Grants and Funds

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NRCS Practices for Urban and Peri-Urban Farms in Illinois
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USDA’s Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS) Environmental Quality Incentives Program (EQIP) and other programs and services provide technical and financial assistance to farmers. Residents who own or rent land to produce agricultural products may be eligible to receive money for implementing practices that have environmental benefits. NRCS is making a push to better meet the needs of both urban, small-scale, and historically underserved (HU) farmers. New programs and services are also under development.

Contact Illinois NRCS Urban Conservationist, Joseph Bridges at joseph.bridges@usda.gov to find out what other practices and programs may apply to your situation.

Practices identified as applicable for urban and peri-urban farms include:

  • Alley Cropping
  • Composting Facility (Small Farm Pad + Bins)
  • Conservation Cover, Pollinator Mix
  • Conservation Crop Rotation
  • Conservation Plan
  • Cover Crop
  • Fence (for 1 acre or less)
  • Field Border
  • Herbaceous Weed Treatment
  • Herbaceous Wind Barriers
  • High Tunnel System
  • Irrigation Pipeline
  • Irrigation System (micro)
  • Irrigation Water Management (livestock)
  • Low Tunnel Systems
  • Mulching Soil Health Management Plan
  • Nutrient Management
  • Pasture and Hay Planting
  • Pest Management Conservation System
  • Prescribed Burning, 10 acres or less
  • Residue and Tillage Management, No Till
  • Residue and Tillage Management, Reduced Till
  • Raised Beds
  • Roof Runoff Structure (for high tunnels)
  • Soil Carbon Amendment (compost/biochar)
  • Soil Health Management System Design
  • Soil and Source Testing for Nutrient Management
  • Sprinkler System
  • Stormwater Runoff Control (rain garden)
  • Trails and Walkways (woodchips)
  • Tree/Shrub Site Preparation
  • Tree/Shrub Establishment
  • Tree-Shrub Pruning
  • Wildlife Habitat Planting (seed/seedlings)
  • Windbreak/Shelterbelt Establishment and Renovation
Additional practices identified as potentially relevant for urban farms include:
  • Soil Health Testing, Basic Soil Health Suite
  • PFAS Testing in Water or Soil
  • Anaerobic Digester

Note: Many practices are also designated HU for historically underserved. HU farmers include Limited Resource Farmer, Beginning Farmer, Socially Disadvantaged (minority) Farmer, and Veteran Farmer. You may certify in more than one category. If you are a historically underserved farmer, you receive a higher ranking for service, a higher rate of reimbursement for some practices, and the option to receive 50% of the cost share as an upfront payment rather than after purchase and installation or implementation.

FY 2023: Equipment Small-Scale Payment Schedule*

The schedule below applies to select cover crop, pest management conservation system, irrigation, soil carbon amendments, raised beds, high tunnels, and storm water runoff practices.

Note: The chart shows samples of covered practices; not all components for each practice are listed. Cost share amounts are for fiscal year 2023 only and are subject to change annually. Speak with a NRCS Conservationist for the most up-to-date information.

Practice Component Unit Unit Cost

Cover Crop

Cover Crop - 1 acre or less Ac $428.81
Cover Crop HU-Cover Crop - 1 acre or less Ac $514.57
Cover Crop Mechanical Termination of Cover Crop
per 1000 square feet
kSqFt $20.70
Cover Crop HU-Mechanical Termination of Cover Crop
per 1000 square feet
kSqFt $24.84

Pest Management Conservation System

Plant Health PAMS (Small Farm - each) labor and mitigation No $1,654.45
Pest Management Conservation System HU-Plant Health PAMS (Small Farm - each) labor and mitigation No $1,985.34
Pest Management Conservation System Plant Health PAMS activities (Small Farm - each) labor, materials, and mitigation No $6,818.92
Pest Management
Conservation System
HU-Plant Health PAMS activities (Small Farm - each) labor, materials, and mitigation No $8,182.70
Irrigation System, Microirrigation Small Micro-irrigation System SqFt $0.80
Irrigation System, Microirrigation HU-Small Micro-irrigation System SqFt $0.95
Soil Carbon Amendment Compost - Small Areas Cu-Ft $24.42
Soil Carbon Amendment HU-Compost - Small Areas Cu-Ft $29.31
Raised Beds Framed Raised Bed Small Lot Contamination or Debris Sites only SqFt $11.90
Raised Beds HU-Framed Raised Bed Small Lot Contamination or Debris Sites only SqFt $14.28
High Tunnel System Small Gothic HT with Gutter SqFt $9.92
High Tunnel System HU-Small Gothic HT with Gutter SqFt $11.90
Stormwater Runoff Control Rain Garden, small scale SqFt $1.32
Stormwater Runoff Control HU-Rain Garden, small scale SqFt $1.58

 

Authored by: Kathryn Pereira. Local Food Systems and Small Farms Educator, Illinois Extension

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