EQIP Program in Gray County

Updated 11/28/2005

The Environmental Quality Incentives Program (EQIP) offers cost share assistance to agricultural producers to implement on-farm conservation practices.  The Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS) determines eligible producers for the EQIP program and determines eligible land.  Eligible producers may apply for cost share assistance on conservation practices that will address the identified resource concern identified by the Local Work Group (LWG).

Gray County Office Information

Interested agricultural producers may apply in person at the Gray County USDA Service Center. Applicants may also request EQIP assistance by telephone, Fax, e-mail, or letter.

State Resource Concerns Priority Areas that include part of Gray County:

Objective:

County Base Funds

The objective of the Gray County EQIP Local Work Group LWG for County Base Funds is to promote the use of conservation practices for improving natural resources in the county with emphasis on improving plant health and preventing erosion.

Ground and Surface Water - Ogallala GandSWOg Funds

The objective of the Gray County EQIP LWG for GandSWOg Funds is improving efficiency and conservation of irrigation water.

County EQIP Resource Concern:

County Base Funds

In Gray County for 2006, the Local Work Group LWG has identified Plant Health and Erosion as the major resource concerns for County Base Funds.

Ground and Surface Water - Ogallala GandSWOg Funds

In Gray County for 2006, the LWG has identified conservation and efficient use of irrigation water as the resource concern for GandSWOg Funds.

Eligible Practices and Cost Share Rates:

Cost Share Rates

The following applies to County Base Funds and Ground and Surface Water -

Ogallala GandSWOg Funds -

Limited Resource Producers - 90 percent
Beginning Farmers/Ranchers - 50 percent
Others - 50 percent

Practices will be cost shared based on average cost.

County Base Funds

See Cost List for Gray County for eligible practices and cost share rates. Practice Code 430EE Irrigation Water Conveyance and Practice Code 442 Irrigation System - Sprinkler, are not eligible for cost-share with County Base Funds.

Ground and Surface Water - Ogallala GandSWOg Funds

See Cost List for Gray County for eligible practices and cost share rates. Only Practice Code 430EE Irrigation Water Conveyance and Practice Code 442 Irrigation System - Sprinkler, are eligible for cost-share with GandSWOg Funds.

Ranking Criteria:

County Base Funds

Plant Health

Livestock Watering Facilities 4/,5/ - 6 points
Brush Management - Canopy Cover > 40 percent - 4 points
Brush Management  - Canopy cover 10 to 40 percent - 3 points
Fencing - 5 points
Cropland Conversion to Grass - 6 points
Prescribed Burning - 1 point
Erosion
Erosion Control Structures 6/ - 6 points
Cropland Conversion to Grass - 6 points

Footnotes/ -
1/ A conservation practice must have cost share planned to receive a score.
2/ Priority set by Local Work Group.
3/ Score one resource concern only.
4/ Count acres benefited by multiple Livestock Watering Facilities that serve the same acres only once. IE - 320 acres are benefited by a planned Well, Pump and Trough that will serve the same 320 acres.
5/ Includes Livestock Wells, Livestock Pipelines, Troughs, Pumping Plants (Solar Powered Pumping Units, Electric Submersible Pumping Units, and Windmill Pumping Units).
6/ Includes Terraces, Waterways, Basin and Diversion Terraces, Erosion Control Structures.
7/ Priority number will be multiplied times acres benefited.

Ground and Surface Water - Ogallala GandSWOg Funds

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