EQIP Program in Upshur County

Updated 11/29/2005

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).

Upshur County Office Information

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

Robbie Clemens, District Conservationist

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

Objective:

The objective of Upshur County EQIP Local Work Group is to promote the use of conservation practices for improving natural resources throughout the county. The major resource concerns are - the need to reduce soil erosion, the need to improve water and air quality and the need to reduce non-point source pollution from animal waste.

County EQIP Resource Concern:

In Upshur County, the Local Work Group has identified Water Quality as the highest priority resource concern.

Priority for Funding:

Improving water quality through tree and or grass planting will be given the highest priority for contract funding. Pond construction, cross fencing, troughs, pipelines and animal waste management for poultry and dairy operations are eligible and will have a positive effect on water quality.

Eligible Practices and Cost Share Rates:

Cost Share Rates

Basic cost share rate - 50 percent
Limited Resource Producers cost share rate - 90 percent
Beginning Farmers and Ranchers cost share rate - 70 percent

Practices will be cost shared based on the established average cost of the practice. The cost shared amount earned is the unit number certified after completion, multiplied by the average cost, multiplied by the cost share rate.

Practices Eligible for Cost Share

Tree and Shrub Establishment 612
Site Preparation -
Chemical - Aerial - $110 per acre
Chemical - Banding - $45 per acre
Chemical - Ground - $130 per acre
Chemical - Hand - $70 per acre
Mechanical - Light - $75 per acre
Mechanical - Medium - $130 per acre
Mechanical - Heavy - $270 per acre
Planting Operation -
Hand - $75 per acre
Machine - Openland - $65 per acre
Machine - Wildland - $90 per acre
Seedlings -
Barerooted Hardwood - $0.35 per number
Bare rooted Pine - $0.05 per number
Forest Stand Improvement 666
for established tree stands only
Chemical - Aerial - $110 per acre
Chemical - Ground - $130.00 per acre

Pasture and Hay Planting 512
Site Preparation -
Light - $28 per acre
Medium - $35 per acre
Heavy - $45 per acre
Seeding Operation -
Broadcast - $12 per acre
Seed -
Common Bermuda, hulled - $3 per pound pure live seed
Pensacola Bahia - $1.25 per pound pure live seed
Bermuda Sprigs and Sprigging Operation -
Coastal - 24 bushels per acre - $76 per acre
Tifton 85 - 24 bushels per acre - $140 per acre

Nutrient Management 590
for grass establishment only
Lime - $35 per ton
N-P-K - $0.35 per pound
Poultry Litter - $22 per ton

Pest Management 595
for grass establishment only
Chemical - $16 per acre
Mechanical - $10 per acre
for tree planting only
Gopher Poison - $20 per acre
Town Ants - $45 per colony

Pond 378
Earthmoving, excavation - dry - $1.85 per cubic yard
Barrel, plastic - material and installed - $1.50 per diameter foot
Barrel, steel - material and installed - $2.50 per diameter foot

Trough 614
Metal - $0.61 per gallon
Fiberglass - $0.61 per gallon

Livestock Pipeline 516
1 inch PVC - $2.01 per foot
1 1/4 inch PVC - $2.04 per foot
1 1/2 inch PVC - $2.12 per foot
2 inch PVC - $2.21 per foot

Fence 382
Four Wire Standard - $1.75 per foot

Dry Stack 313
Earth Fill - $12.38 per square foot
Concrete - $15.38 per square foot

Freezer 316
$1801 per number

Incinerator 316
$10500 per number

Waste Treatment Lagoon 359
Earthmoving, excavation - dry - $1.85 per cubic yard

Manure Transfer 634
Big gun sprinkler with hose - $18000 per number

Pumping Plant 533
Power source - $10000 per number
Pump with appurtenances, Electric greater than 30 horse power - $8500 per number

Ranking Criteria:

Pasture Planting - 70 points
Tree Planting on wildland - 60 points
Tree Planting on openland - 50 points
Forest Land Improvement - 45 points
Livestock Exclusion to defer access - 40 points
Fencing - 30 points
Pond - 30 points
Trough - 20 points
Livestock Pipeline - 20 points
Dry Stack - 5 points
Freezer - 5 points
Incinerator - 5 points
Waste Treatment Lagoon - 5 points
Manure Transfer - 5 points
Pumping Plant - 5 points

Ranking Criteria Points awarded for the highest priority practice only.

Treatment area distance from order 2 or greater creek on USGS topography map to be determined for additional points <200 feet = 10 points, 201 to 500 feet = 8 points, 501 to 1000 feet = 5 points, and >1000 feet = 0 points.

No minimum acreage
Ponds limited to 3500 cubic yards
Forestry practices must met Best Management Practices
Less than 50 percent existing grass cover eligible for grass planting
Nutrient and pest management will be applied with pasture planting
Nutrient management practices require current soil test results prior to completion of application ranking

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