Randolph County Ranking Tool for FY2008 County Allocations

Cost Efficiency Score:  Equals the Sum of (each conservation practice’s physical effects times its practice service life) divided by the Sum of (all practice average annual costs identified as addressing resource concerns) times the cost efficiency multiplier (calculation based on 5% of total ranking tool points).

Percentage of Points:  5%

National Priorities

Question and Points:

1. Will the treatment you intend to implement using EQIP result in considerable reductions of non-point source pollution, such as nutrients, sediment, pesticides, excess salinity in impaired watersheds consistent with TMDL's where available as well as the reduction of groundwater contamination or point source contamination from confined animal feeding operations?  100 points
2. Will the treatment you intend to implement using EQIP result in the conservation of a considerable amount of ground or surface water resources?  100 points
3. Will the treatment you intend to implement using EQIP result in a considerable reduction of emissions, such as particulate matter, nitrogen oxides  (NOx), volatile organic compounds, and ozone precursors and depleters that contribute to air quality impairment violations of National Ambient Air Quality Standards?  100 points
4. Will the treatment you intend to implement using EQIP result in a considerable reduction in soil erosion and sedimentation from unacceptable levels on agricultural land?  100 points
5. Will the treatment you intend to implement using EQIP result in a considerable increase in the promotion of at-risk species habitat conservation?  100 points

Total Points 500

State Criteria

Percentage of Points:  35%

Legend:

• G-General questions
• WQ - Water Quality
• FW - Forest Health and Wildlife
• GL - Grazing lands
• SQ - Soil Quality/Soil Erosion

Questions and Points:

General

G1 - Is applicant a beginning or new farmer? (Beginning Farmer has not operated a farm, or has operated a farm for not more than 10 consecutive years. Based on applicant self certification and is subject to spot check.)  60 points

G2 - Does the applicant have a conservation plan developed within the past five years on the offered acres? (This can be a Forest Management Plan, CNMP, etc. developed by NRCS, Conservation District, consultant or Technical Service Provider.)  10 points

G3 - Answer YES if applicant has NEVER had an EQIP contract.  100 points

G4 - Does the applicant have a completed EQIP contract in full compliance in which all practices were performed based on the original schedule? (no modifications were required)  50 points

G5 - Is the majority of land being offered in the watershed of a stream that is on the ADEM 303d list due to pollution from agricultural or grazing lands?  30 points

G - Are the offered acres within 5 miles upstream of a stream segment designated by USFWS as habitat for aquatic T&E species.  50 points

G6 - Will application of requested practices achieve a RMS on these acres?  50 points

Water Quality

WQ1 - Is the applicant willing to install permanent visible markers in animal manure application areas to identify buffer/setback areas where no manure will be applied?  5 points

WQ2 - Is applicant willing to properly dispose of normal animal mortality by using an animal mortality facility?  50 points

WQ3 - Does the applicant plan to use roof runoff structures as part of a roof runoff management system to divert runoff away from animal waste storage areas?  5 points

WQ4 - Does the applicant plan to properly store and mix pesticides at a central agrichemical handling facility or use a portable agrichemical mixing station?  25 points

WQ5 - Does applicant plan to store and manage liquid animal waste according to a Comprehensive Nutrient Management Plan?  100 points

WQ6 - Does applicant plan to store and manage poultry litter according to a Comprehensive Nutrient Management Plan?  75 points

Forest Health and Wildlife

FW1 - Are Timber Stand Improvement practices planned on more half the offered acres?  80 points

FW2 - Are longleaf pine or hardwood seedling planting planned on property on at least half of all the offered acres?  75 points

FW3 - Is early successional habitat management planned on open land (cropland or native grass pasture)? If the answer to this question is yes the answers to questions FW1 and FW2 must be no.  80 points

FW4 - Is prescribed fire planned on property on a 2 or 3 year rotation on at least half of all the offered acres?  20 points

FW5 - Is applicant applying for tree planting, where he/she had lost their newly planted trees during the exceptional drought of 2007?  100 points

Grazing Land

GL1 - Is the applicant willing to implement a prescribed grazing system where pastures are allowed to rest at least 80% of the grazing cycle on more than half of all the offered acres? Example: Five pasture grazing system. Full grazing cycle is 50 days with a maximum of 10 consecutive days on each pasture. Pastures are resting 40 consecutive days. If the answer is yes then the answers to questions GL2 and GL3 must be no.  85 points

GL2 - Is the applicant willing to implement a prescribed grazing system where pastures are allowed to rest at least 75% of the grazing cycle on more than half of all the offered acres? Example: Four pasture grazing system. Full grazing cycle is 56 days, with a maximum of 14 consecutive days on each pasture. Pastures are resting 42 consecutive days before grazing begins. If the answer is yes then the answers to questions GL1 and GL3 must be no.  80 points

