John Maberg, assistant state conservationist for programs with Nebraska NRCS, gave a wide-ranging update on FY25 program priorities and how Inflation Reduction Act (IRA) funds will be administered in the state. He explained that IRA-funded contracts must include a climate‑smart core practice (or a facilitating practice that directly benefits a core practice), cannot mix IRA with non‑IRA funds within the same contract, and must be obligated and paid by the end of fiscal year 2031.

Maberg described an "Act Now" pathway intended to accelerate funding for non‑undertaking practices (those that do not require significant ground disturbance, cultural‑resource consultations or trenching). These Act Now applications are reviewed weekly and processed on a first‑come, first‑served basis until allocated IRA funds are exhausted; NRCS aims to process Act Now eligible contracts within roughly 10 days of preapproval.

He presented funding totals and targets for FY25: roughly $21 million in general (non‑climate) funds, set‑aside amounts for urban/small scales, wildlife initiatives directed at Great Plains grassland work, and an IRA EQIP allocation that the presenter said totals about $38 million for Nebraska (with about half dedicated to NRD/distributed pools). For CSP, the state reported an increase in IRA CSP funding compared with previous years (overall CSP dollars were presented near $47 million combining IRA and general allocations). Maberg also said national payment limits that had previously capped producer payments ($200,000 CSP cap, $450,000 EQIP cap) were effectively lifted for 2025 under continuing resolutions, allowing some producers to reapply for additional contracts this year.

Committee members pressed for details on practice eligibility (for example, whether brush management or prescribed grazing remain qualifying practices under IRA lists) and on technical requirements such as flow‑meter specifications for water‑management practices; NRCS staff said some practices were reclassified between core and facilitating lists for FY25 and that footnotes or specific application criteria still apply in those cases. Maberg emphasized NRCS will use a combination of statewide allocations and local NRD office distribution to target funding and manage workloads.

Next steps: ranking deadlines for IRA EQIP consideration are by the end of January, with general funds ranked by the end of February; CSP IRA ranking deadlines were noted as April dates and the agency may open additional signups if applications outstrip available funds.