USDA-NRCS Announces March 24, 2023, Deadline for Burned Land EQIP Special State Initiative to Assist New Mexico Farmers and Ranchers Impacted by Fires Declared as a Disaster in 2022

The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) is helping farmers and ranchers who have been impacted by fires that were declared as a disaster in the 2022 calendar year.  NRCS will be assessing the fire burn scar for increased risk of flooding, degradation to natural resources, erosion, accumulated debris, loss of vegetation, changes to established water flow patterns, and other eligible resource concerns.

The application deadline is March 24, 2023. The ranking deadline is April 14, 2023. 

Eligible fires:

• Black Fire: 325,136 acres north of Mimbres, Grant, and Sierra County.
• Cerro Pelado Fire: 45,605 acres east of Jemez Springs, Sandoval County.
• Cooks Peak Fire: 59,359 acres north of Ocate, Colfax, and Mora County.
• McBride Fire: 6,159 acres in the Village of Ruidoso, Lincoln County.
• Nogal Canyon Fire: 412 acres west of Capitan, Lincoln County.

EQIP may provide up to 75 percent of the costs of certain conservation practices. However, socially disadvantaged, limited-resource, beginning, and veteran farmers and ranchers are eligible for cost-share rates of up to 90 percent.

NOTE: The Hermits Peak/Calf Canyon Fire is not part of this initiative. Other funds will be available through the Hermits Peak/Calf Canyon bill that was passed by congress. 

Original source can be found here