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EQIP Program in Coke County

Updated 11/28/2005

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).

Coke County Office Information

Interested agricultural producers may apply in person at the Coke 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 Coke 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
North Concho Water Quantity/Brush Management
Rolling Plains-Grassland Bird-Bobwhite Quail Wildlife 
Limited Resource Farmer or Rancher All

Objective:

The objectives of the Coke County EQIP Local Work Group are to promote the wise use of conservation practices for improving the natural resources of the County. A meeting of the Local Work Group identified the following resource concerns - Water Quantity and Plant Health

County EQIP Resource Concern:

Water Quantity/Plant Health was selected as the main resource concern. The primary resource concern for Coke County is Invasive Plant Species. Brush Management will be given the highest priority for funding

Priority for Funding:

High Priority – Brush management - all approved methods and facilitating practices
Low Priority – Acreage that falls within a Texas State Soil and Water Conservation Board Brush Project Watershed or facilitative practices with no scheduled brush management.
 

Eligible Practices and Cost Share Rates:

Eligible Practices:
Brush Management (314)
Range Planting (550)
Fence (386)
Watering Facility (614)
Water well (642)
Grazing Land Mechanical Treatment (548)
Prescribed Burning (338)
Pipelines (516)
Prescribed Grazing (528A)

Cost Share
Limited Resource Farmers/Ranchers - 90 percent
Beginning Farmers/Ranchers - 50 percent
All others - 50 percent

Practices will be cost shared based on the established county average cost of the practice. Prescribed Grazing will be cost shared based on flat rate. The amount of cost share will be the number of units certified after completion, not to exceed the planned amount, multiplied by the average cost multiplied by the cost share percentage.

Ranking Criteria:

Brush Management:

Aerially spray prickly pear >10% canopy cover………………..……...100

Mechanical treatment of mesquite and/or juniper, mechanical or chemical treatment of whitebrush, and chemical control of prickly pear …………………………………………………………100
Note: All applications for root plowing will include range planting.

Mechanical treatment of mesquite and/or juniper, mechanical or chemical treatment of whitebrush, <10% prickly pear canopy present (Field visit required)…………………………100

Aerially treat mesquite & prickly pear with approved chemical combinations…………………………………………………………95

Individual Plant Treatment of mixed brush species ……………100

Mechanical treatment of mesquite and/or juniper and/or whitebrush, >10% prickly pear canopy present, no chemical treatment of prickly pear scheduled………………………100

Note: All applications for Brush Management and Range Planting require a full growing season of livestock deferment (April 1-Nov. 15).

Facilitating practices:

Range planting 10 points
Fencing 10 points
Water development (pipelines, troughs, reservoirs, wells) 10 points
Grazing land mechanical treatment (ripping, chiseling, pitting) 10 points
Prescribed Burning 10 points

Incentive Practice
Prescribed Grazing $2/ac. – See Job Sheet 10 points

SCORE: ________

Instructions for completing Ranking Worksheet:

Only highest point item counts toward score
Can have multiple item contracts
50 percent of total contract dollars must address brush control

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