EQIP Program in Limestone 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).

Limestone County Office Information

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

Objective:

The objective of the Limestone County Local Work Group is to promote the use of conservation practices that will improve the natural resources in the county with the major emphasis on Soil Erosion and plant health.

County EQIP Resource Concern:

For the 2007 fiscal year the Limestone County Local Work Group has identified the following as their resource concerns.

Plant Health – Invasive Species. This concern relates to mesquite specifically in old cropland fields and pastureland fields being overgrown with mesquite and reducing grass and water resources.

Water Quantity – Grazing Distribution. This concern relates to insufficient water sources and their placement in pastures creating overgrazing areas and not utilizing all the available grass within a pasture.

Water Quality –Surface Runoff. This concern relates to the runoff of water during heavy rainfall on cropland and the movement of pesticides and fertilizers into streams and lakes.

Soil Erosion - Gully Erosion. This concern relates to the large amounts of soil being eroded annually and decrease access to adjoining field and the sedimentation of streams and lakes.

Eligible Practices

Brush Management (targeted species mesquite) -Mechanical –Area must have at least 40 percent canopy cover, existing fence and will be re-established to a permanent grass cover. Mechanical Brush Management will include, dozing, raking, stacking, burning and root plowing. Permanent grass establishment and nutrient management will be required after clearing the field and will be at the landowners expense.

Brush Management – (targeted species mesquite) Chemical - Area must have at least 15 percent canopy cover, existing fence and established in a permanent desirable grass. Practice can be aerial or individual plant treatment.

Cropland to Grassland - Practice includes: Site Prep, seed/sprigs, seeding/sprigging and 1st weed control. Nutrient Management will be required and according to a current soils test from Texas A&M Soil Testing Lab or other approved soil testing labs.

Critical Area Planting - Shaping and permanent grass establishment includes: Site Preparation, Sprigs/Seed, Sprigging/Seeding and 1st Weed Control. Nutrient Management will be required and according to a current soils test from Texas A&M Soil Testing Lab or other approved soil testing labs.

Livestock Ponds - Amount cost shared will be limited to 300 cubic yards per animal unit of carrying capacity served by the pond. Ponds will be sized based on the pasture acres and its carrying capacity and be within 2500 and 6000 cubic yards per eligible field.

Ranking Criteria:

100 pts - Plant health: Invasive species is the highest resource concern and will be addressed with Brush Management, both mechanical and chemical controls.

75 pts - Water Quantity: Increased grazing distribution is second resource concern and will be addressed with Ponds.

50 pts - Soil Erosion: Gully erosion is the third concern and will be addressed with critical area planting and conversion of cropland to grass.

25 pts – Water Quality: Surface Water is the fourth concern and will be addressed with the conversion of cropland into permanent grass.

10 pts - Landowners with a current conservation plan on the operating unit on file with NRCS as of October 28, 2006.

Applicants 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. Applicants will be ranked from 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 the practice list are not eligible for cost share.