H.R. 4133 · Where this bill is now
In committee
Introduced in the House, sent to the Committee on Agriculture, Jun 25, 2025
What this bill does
In plain words · AI-written from the official summaryEQIP program limits and cost-sharing changes
The Environmental Quality Incentives Program (EQIP) helps farmers and forest owners pay for conservation work on their land. This bill would lower the maximum amount any single person or business can receive from the program over five years from $450,000 to $150,000. It would also reduce how much the federal government pays toward certain conservation projects, from up to 75% down to 40%, and removes a rule requiring that half of EQIP funding go toward livestock-related conservation work.
How it affects you
Farmers and forest landowners who use EQIP to fund conservation projects would see smaller payments available to them and would need to cover a larger share of project costs themselves. Agricultural producers pursuing conservation work would also have more flexibility in choosing what types of projects to pursue, since there's no longer a requirement to fund livestock-related practices at a specific level.
Read the official summary (Introduced in House, Jun 25, 2025)
EQIP Improvement Act of 2025
This bill modifies payment limitations and reduces the federal cost share and required payments for certain projects authorized under the Environmental Quality Incentives Program (EQIP). As background, this Department of Agriculture program provides technical and financial assistance to agricultural producers and forest landowners to address natural resource concerns.
Specifically, the bill limits the total payments available to a person or legal entity under EQIP to $150,000 over a specified five-year period. (A $450,000 statutory limit was in effect for FY2019-FY2024, and a regulatory contract limit of $450,000 currently applies.)
The bill also reduces the maximum federal cost share to 40% (from 75%) for the costs associated with planning, installation, or maintenance for specified conservation practices (e.g., access roads, dams, and waste storage facilities) and removes a requirement that 50% of EQIP funding for payments go to practices related to livestock production.
Written by AI (Claude) using only the official summary by the Congressional Research Service, the Library of Congress’s nonpartisan research staff. It can miss nuance, so check the official summary and the bill text for details.
1st SessionH. R. 4133
A BILL
EQIP Improvement Act of 2025
Sponsor: Rep. Jahana Hayes (D-CT-5) · Introduced Jun 25, 2025 · Agriculture and Food · 1 version of the text
Sources: Congress.gov actions and votes · bill text from GovInfo · latest official action Jun 25, 2025: “Referred to the House Committee on Agriculture.”