EQIP Program in Wharton 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).

Wharton County Office Information

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

Objective:

The objective of the Wharton County EQIP LWG is to promote the use of conservation practices for improving the natural resources throughout the county. The major resource concerns emphasized on water quantity, soil erosion and plant condition.

County EQIP Resource Concern:

In Wharton County for 2007, the Local Work Group LWG has identified Water Quantity as being the top priority for cost share assistance. Irrigation Water Conveyance Pipeline, Irrigation Land Leveling and Water Flow Meter were recognized as the practices needed to address the concern.

Second resource concern identified was Soil Erosion. Grade Stabilization Structure practice will be used to solve the gully erosion problem.

Third resource concern identified was Plant Condition. Brush Management practice will be used to solve the invasion of woody vegetation problem. Pipeline, Fence and Pasture/Hayland Planting practices will be used to provide water for livestock, facilitate grazing distribution and grazing management system.

Priority for Funding:

The funds will be distributed first among the two high priority concerns of Water Quantity and Soil Erosion.  If any un-used high priority funds remain, then medium priority concern of Plant Health, will be funded if applications are available until allocation is allotted.

Eligible Practices and Cost Share Rates:

Water Quantity

Cost sharing will be allowed for the following practices as identified in the Field Office Technical Guide -

1 - Irrigation Water Conveyance Pipeline, 2 - Irrigation Land Leveling and 3 - Water Flow Meter with pipeline practice. For cost share consideration, these practices must be needed to significantly impact Water Quantity according to NRCS specifications and guidelines.

Irrigation Water Conveyance Pipeline - 430DD or 430EE - feet - Must provide proof of irrigation on rice or row cropland, two of the last five years and use a NRCS-provided design for materials and placement of pipeline, which replaces an open canal system.

Irrigation Land Leveling - 464 - Must provide proof of irrigation on rice or row cropland, two of the last five years and use a NRCS-provided or NRCS-approved design for land surface slope, amount of soil cut and placement of soil.

Water Flow Meter - 430 - Must provide proof of irrigation on rice or row cropland, two of the last five years and use a NRCS-approved design.

Soil Erosion

Points will only be awarded for one Issue, points cannot be cumulative. High, Medium and Low Priorities cannot be combined. Cost sharing will be allowed for the following practice as identified in the Field Office Technical Guide -

1 - Grade Stabilization Structure. For cost share consideration, this practice must be needed to significantly impact Soil Erosion according to NRCS specifications and guidelines.

Grade Stabilization Structure - 410 - Must use a NRCS-provided design for materials and placement of pipe drop structure.

Plant Conditon

Cost sharing will be allowed for the following practices as identified in the Field Office Technical Guide -

1 - Brush Management - 2-Fence, 3-Pipeline and 4 - Pasture/Hayland Planting. For cost share consideration, this practice must be needed to significantly impact Plant Health according to NRCS specifications and guidelines.

Brush Management - 314 -Acre - Must use treatment for targeted plant listed (Mesquite, Huisache, Macartney rose or Chinese Tallow) by NRCS provided by TAMU “EXSEL” expert system producing a “Very High” or “High” level of expected success of control.
Fence – 382 – feet: Must be a cross fence placed to facilitate a grazing management system.

Pipeline – 516 – feet: Must be used to provide water for livestock and facilitate grazing distribution and installed using NRCS-provided design and specifications.

Pasture / Hayland Planting – 512 – acre: Must be on cropland being converted into a permanent pastureland or hayland.

Limited Resource Producers - 90 percent
Beginning Farmers/Ranchers - 50 percent
Others - 50 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 percentage.

Ranking Criteria:

Points will only be awarded for one Issue, points cannot be cumulative.
High, Medium and Low Priorities cannot be combined.

High Priority
1. Is this application on land that was irrigated two years out of the last five years to rice and/or row crops and plan to request irrigation land leveling and install according to NRCS standards and specifications?
Yes _____ 100 points No ____  0 points

2. Is this application on land that was irrigated two years out of the last five years to rice and/or row crops and plan to request irrigation underground pipeline to replace an existing canal system and install according to NRCS standards and specifications?
Yes _____  95 points No ____  0 points

3. Is this application on land that has a gully erosion problem that can be solved by installation of a grade stabilization structural according to NRCS standards and specifications?
Yes _____  90 points No ____  0 points

Medium Priority
7. Will brush control efforts consist of treating mesquite, huisache, Macartney rose and Chinese tallow using NRCS acceptable chemical methods on 350 plants or more per acre? Yes _____  70 points No ____  0 points

8. Will brush control efforts consist of treating mesquite, huisache, Macartney rose and Chinese tallow using NRCS acceptable chemical methods on 251 to 350 plants per acre? Yes _____  65 points No ____  0 points

9. Will brush control efforts consist of treating mesquite, huisache, Macartney rose and Chinese tallow using NRCS acceptable chemical methods on 151 to 250 plants per acre? Yes _____  60 points No ____  0 points

10. Will brush control efforts consist of treating mesquite, huisache, Macartney rose and Chinese tallow using NRCS acceptable chemical methods on 50 to 150 plants per acre? Yes _____  55 points No ____  0 points

16. Is this application for cross fencing on grazing land?
Yes _____  25 points No ____  0 points

17. Is this application for Livestock Water Pipeline?
Yes _____  20 points No ____  0 points

18. Is this application for grass planting on cropland being converted to grazing land?
Yes _____  15 points No ____  0 points

Low Priority
20. Is this application for any other practices not identified above?
Yes _____ The concern is not addressed and the application will not be ranked.