The Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS) has announced national initiatives that are being offered in Kansas through the Environmental Quality Incentives Program (EQIP).  These include the National Water Quality Initiative, On-Farm Energy Initiative, Organic Initiative, and Seasonal High Tunnel Initiative.  While NRCS accepts applications for EQIP on a continuous basis, NRCS has set a deadline of April 22, 2016, to apply for 2016 initiatives funding.  The National Water Quality Initiative assists producers with addressing high-priority water resource concerns in three watersheds.  These include:  Big Creek Watershed in Ellis county; Emma Creek Watershed in Harvey, Marion, and McPherson counties; and Grasshopper Creek Watershed in Atchison, Brown, and Jackson counties.  The High Tunnel System Initiative helps producers implement high tunnels that extend growing seasons for high value crops in an environmentally safe manner.  High tunnel benefits include better plant and soil quality and fewer nutrients and pesticides in the environment.  The On-Farm Energy Initiative assists producers to work with an NRCS-approved Technical Service Provider (TSP) to develop Agricultural Energy Management Plans or farm energy audits that assess energy consumption on an agricultural operation.  The Organic Initiative assists producers with installation of conservation practices on agricultural operations related to organic production.  EQIP offers financial and technical assistance to eligible participants to install or implement structural and management practices on eligible agricultural land.  In Kansas, socially disadvantaged, limited resource, and beginning farmers and ranchers will receive a higher payment rate for eligible conservation practices applied.  For more information about EQIP, or other programs offered by NRCS, please contact your local USDA Service Center or go to the Web site www.ks.nrcs.usda.gov.  The USDA is an equal opportunity employer and provider.