January 15 Key for Farmers

Producers across the Southeast are being urged to take note of a key deadline from the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s Natural Resources Conservation Service. NRCS has set a national batching deadline of January 15, 2026, for the first funding round of several major conservation programs, giving farmers a clear timeline to apply. The deadline applies to the Environmental Quality Incentives Program, Conservation Stewardship Program, Agricultural Conservation Easement Program, and Agricultural Management Assistance, along with NRCS’s new Regenerative Pilot Program that delivers targeted, Farmer First support through EQIP and CSP.

NRCS Chief Aubrey J.D. Bettencourt says the agency remains focused on empowering producers, protecting natural resources, and strengthening service delivery for the men and women who feed and fuel the nation. While these conservation programs normally operate under continuous sign-up, a recent government shutdown has prompted NRCS to establish this initial national batching period. The goal is to ensure producers, including those in the Southeast, have fair access to funding and technical support as they plan conservation efforts for the year ahead.