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EQIP Program in Wood 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).

Wood County Office Information

Interested agricultural producers may apply in person at the Wood 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 Wood 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
Limited Resource Farmer or Rancher All

Objective:

The objectives of the Wood County EQIP Local Work Group are to promote the use of conservation practices for improving the natural resources throughout the county. Some of the major resource concerns are reduction of soil erosion due to water and the need to improve plant productivity and health.

County EQIP Resource Concern:

In Wood County for 2006, the Local Work Group (LWG) has identified Water Quality as the major resource concern.

Priority for Funding:

All applications will be accepted and ranked for funding. Applicants will select the one practice that addresses a most critical need to establish priority ranking. When multiple practices are needed and selected, a weighted average of those practices will be used to establish priority ranking. Conservation practices requested for cost sharing should have a positive effect on addressing the major resource concern.

Effect of Practice on Problem

  • 3 = Significant Decrease
  • 2 = Moderate Decrease
  • 1 = Slight Decrease
  • 0 = No Effect
  • -3 = Significant Increase
  • -2 = Moderate Increase
  • -1 = Slight Increase

    Screening Priority
  • 2 - 3 = High
  • 1.1-1.9 = Medium
  • 0 -1 = Low
  • Eligible Practices and Cost Share Rates:

    Basic cost share rate - 50 percent
    Beginning Farmers and Ranchers - 75 percent
    Limited Resource Producers - 90 percent
    Practices will be cost shared based on the established average cost of the practice not to exceed the maximum. The amount of cost share earned will be the number of units certified after completion multiplied by the average cost not to exceed the maximum multiplied by the cost share rate.

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

    Pasture and Hayland Planting 512 - This practice is limited to 80.0 acres per contract. Nutrient Management and Pest Management will be applied with this practice. Legumes planted with cost share will be managed for reseeding.

  • Average cost = $95.00 per acre when planting by seed.
  • Average cost = $195.00 per acre when planting by tops or sprigs.

    Critical Area Planting 342 - Nutrient Management and Pest Management will be applied with this practice.
  • Average cost of Heavy Shaping = $750.00 per acre.
  • Average cost of Medium Shaping = $650.00 per acre.
  • Average cost of Light Shaping = $550.00 per acre.

    Nutrient Management 590 - This practice is for establishment only. A current soils analysis not over 1 year old from the Stephen F. Austin Soils Lab or the Texas A and M Soil Testing Lab is required before establishment.
  • Average cost of fertilizer = $0.40 per pound.
  • Average cost of lime = $34.00 per ton.

    Pest Management 595 - This practice is for establishment only.
  • Average cost of chemical or mechanical weed control = $18.00 per acre.

    Tree/Shrub Establishment 612
  • Average cost of planting on open land = $95.00 per acre.
  • Average cost of planting on cutover land = $105.00 per acre.

    Forest Site Preparation 490 - This practice is to be applied with Tree Planting.
  • Average cost = $55.00 per acre on open land.
  • Average cost = $200.00 per acre on cutover land.

    Grade Stabilization Structure 410 - Critical Area Planting will be applied with this practice.
  • Average cost of earthmoving = $1.50 per cubic yard 10000 cu.yds. maximum.
  • Average cost of barrel and material installed =$2.50 per diameter foot.

    Pond 378 - Critical Area Planting will applied with this practice.
  • Average cost of earthmoving = $1.50 per cubic yard 3000 cu.yd. maximum, must serve 20 acres per pasture, and meet the criteria for livestock water.
  • Average cost of barrel and material installed =$1.30 per diameter foot.

    Fence 382 - Cross fence are eligible for cost share to improve grazing distribution. Boundary fences will not be cost shared.
  • Average cost for labor and material = $1.90 per foot.

    Watering Facility 614 - This practice is eligible for livestock water only.
  • Average cost = $0.80 per gallon.

    Pipeline 516 - This practice is eligible for livestock water only.
  • Average cost = $2.21 per linear foot.

    Spring Development 574 - This practice is eligible for livestock water only.
  • Average cost of spring box, materials and labor = $1500.00

    Manure Transfer 634
  • Average cost = $9,500.00 Pump and Appurtances
  • Average cost = $12,500.00 Power Source
  • Average cost = $11.50 Pipe and Appurtances
  • Average cost = $24,250.00 Hose Reel Sprinkler and Appurtances

    Ranking Criteria:

    Points for all practices will be awarded by adding together the following factors; Highly Erodible Land Factor (HEL), Soil Erodiblility Factor (K), Runoff Curve Number (CN) and Physical Effect of Practice. The HEL factor, K factor and runoff curve number will be computated on the predominant soil in the treatment unit.

    Ranking Factors
    HEL Factor _______points
    K Factor _______points
    Runoff Curve Number (Eng. Tech. Note 210-18-TX5) _______points
    Effect of Practice _______ points
    Total Points________

    Highly Erodible Land Ratings
    Highly Erodible = 3 Potential Highly Erodible = 2 Not Highly Erodible = 1

    Practices and Physical Effects
    Pasture and Hayland Planting = 3 Spring Development = 2
    Critical Area Planting = 3 Watering Facility (Trough) = 2
    Tree/Shrub Establishment = 3 Pipeline = 1
    Nutrient Management = 0* Pond for livestock water = 2
    Pest Management = 0* Fence = 1
    Forest Site Preparation = 0* Grade Stabilization Structure = 3
    Manure Transfer = 2
    * No points will be awarded for eligible practices required for the success of another practice.
    Ties will be broken by determining the distance of planned practice from a named stream or water body as indicated on the USGS topographic map.

    0 – 500 feet = 5 Points
    501 – 1000 feet = 4 Points
    1001 – 1500 feet = 3 Points
    1501 – 2000 feet = 2 Points
    2001 feet = 1 Point

    Note: Land conversions will be limited to cultivated cropland fields planted to forest, hay, pasture or range. There will be no other land conversions, i.e., cutover timberland to hay or grazinglands, and grazinglands and hayland to forestland associated with EQIP in 2006. Pasture and Hayland Planting is not offered to change grass species. There must be less than 50% of desirable grasses in a field to be eligible for this practice. Ponds are only offered for livestock water when no other adequate source of water is available within a grazing unit. Ponds must serve a 20 acre pasture or more, and meeting all NRCS standards and specifications to be eligible for cost share. Boundary or property fences are not eligible for cost share in Texas. Fencing to separate grazing land from cropland, hayland or headquarters is not eligible for cost share. Cost share dollars will not be used to cross fence fields that are without existing permanent boundary fences and are not capable of facilitating livestock.

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