EQIP Program in Stephens County

The Environmental Quality Incentives Program (EQIP) offers 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 assistance on conservation practices that will address the identified resource concern identified by the Local Work Group (LWG).

Stephens County Office Information

Interested agricultural producers may apply in person at the Stephens 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 Stephens County:

Objective:

The objectives of the Stephens County EQIP Local Work Group LWG are to promote the use of conservation practices for improving the natural resources throughout the county.

County EQIP Resource Concern:

In Stephens County for 2008, the LWG has identified Plant Condition - Noxious and Invasive Plants and Plant Condition – Productivity, Health and Vigor as the highest priority resource concerns in Stephens County. Brush Management on land classified as rangeland will be given the highest priority for contract funding under the Plant Condition – Noxious and Invasive Plants Resource Concern. Water development, cross fencing, range seeding or pasture planting of degraded rangeland and old cropland fields and grassed waterways will be ranked under Plant Condition – Productivity, Health and Vigor Resource Concern.

Eligible Practices and Payment Rates:

Total incentive payment earned will be the number of practice units completed multiplied by the practice payment rate per unit.

The following practices will be eligible for incentive payments under the Plant Condition – Noxious and Invasive Plants resource concern in the 2008 EQIP program in Stephens County. Brush Management(314) targeting Mesquite, Cedar and Prickly Pear Cactus and Fire Break (394) in conjunction with a Prescribed Burn(338) when followed by aerial chemical treatment of prickly pear. Mechanical Brush management - grubbing, or root plowing when followed by range seeding(550)when required will be limited to a maximum of 320 Ac. Per application.

The following practices will be eligible for incentive payments under the Plant Condition-Productivity, Health and Vigor resource concern in 2008. Range seeding (550) and pasture planting (512) of degraded rangeland and old cropland fields, nutrient management (590) and pest management(595) , ponds/tanks (378), water storage facilities (614), wells(642) and pipelines(516), cross fence (382) (interior only) and grassed waterways (412).

Application Screening Criteria:

High Priority Applications will be applications for which an RMS plan has been developed for the entire operating unit. Those practices contained within the application must be only those practices for which the Local Working Group has determined are priority practices. The plan must have developed and approved prior to September 1, 2007.

Medium Priority Applications will be applications in which a Progressive plan has developed for the entire operating unit. Those practices contained within the application must be only those practices for which the Local Working Group has determined are priority practices. The plan must have developed and approved prior to September 1, 2007.

Low Priority Applications are applications that do not meet the criteria for High or Medium priority, but the applicant would be willing to develop (or revise) a conservation plan (either RMS or Progressive) for the entire operation unit. Those practices contained within the application must be only those practices for which the Local Working Group has determined are priority practices. The development of the conservation plan must be completed by September 30, 2008.
No Priority (None) are applications in which the practices contained within the application are not currently part of an existing active conservation plan (RMS or Progressive) for the entire operating unit and/or applications that contain practices that were not determined priority practices under the resource concerns identified by the Local Working Group and/or the applicant does not want to develop a conservation plan.

Ranking Criteria:

Ranking Criteria: Plant Condition-Productivity, Health and Vigor Resource Concern

100-Points – Does the proposed treated area of this application address Plant Condition-Productivity, Health and Vigor issues pertaining to plant health through the implementation of conservation practices on rangeland that includes only Range Seeding (550) or Pasture Planting (512) of degraded rangeland and old cropland fields and nutrient management (590)and pest management(595) when needed for Range Seeding or Pasture Planting?

75-Points – Does the proposed treated area of this application address Plant Condition-Productivity, Health and Vigor issues pertaining to plant health through the implementation of conservation practices on rangeland that includes only those pertaining to water development such as Wells(642), Pipelines(516), Troughs and Tanks(614) or Ponds(378)?

50-Points – Does the proposed treated area of this application address Plant Condition-Productivity, Health and Vigor issues pertaining to plant health through the implementation of conservation practices on rangeland that includes Fences(382) alone or with any other rangeland practice?

10-Points – Does the proposed treated area of this application address Plant Condition-Productivity, Health and Vigor issues pertaining to plant health through the implementation of conservation practices that includes Grassed Waterways(412) alone or with any other eligible practice?

Note-Any application containing a combination of eligible conservation practices under both identified resource concerns will be given a priority screening of No priority and will not be ranked.

Applications will be ranked using the national ranking tool and points will be awarded according to how your application addresses National, Sate and Local issues with the cost efficiency of the practices needed to solve the resource concerns. Applications will be ranked from the highest to the lowest score until all allocated funds have been exhausted or until there is not enough funds available to fund the next application with the highest score. In the case of a tie, a tracking code randomly generated by the computer software program, Protracts, will be used to break the tie scores. The highest tracking code number will be funded first. Applicant’s not funded will have a choice to defer or cancel their applications.

Practices not on the practice list are NOT eligible for incentive payments.