EQIP Program in Montgomery 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).

Montgomery County Office Information

Interested agricultural producers may apply in person at the Montgomery County USDA Service Center. Applicants may also request EQIP assistance by telephone, fax, e-mail, or letter.

John Fancher, District Conservationist
Montgomery County SWCD Office - Conroe
109 Comercial Circle
Conroe, Texas  77304-2203
Phone:  936-756-4135
Fax:  936-756-4196

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

Objective:

The objective of the Montgomery County EQIP Local Work Group is to promote the use of conservation practices for improving natural resources. The major resource concerns are grazing land and hay land plant health and productivity, forestland timber health and productivity, and encroachment of invasive brush species.

County EQIP Resource Concern:

In Montgomery County for 2006, the Local Work Group has identified Plant Health as the resource having the top priority for cost share assistance.

Priority for Funding:

Applications will be prioritized as High, Medium, or Low based on Conservation Practice Physical Effects (CPPE) for Plant Health from Section V of the Field Office Technical Guide. Only eligible practices will be awarded points. Practices not on practice list are not eligible for cost share or incentive payments.

All applications will be accepted, but Medium and Low Priority applications will not be funded unless funds remain after all High Priority applications are funded.

Priority Rankings
High Priority = 11 or more points
Medium Priority = 6 to 10 points
Low Priority = less than 5 points

Effect of Practice on Problem
3 = Significant Decrease
2 = Moderate Decrease
1 = Slight Decrease
0 = No Effect
-1 = Slight Increase
-2 = Moderate Increase
-3 = Significant Increase

Practices and their Physical Effect on Plant Health
Fencing = 3
Pond for livestock water = 3
Well for livestock water = 3
Pipeline for livestock water = 0
Pasture and Hayland Planting = 3
Nutrient Management Incentive = 3
Pest Management Incentive = 3
Tree and Shrub Establishment = 0
Forest Stand Improvement = 0
Critical Area Planting = 3
Forest Site Preparation = 0

Note: No points will be awarded for a practice that is required for the success of another practice.

A producer requesting cost share on all practices will score 21 points and be ranked High Priority. Conversely, a landowner requesting only a pond will score a 3 and be ranked Low Priority.

Eligible Practices and Cost Share Rates:

Limited Resource Producers - 90 percent
Beginning Farmers - 75 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. Cost share will be limited to the number of units certified after completion that do not exceed the unit limitation established by the Local Work Group.

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

Pond - 378 – This practice is eligible only to provide water for livestock and will result in better distribution of grazing. Cost share limited to no more than 3500 cubic yards. The management unit where pond is to be installed must support 7 animal units based on NRCS forage inventory or 20 acres. Critical Area Planting - 342 will be applied on any disturbed area above the waterline.
Average cost is as follows