EQIP Program in Hill 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).

Hill County Office Information

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

Objective:

The objective of the Hill County Local Work Group is to promote the use of conservation practices for improving the natural resources throughout the county. The major resource concerns for Hill County are the need to improve water quality in rivers, streams and lakes, reduce soil erosion and sedimentation due to water and the need to promote better livestock grazing distribution and grassland improvement, all of which will have a positive effect on water quality and quantity.

County EQIP Resource Concern:

In Hill County for 2007, the local work group has identified the following resource concerns for incentive payments in 2007.

Water Quality – Soil Erosion and Sedimentation - applicable on all land uses. This concern relates to surface water runoff where the resource problem is sedimentation into rivers, streams, lakes and public water supply reservoirs.

Water Quantity – Plant Health – Grassland Improvement – Grazing Distribution – applicable to existing rangeland, pastureland and hayland. This concern relates to the reduction of desirable forages due to the decline in pasture or rangeland condition that adversely affects forage quality and quantity for livestock. Resource concern also relates to treating land with encroaching brush species such as cedar and mesquite. Also, applicable for development of livestock water facilities.

Eligible Practices and Cost Share Rates:

County Base Fund Cost Share Rates
Limited Resource Producers - 90 percent
Beginner Farmers or Ranchers - 50 percent
All other Producers - 50 percent

No Partial Payments will be paid.

The following practices, as agreed to by the Hill County LWG, are the only eligible practices for 2007. Cropland Conversion to Permanent Grass Cover, Range Seeding 550, Pasture Planting 512, Terraces 600, Grassed waterways 412, Grade Stabilization Structure 410, Underground Outlet 620, Ponds 378, Cross Fence 382, Brush Management 314 and Pest management 590.

The following practices will have components and will have incentive payments based on the established average cost (AC) of the following practices: Grade Stabilization Structures, Underground Outlets, Ponds and Grassed Waterways.

Incentive payments for practices and components are based on the established average cost (AC) of the practices. The amount of incentive payments earned will be based on the number of units certified after completion multiplied by the average cost multiplied by the incentive percentage rate.

All practices are supported by the Conservation Practices Standards and Specifications in the Field Office Technical Guide and are needed to solve the identified resource problems as set forth by the Hill County Local Work Group.

Brush Management target species are mesquite and cedar. This practice includes tree dozing cedar and Individual Plant Treatment of mesquite.

Note: If hydraulic shears are used on mesquite, the stump must be sprayed immediately using remedy and diesel as required by FOTG specifications.

Nutrient Management (590) is required for all vegetative practices but will not receive any incentive payments. A current soil test, less than one year old from the Texas A&M Soil Testing Lab or other approved soil testing labs, is recommended on all vegetative practices.
 

Ranking Criteria:

Resource Concern – Water Quality - Soil Erosion and Sedimentation

Water Quantity – Plant Health - Grassland Improvement and Grazing Distribution

100 points – Does the predominance of the proposed treated acres in this application address water quality concerns pertaining to soil erosion and sedimentation through the implementation of conservation practices on cropland?

50 points – Does the predominance of the proposed treated acres address water quantity concerns pertaining to plant health and grassland improvement through the implementation of conservation practices on grazing lands?

30 points – Is the treated land 1000 feet or less from a second order stream on the USGS maps?

10 points – As of October 1, 2006, did you have a conservation plan on file with NRCS?

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 solve the resource concerns. Applications will be ranked form the highest to 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 applications.

Practices not on practice list are not eligible for cost share.