EQIP Program in Carson County

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).

Carson County Office Information

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

John Wimberley, District Conservationist

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

Objective:

County Base Funds

The objectives of the Carson County EQIP LWG are to promote the use of conservation practices for improving the natural resources throughout the county. Some of the major resource concerns include soil erosion on cropland, decreased plant health on rangeland, and poor irrigation water use efficiencies for the Ogallala aquifer.

Ground and Surface Water Ogallala Fund Allocation

The objective of the Carson County EQIP LWG is to promote the use of conservation practices that conserve ground water and promote the wise and efficient use of ground water by producers.

County EQIP Resource Concerns:

Base Fund Allocation

1. Soil erosion on cropland was selected as the highest priority concern in Carson County. Decreasing wind and water erosion on cropland by planting cropland back to grass and building diversions, terraces, and waterways will be given highest priority.
2. Plant health on rangeland was selected as the second highest priority concern in Carson County. Improving plant health on rangeland by fencing as first priority, then developing livestock water, and brush management with equal priority for each of these two items.
3. Water quantity was selected as the third priority resource concern in Carson County. Improving water use efficiencies by re-nozzling existing center pivots, and replacing leaky underground pipeline will be given the third highest priority. Trickle irrigation will also be eligible for cost share in 2007 but at a lower priority than the all other eligible practices.

Ground and Surface Water Ogallala Fund Allocation

In Carson County for 2007, the LWG has identified Water Quantity as the major resource concern for Ogallala funding.

Eligible Practices and Cost Share Rates

Limited Resource Farmers and Ranchers - 90 percent
Beginning Farmers and Ranchers - 50 percent
All Others - 50 percent

Eligible practices will be cost shared on the established average cost of the practice. The amount of cost share earned will be the number of units certified after completion multiplied by the average cost multiplied by the cost share rate.

Base Fund Allocation - Cost Share Rates and Practices Eligible for Cost Share are -

All practices will be installed according to NRCS standards and specifications.

• Range Seeding no acre limit - 50 percent
• Pasture Planting no acre limit - 50 percent
• Terrace Construction - 50 percent
• Diversion Construction - 50 percent
• Waterway Construction - 50 percent
• Pipelines for Livestock Water - 50 percent
• Wells - 50 percent
• Troughs - 50 percent
• Cross Fence Construction - 50 percent
• Brush Management - 50 percent
• *Irrigation Pipeline replacing leaky pipeline - 50 percent
• *Center Pivot Conversions - 50 percent
• *Trickle Irrigation 60 acre limit and one application per tract - 50 percent
• * Chemigation valves and flowmeters as part of the irrigation system -50 percent

Ground and Surface Water Ogallala Fund Allocation - Cost share Rates and Practices Eligible for Cost Share are -

• New center pivots, chemigation valves, and flowmeters - 30 percent
• Irrigation Pipeline - 50 percent
• Irrigation Pipeline replacing leaky pipeline - 50 percent
• Center Pivot Conversions - 50 percent
• Trickle Irrigation 60 acre limit and one application per tract - 50 percent

Limited Resource Farmers and Ranchers cost share rate will be 90 percent for all practices.

All practices will be installed according to NRCS standards and specifications.

Irrigation Pipeline from existing wells to new pivots, Irrigation System Sprinkler limit to one per application which includes chemigation safety valves and flowmeters.

Drip or Trickle Irrigation Systems will not be eligible for cost share for Ground and Surface Water funds.

Ranking Criteria for All Applications:

1. 100 points if the applicant has and is carrying out an existing active conservation plan already developed for the entire operating unit.
2. 50 points if the applicant does not have an active plan, but would be willing to develop and carry one out. The plan will be developed before the installation of the cost-shared practices.


3. 0 points if the applicant does not have or want a conservation plan developed.

Ranking Criteria for County Base Fund Allocation:

• Range Planting 550-Cropland Conversion to Grass and Pasture Planting 512 - points based on the weighted wind EI of all soils in the field to be planted.
• Diversions 362, Grassed Waterways 412, and Terraces 600 - points based on the weighted water EI of the soils in the area protected by the structures.
• Livestock Water Distribution, including Wells 642, Pipelines 516, Troughs 614, Ponds 378 for livestock water and Fencing 382 - Points based on the acres benefited.
• Brush Management 314 – points based on the before treatment canopy of the target brush species and the acres benefited.
• Center Pivot Conversions 442, Irrigation Pipeline 430EE, and Trickle Irrigation 443 - Points will be based on the priority of the practice, with pivot conversions highest priority and trickle irrigation the lowest priority.
• In the event of a tie, a 12 digit computer generated number will break the tie.

Ranking Criteria for Ground and Surface Water Ogallala Fund Allocation

• All practices in the Ogallala will be ranked based upon the type of conversion, ie. row-water to LEPA, row-water to LESA, etc.
• In the event of a tie, a 12 digit computer generated number will break the tie.