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EQIP Program in Grimes 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).
Interested agricultural producers may apply in person at the
(Brazos) 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
Grimes County:
Objective:
The objective of the Grimes County EQIP is to promote the use of conservation
practices for improving the natural resources throughout the county. The major
concerns are improving the quality of pasture, rangeland, hayland, and forest
land by improving, plant productivity, health and vigor.
County EQIP Resource Concern:
In Grimes County for 2007, the Local Work Group has identified several
resource concerns for cost share assistance this year. Plant Productivity,
Health, and Vigor, Invasive Plants, Inadequate Stock Water; and Soil Erosion;
Classic Gully are the primary resource concerns.
Priority for Funding:
Funds - 100 percent of the funds will be available to all the resource
concerns. Limited Resource Farmers/Ranchers will be ranked under the statewide
resource concern.Eligible Practices and Cost Share Rates:
Eligible Practices and Cost Share Rates:
Limited Resource Farmers/Ranchers - 90 percent
Beginning Farmers/Ranchers - 50 percent
All Others - 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
percentage.
Cost sharing will be allowed for the following practices as identified in the
Field Office Technical Guide:
Inadequate Stock Water Resource Concern (High Priority):
Pond (378) - Eligible only to provide water for livestock and to improve grazing
distribution by livestock. Cost share limited to no more than 3,500 cubic yards.
The lifespan of this practice is 20 years.
Pipeline (516) - Eligible only to provide water for livestock and to improve
grazing distribution by livestock. The lifespan of this practice is 20 years.
Well (642) - Eligible only to provide water for livestock and to improve grazing
distribution by livestock. Cost share provided for installation and materials.
The lifespan of this practice is 20 years.
Heavy Use Area Protection (561) - Eligible for limited access to pond. Pond will
be fenced off and a rock limited access point will be constructed. This practice
is eligible for either a new pond or an existing pond. Fence must be 4 strand
barbed wire or 3 strand electric fence. The lifespan of this practice is 10
years.
Plant Productivity, Health, and Vigor Resource Concern (Medium Priority):
Pasture and Hayland Planting (512) - Eligible for pastures with < 50 percent of
desirable grasses or for the over-seeding of established pastures with legumes.
Establishment by seed, sprigs or tops. Limit acres to be cost shared to a
maximum of 100 acres per producer. Nutrient Management (590) and Pest Management
(595) for establishment of grasses only must also be applied for this practice.
The lifespan of this practice is 10 years.
Range Planting (550) - Eligible for pastures with < 50 percent of desirable
grasses. Limit acres to be cost shared to a maximum of 100 acres per producer.
Nutrient Management (590) for establishment must also be applied for this
practice. Pest Management (595) for establishment must also be applied for this
practice. The lifespan of this practice is 10 years.
Nutrient Management (590) - Eligible for the application of nutrients (nitrogen,
phosphorus, potash, and lime) according to current soil test analysis for
establishment of pastures, legumes, or native grasses. Limit payment to one year
and a maximum of 100 acres per producer. This is a required practice for Pasture
and Hayland Planting (512) and Range Planting (550). A current soil test
analysis must be provided to NRCS prior to funding of application. The lifespan
of this practice is 1 year.
Pest Management (595) - Chemical control of weeds after pasture establishment.
Limit payment to one year and a maximum of 100 acres per producer. This is a
required practice for Pasture and Hayland Planting (512) and Range Planting
(550). The lifespan of this practice is 1 year
Fence (382) - Cost share for a four strand barbed wire, two wire electric, or
three wire electric. Internal cross fencing only and must facilitate rotational
grazing. The lifespan of this practice is 20 years.
Tree/Shrub Establishment (612) – Planting adapted trees to suitable sites. The
lifespan of this practice is 15 years.
Riparian Forest Buffer (391) – Establishment of woody vegetation on areas
adjacent to permanent or intermittent streams. Also must have Use Exclusion
(472) to restrict access by livestock by fencing both sides of creek/stream. The
lifespan of this practice is 15 years.
Use Exclusion (472) – To fence livestock from existing wooded creeks or streams.
Must install fence on both sides of stream or creek and follow NRCS Fence (382)
specifications. The lifespan of this practice is 10 years.
Stream Crossing (578) – To provide a stabilized area across a stream/creek.
Installation of a rock crossing only. Stream Crossing must also include either
Riparian Forest Buffer (391) and/or Use Exclusion (472). The lifespan of this
practice is 10 years.
Invasive Plants Resource Concern (Medium Priority):
Brush Management (314) - Limited to treatment of Mesquite, Huisache, McCartney
Rose, Bois d’arc, and/or Honeylocust. Limit acres to be cost shared to a maximum
of 100 acres per producer for mechanical treatment and 200 acres for chemical
treatment. For mechanical treatment, a one year light chemical follow-up
treatment is included. If mechanical brush treatment is applied and results in
more than 25 percent of the treated area having bare ground, Pasture and Hayland
Planting (512) or Range Planting (550) must also be applied. Prescribed Grazing
(528A) will be required for all chemical only treatments. The lifespan of this
practice is 10 years.
Prescribed Grazing (528A) - This is a required practice for chemical Brush
Management (314). Defer grazing following chemical brush treatment. Deferment
will be 90 days during current growing season if treatment occurs during spring
or summer or deferment will be 90 days the following growing seasons if
treatment occurs in fall or winter. Grazing will then be managed for a 3 inch
stubble height for Hybrid bermudagrass, Common bermudagrass, and/or Bahiagrass.
Limit incentive payment to one year and a maximum of 200 acres. The lifespan of
this practice is 1 year.
Soil Erosion; Classic Gully (Low Priority):
Grade Stabilization Structure (410) – To stabilize the grade and control erosion
in channels and to prevent the advance of existing active gullies. The lifespan
of this practice is 15 years.
Critical Area Planting (342) - Treatment of degraded sites that cannot be
stabilized by ordinary management and if left untreated could be severely
damaged by erosion. This practice includes shaping and seeding of treated area.
The lifespan of this practice is 10 years.
Ranking Criteria:
Inadequate Stock Water; Plant Productivity, Health, and Vigor; Soil Erosion
Classic Gully; Invasive Plants resource concerns:
- Do you have an up to date conservation plan on the entire farm or ranch? (Yes
or No)
- Are you willing to develop a conservation plan on the entire farm or ranch
with NRCS assistance? (Yes or No)
- Do you need to develop adequate stock water in every field or pasture? (Yes
or No)
- Do you need to reduce impact of grazing animals on existing or new ponds by
installing a limited access point for livestock? (Yes or No)
- Do you need to improve plant productivity of your existing established
pastures by over-seeding legumes? (Yes or No)
- Do you need to establish grass on fields that have more than 50 percent cover
of broadleaf weeds and unpalatable grasses? (Yes or No)
- Do you need to plant trees for the purpose of timber production? (Yes or No)
- Do you need to improve plant productivity adjacent to creeks or streams by
establishing a riparian forest buffer and fencing cattle from streams/creeks or
fencing cattle from existing wooded creeks/streams? (Yes or No)
- Do you need to divide your farm into 4 or more pastures of similar
production? (Yes or No)
- Do you have greater than 25 percent canopy cover of mesquite, huisache,
McCartney Rose Bois d’arc, or Honeylocust? (Yes or No)
- Do you need to fix any active gully erosion occurring on your farm or ranch?
(Yes or No)
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