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EQIP Program in Jim Wells 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).

Jim Wells County Office Information

Interested agricultural producers may apply in person at the Jim Wells 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 Jim Wells County:

Specific State Concern State Resource Concern
AFO-CAFO -Poultry  Water Quality/Air Quality
AFO-CAFO -Swine  Water Quality/Air Quality
AFO-CAFO-Beef  Water Quality/Air Quality
AFO-CAFO -Dairy  Water Quality/Air Quality
Salt Cedar Invasive Species
Southern Texas Bobwhite Quail/Attwater's Prairie Chicken Wildlife
Limited Resource Farmer or Rancher All

County EQIP Resource Concern:

The Local Workgroup has identified Plant Condition on Grazing lands and Soil Erosion on Cropland as the primary resource concerns having the top priority for cost share assistance from EQIP 2007 Program Funds. The LWG feels that treating these concerns will result in soil erosion reduction, improvement of water quantity, quality and enhancement of wildlife habitat.

Practices will be cost shared based on the established practice average cost. The amount of cost share earned will be the number of units certified multiplied by the average cost multiplied by the cost share percentage.

Priority for Funding:

Grazing Land Plant Health - 60 percent of county base funds. The plant community is in an unhealthy condition and does not provide the quality and quantity of forage needed by a plant community to stabilize the land and prevent water runoff.

Soil Erosion on Cropland - 40 percent of county based funds. The cropland fields of the county are not adequately protected from wind and/or water erosion. To better protect these fields, Conservation Tillage (Residue Management), Grassed Waterways, and/or Terraces will be used.

If one of the resource concerns does not use up all of the funds earmarked, the balance will be automatically rolled over to the other resource concern.

Eligible Practices and Cost Share Rates:

Cost Share Rates
All Others - 50 percent
Beginning Farmer/Rancher - 50 percent
Limited Resource Farmer/Rancher - 90 percent

Listed below are the approved practices that will be cost shared under the EQIP 2007 Program. Each conservation practice completed through an approved EQIP Contract will be cost shared based on the practice units completed multiplied by the practice average cost, for Duval County, times the approved cost share rate.

  • 382 Fence
  • 516 Pipeline
  • 614 Water Storage Facility
  • 512 Pasture Planting.
  • 590 Nutrient Management
  • 595 Pest Management
  • 550 Range Planting
  • 314 Brush Management, Chemical
  • 314 Brush Management, Mechanical
  • 642 Water Well, livestock use only
  • 329A No Till/Strip Till

Applicants may apply for either primary resource concern - but not both on the same application.

Ranking Criteria:

Soil Erosion on Cropland

Practice
 

  • Residue Management, No-Till/Strip-Till
  • Grassed Waterway
  • Terrace


    • High Priority

    1.  Practices included in this application are part of a higher level of treatment plan that will address all resource concerns at a Resource Management System Level on the entire operating unit.  100 - High

    Yes
    No Go to Next Question

    Medium Priority

    2.  Practices included in this application are part of a progressive level of land treatment plan to address resource concerns on a part of the operating unit.  95 - Medium

    Yes
    No Go to Next Question

    Low Priority

    3.  Practices included in this application are not part of any land treatment plan and does not fully address all of the resource concerns. - 90 - Low
     
    Yes
    No Ineligible

    Plant Condition

    Practice

  • Fencing
  • Water Storage Facility
  • Livestock Water Pipeline
  • Range Seeding without Brush Management
  • Pasture Planting without Brush Management
  • Brush Management, Chemical (>15% canopy, one treatment option only)
  • IPT
  • Aerial or Ground
  • IPT, Cut-Stump
  • Brush Management, Mechanical
  • Rootplow & one rootraking
  • Rhome Disking (2X) (specific ecological sites and specific low brush species)
  • Water well (drilling and casing, livestock use only)


    • High Priority

    1.  Practices included in this application are part of a higher level of treatment plan that will address all resource concerns at a Resource Management System Level on the entire operating unit. 100 - High

    Yes
    No Go to Next Question

    Medium Priority

    2.  Practices included in this application are part of a progressive level of land treatment plan to address resource concerns on a part of the operating unit. 95 - Medium

    Yes
    No Go to Next Question

    Low Priority

    3.  Practices included in this application are not part of any land treatment plan and do not fully address all of the resource concerns. - 90 - Low

    Yes
    No Ineligible