What's Up at the USDA Office?
Deadlines/Dates
September 30: Deadline to Complete Fiscal Year 2026 (FY26) Mid-Contract Management on the Conservation Reserve Program (CRP); Deadline to remove livestock from Non-Emergency Grazing of Conservation Reserve Program; Deadline to apply for the Supplemental Disaster Relief Program (SDRP) Stage 1, Stage 2, and Stage 1 Quality Loss; Office Fiscal Year Rollover
October 1: Fiscal Year 2027 (FY27) Mid-Contract Management on Conservation Reserve Program (CRP) Opens
December 31: Deadline to Apply for Organic Certification Cost Share Program (OCCSP)
Conservation Cost-share Options and Deadlines
If you are interested in pursuing cost-share for conservation practices, there are some options at the local NRCS/SWCD office. NRCS accepts applications for conservation programs year-round. However, to be considered for fiscal year 2027 funding, applications need to be in by September 25. This deadline is earlier than it has been in recent years. The most common cost-share programs through NRCS are the Conservation Stewardship Program (CSP) and Environmental Quality Incentives Program (EQIP). CSP is designed to help producers build on existing conservation efforts by adding additional conservation practices. EQIP provides producers with the technical and financial resources to address specific resource concerns on their land. Signing an application for these programs does not lock you in or guarantee a contract but is the first step in the process. Applications are assessed and ranked against other applications in the state. Applications are selected for funding based on the ranking scores and are chosen at the state level.
Another option for cost-share for certain practices is through funding from the Iowa Department of Agriculture and Land Stewardship (IDALS) in the same office as NRCS. If money is available, applications are generally funded on a first-come, first-served basis. If practices need to be designed by an engineer or engineering technician, it will take some time for someone to visit the site, survey, and design the project. Our technicians are based out of the Decorah office and serve Allamakee, Clayton, Fayette and Winneshiek Counties.
The IDALS funded cover crop application deadline has passed for this fall. If you were approved for cover crop funding through this cost-share, remember to follow the proper seeding dates. Winter-kill species like oats and radishes need to be seeded by September 23. Winter-hardy species like rye, triticale, and camelina have until November 1 to be seeded. Don’t forget to turn in your seed invoice and seed tag or germination test once the seeding is completed to receive payment.
If you have questions, contact the NRCS office at 563-568-2246 ext. 3.
