EQIP Program in Young 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).

Young County Office Information

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

Objective:

The objectives of the EQIP Program Development Group (PDG) and Local Work Group (LWG) are to promote the use of approved conservation practices for improving the state of our natural resources throughout the county. The EQIP program utilizes cost-share assistance money to help eligible agricultural producers to implement appropriate conservation practices to address the resource concerns as identified by the PDG and LWG.

County EQIP Resource Concern:

In Young County for 2007, the PDG identified plant health, soil quality (erosion control), water quantity and quality as high priority natural resource concerns. The PDG discussed the ever increasing amounts of multiple brush species being the highest priority resource concerns that ranchers face in Young County. The PDG also identified the lack of proper grazing, cross fencing, and poor watering facilities as other high priority resource concerns faced by ranchers in Young County. The LWG decided to cost-share multiple conservation practices to address these concerns. The conservation practices are chosen from the NRCS Field Office Technical Guide. All specifications and standards will be followed by planning personnel and participating producers.

Priority for Funding

Eligible Practices

County Base Fund

Limited Resource Producers - 90 percent
Beginner Farmer or Rancher - 50 percent
All other Producers - 50 percent

For contract consideration, the following practices must be needed to significantly impact Plant Health, Water Quantity and Quality, and Soil Quality according to NRCS specifications and guidelines.

The Primary Practices eligible for cost sharing in Young County this year include Brush Management, Range Planting, Pond Construction, Fencing, Water Well, Pipeline, Watering Facility, Pasture and Hay Planting, Terraces and Grassed Waterway.

Incentive payments will be offered for Nutrient Management and Prescribed Grazing.

Ranking Criteria:

Fence – 100 points
Brush Management – Heavy Infestation(> than 40 percent canopy)– 90 points
Light Infestation(10 to 39 percent canopy)- 70 points
Less than 10 percent - Not Elgible
Ponds, Water Well, Pipeline, and Watering Facility
No permanent water or >1 mile – 80 points
Permanent water <1 mile – 60 points
Distance to permanent water <1/4 mile – Not Elgible
Range Planting - Native/Naturalized grass establishment – 70 points
Pasture and Hay Planting – Cropland to pastureland conversion – 60 points
Terraces and Waterways – Without existing structures – 50 points
W/damaged existing structures – 40 points

The amount of cost share earned for Brush Management, Range Planting, Pasture and Hay Planting, Nutrient Management, Prescribed Grazing, and Grassed Waterway will be the number of acres certified as completed multiplied by the established average cost for the practice multiplied by the cost share percentage. The amount of cost share earned for Pond and Terraces (Special Design) construction will be the amount of cubic yards of dirt excavated and certified as completed multiplied by the established average cost for the practice multiplied by the cost share percentage. The amount of cost share earned for Terraces (Standard), Leveling old structures, Fencing, Water Well, and Pipelines will be the amount of feet constructed and certified as completed multiplied by the established average cost for the practice multiplied by the cost share percentage.

The amount of incentive payment earned for Nutrient Management (For Establishment Only) following Pasture and Hay Planting, will be total acres certified as completed multiplied by flat rate cost. The amount of incentive payment earned for Prescribed Grazing (Growing Season Deferment) following Brush Management and Range Planting, will be total acres certified as completed multiplied by flat rate cost.