EQIP Improvement Act of 2025

The EQIP Improvement Act of 2025 proposes targeted reforms to the Environmental Quality Incentives Program (EQIP) within the Food Security Act of 1985. The measure changes how producer payments are calculated and capped, expands and specifies cost-share rules for a broad list of agricultural and infrastructure practices, and shifts funding allocation related to wildlife habitat. It also requires more formal reporting to Congress about program obligations, by practice category, state, and the size of producers’ operations. In short, the bill aims to tighten financial terms, increase transparency, and direct funding more explicitly toward wildlife habitat within EQIP. Key elements include a revised, tiered approach to cost-share and income foregone payments, a significant reduction in the per-producer payment cap, and an annual Congress-level reporting requirement. The bill also explicitly designates a framework for allocating funding for wildlife habitat, signaling a shift toward more structured wildlife conservation within EQIP.