GL3 - Is the applicant willing to implement a prescribed grazing system where pastures are allowed to rest at least 66% of the grazing cycle on more than half of all the offered acres? Example: Three pasture grazing system. Full grazing cycle is 42 days with a maximum of 14 consecutive days on each pasture. Pastures are resting 27 consecutive days before grazing begins. If the answer is yes then the answers to questions GL1 and GL2 must be no.  75 points

GL4 - Is the applicant willing to establish and maintain at least five acres of native warm season grasses as part of a prescribed grazing system? Grasses include switchgrass, eastern gamagrass, big bluestem, little bluestem, or indiangrass.  5 points

GL5 - Is the applicant willing to establish perennial legumes into perennial grass pasture land or hayland to improve forage quality, supplying nitrogen and promoting energy conservation? If legumes exist, to qualify, the stand of perennial legumes must not exceed 25% uniform coverage.  5 points

GL6 - Has applicant attended a Grazing School sponsored by a Cooperative Extension, University or Cattlemen's Association in Alabama or other states?  15 points

GL7 - Is applicant needing to replant perennial grasses and/or developing water facilities as a result of damage or loss of water source resulting from the exceptional drought of 2007.  100 points

Soil Quality/Soil Erosion

SQ1 - Will all Class III, IV, V, VI, VII, or VIII cropland be converted to permanent cover (grass or trees)? Conversion must be on more than half of all offered acres. If answer to this question is yes, answers to SQ2, SQ3, and SQ4 must be no.  90 points

SQ2 - Is applicant willing to add a high residue crop, i.e. corn, grain sorghum, to crop rotation, and adopt conservation tillage planted into 75% residue on the same land on more than half of all the offered acres? If answer to this question is yes, answers to SQ1, SQ3, and SQ4 must be no.  90 points

SQ3 - Is applicant willing to adopt conservation tillage planted into at least 50% residue, continuous conservation tillage, on same land on more than half of all the offered acres? If answer to this question is yes, answers to SQ1, SQ2 and SQ3 must be no.  75 points

SQ4 - Is applicant willing to adopt conservation tillage planted into at least 75% residue, continuous conservation tillage, on same land on more than half of all the offered acres? If answer to this question is yes, answers to SQ1, SQ2 and SQ3 must be no.  80 points

SQ5 - Is applicant willing to use legumes included in the cover crop in a conservation tillage system on more than half of all the offered acres?  10 points

SQ6 - Is ephemeral gully erosion or a classical (caving type) gully or critically eroding areas present in or near the field, and is applicant willing to install practices necessary to treat the erosion and reduce off-site damages? This question can apply to any land use.  10 points

Water Conservation

WC1 - Is a center pivot irrigation system to be renozzled?  50 points

WC2 - Are the center pivot irrigation sprinklers to be replaced?  50 points

WC3 - Are center pivot sprinklers to be converted to drop nozzles?  75 points

WC4 - Is a traveling gun system to be converted to a center pivot system?  60 points

WC5 - Is a traveling gun system to be converted to a solid-set sprinkler system?  40 points

WC6 - Is a traveling gun system to be converted to a drip irrigation system?  75 points

WC7 - Is a solid set irrigation system to be converted to a drip irrigation system?  70 points

WC8 - Are solid set sprinklers to be renozzled only?  40 points

County Priorities

Percentage of Points: 40%

Questions and Points

General

1 Applicant is willing to install 3 or more structural practices to address his/her resource concerns? 25 points

2 Applicant is willing to install 2 structural practices to address his/her resource concerns? 50 points

3 Applicant is willing to install 1 structural practice to address his/her resource concerns? i.e. Watering system, pond, spring development. 75 points

Grazing Lands

GL 1 Is applicant willing to treat critically eroding areas or invasive species / noxious weeds in the offered fields in pasture, hayland or silvopasture? All critically eroding areas in the offered fields must be properly treated. Related Practices: 342, 362, 381, 382, 410, 561, 590, 595, 466. 20  points

GL 2 For offered pasture and/or hayland with poor stands or undesirable species on >50% of the acreage in each offered field, is applicant willing to establish desirable perennial forage species on the affected areas? Related Practices: 381, 382, 512, 528, 590, 595, 645 75

GL 3 Is applicant willing to convert or manage existing pasture forages so that about 75% of the forages are cool-season perennials and about 25% of the forages are warm season perennials? Forage species are to be managed in separate stands and not as mixed species pastures. This question applies to a grazing system, the pastures used for a particular herd of livestock. Refer to EQIP handbook for additional guidance.Related Practices: 382, 528, 645, 466, 590, 595, 381, 512. 75 points

