COLUMBUS, OH, Dec. 7, 2020 – The U.S. Department of Agriculture's Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS) announced Friday, January 15, 2021, as the deadline to submit applications for Ohio’s Environmental Quality Incentives Program (EQIP).  Contact Joe Koehler at 740-670-5340 for application.

EQIP is a voluntary conservation program which helps producers make conservation work for them. NRCS provides agricultural producers with financial resources and one-on-one help to plan and implement improvements, or what NRCS calls conservation practices. Using these practices can lead to cleaner water and air, healthier soil and better wildlife habitat, all while improving agricultural operations. Through EQIP, you can voluntarily implement conservation practices, and NRCS co-invests in these practices with you. Together, NRCS and producers invest in solutions that conserve natural resources for the future while also improving agricultural operations. 

Dear Friend of Agriculture,

As the number of COVID-19 cases has risen significantly across the United States and in Ohio over the last several weeks, the USDA has made the decision to adjust our operating status in USDA Service Centers that are experiencing elevated rates of coronavirus community spread. Since the pandemic began, USDA has been driven by data as we have increased access to our offices, but now the data is reflecting that a change is necessary and we must temporarily step back and limit in-person access in several locations across the US and in Ohio. This will be effective starting on Tuesday, December 1, 2020. This decision is based on the latest data to protect our employees and customers from rising COVID cases both in the community and in our workforce. USDA will continually review data to determine the status of service centers and receiving visitors in impacted counties.