surveys and Planning
• Watershed Operations
• Watershed Rehabilitation
• Rapid Watershed Assessment 

National NRCS Programs

• USDA NRCS Conservation Programs

Alphabetical Program List

• Areawide Planning
• Community Assistance
• Conservation Innovation Grants (CIG) - grants to develop and refine cutting-edge technologies and approaches that can help producers maintain viable agricultural operations.
• Conservation of Private Grazing Lands
• Conservation Reserve Program (USDA Farm Service Agency)
• Cooperative Conservation Partnership Initiative (CCPI) - - administers grants to local governments and agencies; Indian tribes; and non-governmental organizations to focus technical and financial resources on conservation priorities.
• Conservation Security Program - voluntary program that provides financial and technical assistance to promote the conservation and improvement of private lands.
• Conservation Stewardship Program - voluntary program that encourages producers to address resource concerns in a comprehensive manner by undertaking additional conservation activities and improving, maintaining, and managing existing conservation activities.
• Emergency Watershed Protection Program (EWP)
• Environmental Quality Incentives Program (EQIP)
- voluntary financial and technical assistance for structural and management conservation practices on working agricultural lands.
• Agricultural Water Enhancement Program (AWEP) - a program under the Environmental Quality Incentives Program (EQIP) through which NRCS may enter into partnership agreements with eligible entities to conserve ground and surface water or improve water quality, or both, in the region.
• 2009 EQIP Air Quality Program - special EQIP funding available to Salt Lake, Weber and Utah Counties for targeted practices to improve air quality.
• Colorado River Basin Salinity Control
• Organic EQIP - Special EQIP funding is available to organic growers and those transitioning to organic production.
• Farmland Protection Policy Act
• Farm and Ranchland Protection Program (FRPP) - voluntary program that allows productive farm and ranch lands to remain in agricultural production under private ownership.
• Grassland Reserve Program (GRP) - voluntary program offering landowners the opportunity to protect, restore, and enhance grasslands.
• Grazing Lands Conservation Initiative (GLCI) - coordination of efforts to identify priority issues, find solutions, and effect change on private grazing land.
• Rapid Watershed Assessment 
• Resource Conservation and Development Program (RC&D) - strategies and assistance to help rural communities plan, develop and carry out programs for resource conservation and development.
• Snow Survey and and Water Supply Forecasting - mountain snowpack data and streamflow forecasts for the western United States.
• Socially Disadvantaged, Beginning, and Limited Resource Farmers/Ranchers
• Soils Information and the Soil Survey Program - soils related information including soil survey maps and reports.
• State Technical Advisory Committee
• Tribal Government Assistance
• Utah Resource Assessment and National Resource Inventory - a statistical survey of land use and natural resource conditions and trends on U.S. non-Federal lands.
• Watershed Protection and Flood Prevention Program
• Watershed Surveys and Planning
• Watershed Operations
• Watershed Rehabilitation
• Wetlands Reserve Program (WRP) - a voluntary land easement program to help people restore, enhance, and protect wetlands.
• Wildlife Habitat Incentives Program (WHIP) - voluntary technical and financial assistance to non-federal landowners and tribes to create, restore, and enhance fish and wildlife habitats.

NRCS Information Related to the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009 (Recovery Act)

The Recovery Act was signed into law by President Obama on February 17th, 2009. It is an unprecedented effort to jumpstart our economy, create or save millions of jobs, and put a down payment on addressing long-neglected challenges so our country can thrive in the 21st century.

Through the Recovery Act, NRCS will fund projects that provide the greatest public and environmental benefits through floodplain easements and investments in watershed infrastructure improvements. Information regarding NRCS Recovery Act Projects in Utah will be posted on the NRCS Utah Recovery Act page.

Last Modified:  09/14/2009