EQIP Program in Zavala 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).

Zavala County Office Information

Interested agricultural producers may apply in person at the Zavala County SWCD  Office.

Zavala County Office Information: DC. 319 North First St Suite 2 Crystal City, Tx 78839. 830-374-3838.

James Rogers, District Conservationist

State Resource Concerns Priority Areas that include part of Zavala County:

Objective:

The objectives of the EQIP Program are to promote outstanding land stewardship through the wise use of available and accepted conservation practices on agricultural lands.

County EQIP Resource Concern:

The Local Work Group has determined that the resource concerns applicable to Cropland, Rangeland and Pastureland in Zavala County should be consistent with the National EQIP Resource Concerns of water quality, water quantity, erosion and plant health.

Priority for Funding:

Applications that contain practice(s) that are a part of a higher level of land treatment plan that will address all resource concerns (SWAPA) on the entire operating unit at a Resource Management System (RMS) level will be ranked high priority.

Applications that contain practice(s) that are a part of a progressive level of land treatment plan that will address all resource concerns (SWAPA) on a part of the operating unit at a Resource Management System (RMS) level will be ranked medium priority.

Applications that contain practice(s) that are not a part of any land treatment plan and do not fully address all of the resource concerns (SWAPA) will be ranked low priority.

Eligible Practices and Cost Share Rates:

Multiple item contracts and management incentives will be utilized to address all resource concerns in order to strive to achieve a Total Resource Management System Level. Funding of contracts will follow priority levels. High Priority Applications will be ranked and funded first. Medium Priority Applications will be ranked and funded if there are available funds remaining, and so forth for Low Priority Applications. Practices will be cost shared on the established average cost of the practice. Management Incentives will be cost shared on a flat rate basis. 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. The cost share rate for Limited Resource Farmers and Ranchers will be 90 percent. The cost share rate for all other applicants and Beginning Farmer/Rancher will be 50 percent.

Eligible Practices for 2007 include shall include any conservation practice listed in the National Handbook of Conservation Practices. Common practices in Zavala County include:

• Livestock Pipelines
  
• Trough or Tank
  
• Water Well
  
• Pond
  
• Chemical Brush Management
  
• Mechanical Brush Management
  
• Range Planting
  
• Pasture Planting
  
• Irrigation Mainline
  
• Irrigation System Conversions
  
• Grassed Waterways
  
• Diversions
  
• Terraces
• Fences

• Irrigation Water Management – Soil Moisture Monitoring
  
• Prescribed Grazing
  
• Nutrient Management – Soil Sampling
  
• Pest Management
  
• Residue Management

Ranking Criteria:

                                                                                                                                                                                                                         Eligible      Ineligible
Is land currently classified as Agricultural Land with an Ag Commodity Produced as certified with the attached EQIP Applicant self Certification Form?     Yes _____ No ______

Practices included in this application are part of a higher level of land treatment plan that will address all resource concerns (SWAPA) at a Resource Management System Level on the entire operating unit.

100 points________

Medium Priority

Practices included in this application are part of a progressive level of land treatment plan to address all resource concerns (SWAPA) at a Resource Management System Level on a part of the operating unit.

95 points________

Low Priority

Practices included in this application are not part of any land treatment plan and do not fully address all of the resource concerns (SWAPA).

90 points________