EQIP Program in Cooke 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).

Cooke County Office Information

Interested agricultural producers may apply in person at the Cooke 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 Cooke County:

Objective:

The objective of the Cooke County EQIP Local Work Group LWG is to promote the use of conservation practices for improving the natural resources throughout the county. Of concern to Cooke County is improving the overall condition of the plant community. Practices to improve vegetative cover and plant health will help to achieve this goal. In addition there is a need for improving water quality by reducing sedimentation in our streams and lakes.

County EQIP Resource Concern:

 In Cooke County for 2007, the LWG has identified the need to improve the condition of the plant community as the highest priority concern. Improving vegetative cover and better grazing distribution will help to achieve the desired goal. A secondary concern is improving water quality by reducing sedimentation and erosion on cropland fields.

Eligible Practices and Cost Share Rates:

Limited Resource Farmers and Ranchers - 90 percent
Beginning Farmer or Rancher - 50 percent
All Other Producers - 50 percent

Practices will be cost shared based 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.   The following practices will be the only ones eligible for cost share in 2007.

Grass Planting (512 or 550)
The will include - Seedbed preparation, seed/seeding operation or sprigs/sprigging operation.

Nutrient Management (590)
NPK and Lime if called for with soils test.
Will be eligible only as a part of the establishment of cost for pasture planting, range seeding, waterways and buffers.

Pest Management (595)
Mechanical or Chemical Application
Will be eligible only as a part of the establishment of cost for pasture planting, range seeding, waterways and buffers.

Waterwells (642)
This will include drilling, casing, gravel packing and concrete. Depth of well will be limited to first water bearing zone which will provide adequate water for livestock.

Pond (378)
Will include pit and embankment type ponds up to 3000 cubic yards.
Barrel, Sch 40 PVC (maximum 12”)

Fence (382)
Minimum 4 strand barbed wire interior fencing.

Grassed Waterways (412)
This includes the following components -
Shaping
Waterway Vegetation– includes seedbed preparation, sprigs and sprigging operation or seed and seeding operation.

Terraces (600)

Conservation Buffers (332, 386, 393A)
Includes the planting of Contour Buffer Strips, Field Borders, and Filter Strips.
This includes seedbed preparation, sprigs and sprigging operations, seed, seeding operations.

No partial payments will be made. Invoices will be required for all work performed in order to keep average cost data updated.

Ranking Criteria:

These evaluation criteria will be used for all 2007 EQIP applications. Applications will be screened to identify those containing eligible cost-share practices that are considered high priority practices.  Only those applications with eligible high priority practices will be ranked in 2007. Multiple applications per tract and farm are allowed.

1. 100 points Will the planned treated acres address improving vegetative cover by establishing grass on cropland or grazing lands with low quality grasses?
   
2. 80 points Is crossfencing planned improve the health and vigor of the existing plant community by better grazing distribution?
   
3. 60 points Are livestock watering facilities (pond or waterwell) planned for better grazing distribution to improve vigor in the current plant community?
   
4. 40 points Will requested practices (waterways, terraces) address water quality concerns by reducing erosion on existing cropland?
   
5. 10 points Did you have a conservation plan on file with the NRCS as of October 1, 2006?
   
6. 5 points Are buffers planned to reduce sedimentation leaving the cropland field?

Applications will be ranked using the national ranking tool and points will be awarded according to how your application addresses National, State, and Local issues along with the cost efficiency of the practices needed to slove the resource concerns. Applications will be ranked from the highest to the lowest score until all allocated funds have been exhausted or until there is not enough funds available to fund the next application with the highest score. In the case of a tie, a tracking code randomly generated by the computer software program, Protracts, will be used to break the score ties. The highest tracking code number will be funded first. Applicants not funded will have a choice to defer or cancel their application.