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EQIP Program in Moore 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).

Moore County Office Information

Interested agricultural producers may apply in person at the Moore County USDA Service Center.
Applicants may also request EQIP assistance by telephone, FAX, e-mail, or letter.

Michael Caldwell, District Conservationist

State Resource Concerns Priority Areas that include part of Moore 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
Limited Resource Farmer or Rancher	All

Objective:

County Base Funds

The objective of the Moore County EQIP Local work group is to promote the use of conservation practices that address improvement of plant health, and address erosion on cropland and rangeland. High Priority will be given to customers who have, and are carrying out an active conservation plan. Medium priority will be given to those who currently do not have a plan, but are willing develop and carry out a plan. Low priority will be given to those who do not have or want a conservation plan developed.

Ground and Surface Water Ogallala

The objective of the Ground and Surface Water Ogallala fund is to promote the use of conservation irrigation practices to enhance ground water quantity. Water savings for beneficial use through irrigation system efficiency improvement is the goal. High Priority will be given to customers who have, and are carrying out an active conservation plan. Medium priority will be given to those who currently do not have a plan, but are willing develop and carry out a plan. Low priority will be given to those who do not have or want a conservation plan developed.

County EQIP Resource Concerns:

County Base Funds

For the 2007 base funding in EQIP, the primary resource concern is Plant Health. Secondary concerns are erosion and air quality. Applications addressing the primary resource concern will receive high priority. Applications addressing secondary concerns will receive low priority. Tie scores will be broken using the ProTracts random number assignment.

Ground and Surface Water, Ogallala Funding

The primary resource concern for the 2007 Ogallala funding in EQIP for Moore County is water quantity. Practices must produce increased efficiency and water savings. Water savings will be calculated using a water savings worksheet. This resource concern is applicable on irrigated land that has been irrigated 2 out of the last 5 years. Ranking will be based on the priority set by the local work group. Rank will be determined using the 2007 Ogallala EQIP ranking worksheet. Tie scores will be broken using the protracts random number assignment.

Eligible Practices and Cost Share Rates

County Base Funds

Limited Resource Farmers and Ranchers - 90 percent
Beginning Farmers and Ranchers - 50 percent
All Others - 50 percent

Cost share applies to all eligible practices and producers.

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.

All practices identified in the Field Office Technical Guide that address the listed resource concerns will be eligible for cost share.

Ground and Surface Water, Ogallala Funds

Limited Resource Farmers and Ranchers - 90 percent
Beginning Farmers and Ranchers - 50 percent
All Others - 50 percent

Cost share applies to all eligible practices and producers, except new irrigation system sprinklers - 30 percent, and new trickle irrigation systems - 30 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.

All practices identified in the Field Office Technical Guide that address the listed resource concerns will be eligible for cost share.

County Base Funds

A. Plant Health -Applicable on rangeland, cropland, or pastureland. Concerns can be loss of health, vigor, and condition of the plant resource - limited water supply - invasion of brush - cropland needing permanent vegetative cover - and/or loss of plant diversity. Performance will be based on conservation practices that address these concerns. Points will be awarded for the highest priority practice applied for. If additional practices are applied for, there will be no points awarded, but the additional practice(s) will still qualify for cost share.

1. Cropland Conversion to Grass - award points for the planning and application of conversion of cropland to permanent vegetative cover. Award points one time per practice application. Points are assigned as follows -

Conversion of Cropland to Grass - 600 points

Seeding of at least 2 species - add 25 points

Seeding of 3 or more species - add 50 points

2. Livestock Water Facilities - Award points for the planning and installation of water facilities on grazing land with inadequate distribution of water. Water Facilities are grouped to include pipelines, water troughs/tanks, wells, and pumping plants. Award points one time for the planning of any livestock water facility practice. Points are assigned as follows - Livestock water facilities - 300 points

3. Brush Management - Award points based on land with existing woody vegetation that is adversely affecting plant health. Points are awarded only one time per practice per farm number as follows –

Brush Management - 200 points

4. Cross Fencing - Award points when cross fencing is needed to implement a grazing system or to exclude livestock to protect a resource concern. Only award points one time per practice per application as follows -

Cross Fencing - 100 points

B. Erosion/Air Quality - This category is applicable to all land uses, but is most applicable to cropland or other land having severe erosion problems. Use normal planning procedures in determining the need to calculate erosion. This is a secondary concern in the base funding for 2007
EQIP.

1. Install Conservation Tillage System - Award points for the adoption of a conservation tillage system, which includes strip till, no till, and mulch till. This is an incentive practice with a flat rate of $5.00/acre for up to three years. Points are awarded as follows -

Install Conservation Tillage System - 75 points

2. Grassed Waterway - Award Points for the planning and installation of a grassed waterway. Points are awarded only one time per practice per application as follows -

Install Grassed Waterway - 50 points

3. Windbreak - Award Points for the planning and installation of a windbreak. Points are awarded only one time per practice per application as follows -

Install Windbreak – 50 points

Ground and Surface Water, Ogallala Funds

This resource concern is applicable on irrigated land. Performance is based on water conserved for beneficial usage on irrigated land. Ranking will be based on the priority established by the local work group. Priorities are set as follows –

Priority 1 - Conversion of existing system to LEPA, LESA, or LPIC
Priority 2 - Replace leaking underground irrigation pipeline
Priority 3 - Conversion of row system to drip system
Priority 4 - Conversion of row system to new center pivot system
Priority 5 – Conversion of existing sprinkler system to new drip system.