EQIP Program in Stephens 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).

Stephens County Office Information

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

Objective:

The objectives of the Stephens County EQIP Local Work Group LWG are to promote the use of conservation practices for improving the natural resources throughout the county.

County EQIP Resource Concern:

Water Quantity - Grazing Land Health -Reduction in the productivity of grazing lands and/or significant decrease in range condition associated with the invasion of brush and/or decline of beneficial native grasses.

Soil Erosion and Sedimentation -Increased soil erosion from both wind and water on cropland. Gully erosion on rangeland and marginal pastureland. Increased sedimentation in ponds/reservoirs that provide livestock water and/or public drinking water.

Water Quantity -Lack of adequate water supplies for livestock. Reduced flow to reservoirs that provide public water.

Wildlife Habitat -Loss of wildlife habitat and the ability to sustain existing wildlife habitat.

Highest Priority Resource Concern - In Stephens County for 2007, the LWG has identified Grazing Land Health as being the top priority for cost share assistance this year. Water Quantity was also identified as a resource concern. Practices under Grazing Land Health will help address this concern.

Under Grazing Land Health concern, Mesquite Control, Cactus sp. Control, Cedar Control, including prescribed burning, will be given the highest priority for contract funding. Ponds will be given the second highest priority. Cross Fences, Range Planting, Pasture Planting, Wells, Water Storage Facility (Troughs), and Pipelines will be given the third highest priority.
Range or Pasture Planting following Mechanical Brush Management is limited to 320 acres.

Priority for funding Applications will be as follow:

Priority for funding Applications will be as follows:

Water Quantity – Grazing Land Health:

1. Applications for brush management
2. Applications for brush management and ponds
3. Applications for ponds
4. Applications for brush management and/or ponds and other eligible practices
5. Applications for other eligible practices only

Eligible Practices and Cost Share Rates:

Limited Resource Producers - 90 percent
Beginner Farmer/Rancher - 50 percent
All Other Producers - 50 percent

Eligible Practices and Cost Share Rates - 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

Grazing Land Health practices will be_
The following practices are the only eligible practices for the 2007 EQIP program in Stephens County: Brush Management targeting mesquite, (314), Livestock Water Pipelines (516), Troughs (614), Range Seeding (550), Pasture Planting (512), Fence (382), Ponds (378), Water Wells (642), Prescribed Burning-Cedar (338)

Ranking Criteria:

100-Points - Does the proposed treated area of this application address water quantity issues pertaining to plant health on rangeland through the implementation of ONLY Brush Management practices for control of mesquite, and/or prickly pear cactus, and/or cedar (includes prescribed burning of cedar following brush management of cedar)?

85-Points – Does the proposed treated area of this application address water quantity issues pertaining to plant health through the implementation of conservation practices on rangeland including eligible brush management and ponds?

70-Points – Does the proposed treated area of this application address water quantity issues pertaining to plant health through the implementation of conservation practices on rangeland - ONLY Ponds?

50-Points – Does the proposed treated area of this application address water quantity issues pertaining to plant health through the implementation of conservation practices on rangeland including brush management, and/or ponds and other eligible practices?

25-Points – Does the proposed treated area of this application address water quantity issues pertaining to plant health through the implementation of conservation practices on rangeland other than eligible brush management and ponds?

10-Points - As of September 15, 2006 did the applicant have a conservation plan on file with NRCS on this farm addressing the practices requested within this application?

Applications will be ranked using the national ranking tool and points will be awarded according to how an application addresses National, State, and Local issues with the cost efficiency of the practices needed to solve the resource concerns. Applications will be ranked from the highest to the 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 event of a tie, a tracking code randomly generated by the computer software program, Protracts, will be used to break the tie scores. 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.