GL 4 Is applicant willing to establish heavy use area protection (HUA) for areas that have been damaged by livestock or establish animal trails and walkways or access roads? Examples include existing watering facilities without HUA, whether trough or pond, or static feeding areas. Livestock will be fenced from pond(s) except at site of HUA livestock entrance. This should not be used for maintenance of existing HUA. Related Practices: 342, 382, 484, 560, 561, 575, 590, 472, 422, 575, 466. 40 points

GL 5 Do you wish to treat off-site damage and impacts from livestock such as sediment from erosion and/or nutrients and bacteria to water bodies (streams/ponds/wetlands, sinkholes)? Treatment could include livestock exclusion, buffers, stream crossings, filter strips, hedgerow planting, heavy use area protection, or animal trails and walkways. Related Practices: 342, 382, 391, 393, 472, 512, 516, 528, 561, 574, 578, 580, 590, 612, 614, 638, 642, 717, 575, 466. 35 points

GL 6 Is applicant willing to install seep/spring development(s), pumping plants or pond(s) for livestock water to facilitate prescribed grazing? Ponds will be fenced with Heavy Use Are Protection for livestock access to water. If this water source is chosen, then other water sources should receive a "no" answer. Related Practices: 574, 342, 614, 561, 516, 378, 533, 466. 20 points

GL 7 Is applicant willing to install well(s), pipeline and trough(s) for livestock water to facilitate prescribed grazing? If this water source is chosen then other water sources should receive a "no" answer. Related Practices: 561, 614, 516, 342, 484, 466, 642. 65 points

GL 8 Do you wish to establish a silvopasture, prescribed-grazing system? Related Practices: 342, 512, 590, 595, 382, 614, 516, 642, 378, 574, 660, 666, 528, 561, 381, 414, 645, 791, 466. 20 points

GL 9 Do you wish to control noxious weed/ invasive plant species on property? Related Practices: 595. 20 points

Forest Health and Wildlife

FHW 1 Is applicant willing to plant hardwood seedlings to benefit wildlife and improve diversity? Related Practices: 490, 612, 645, 643, 391. 25 points

FHW 2 Is applicant willing to plant pine seedlings in low density (9 x 12 or wider) AND establish permanent firelanes around stand AND establish 10 percent of stand in openings to benefit wildlife and improve diversity. Related Practices: 338, 383, 394, 490, 612, 655, 645. 40 points

FHW 3 Is applicant willing to thin pre-commercial pine stand to 12 x 12 spacing (300 TPA) or less OR willing to apply imazapyr herbicide to remove invasive hardwoods or invasive species / noxioius weeds from the understory of a thinned pine stand OR apply herbicide to release young longleaf pine seedlings from hardwood or introduced forage grasses? (Prescribed burning is required) Related Practices: 338, 394, 460, 595, 655, 666, 645, 647, 643 35

FHW 4 Is applicant willing to establish a silvopasture, prescribed grazing system(s) from existing pasture, hayland or cropland? Related Practices: 791, 612, 490, 394, 382, 660, 512, 590, 595, 383, 643, 391. 20 points

FHW

5 Is applicant willing to plant longleaf pine seedlings on an 8 x 12 spacing or wider AND agree to prescribed burn same acres on a 2 to 3 year rotation to benefit wildlife and improve diversity. Related Practices: 338, 381, 383, 394, 490, 612, 643, 655, 645, 666, 647. 20 points

FHW 6 Is applicant willing to adjust species composition and reduce stocking rate with chainsaw method on a natural hardwood stand >20 years old OR willing to adjust species composition and reduce stocking rate with mechanical or chemical methods on natural hardwood stand <20 years old? Related Practices 666, 655. 25

FHW 7 Is applicant willing to thin down to 60 basal area twice within a 10 year contract AND prescribe burn on a 2 to 3 year rotation on the same acres? Related Practices: 666, 460, 394, 338, 645, 383. If answer is YES, then FHW 8 is NO. 10 points

FHW 8 Is applicant willing to thin down to 40 basal area AND prescribe burn on a 2 to 3 year rotation on the same acres? Related Practices: 666, 460, 394, 338, 645, 383. If answer is YES, then FHW 7 is NO. 20 points

FHW 9 Is applicant willing to manage>=10 percent of cropland/fallow land in early successional habitat such as strip disking, open land burning, fallowing blocks if fields or field edges on a rotational basis? Related Practices: 643, 338, 394, 460, 647. 20 points

FHW 10 Is site productivity greater than 70? Related Practices: 612, 643,490. 30 points

FHW 11 Is applicant willing to control invasive species on property? Related Practices: 595, 666. 20 points

FHW 12 Are forestry practices needed because of a natural disaster on at least half of all the offered acres? Related Practices: 643, 645, 490, 612, 338, 394, 383, 666. 10 points

FHW 13 Is applicant willing to install new or improve existing forest trails to increase access and reduce erosion? Related Practices: 655, 460, 666. 5 points

Water Quality

WQ 1 Is applicant willing to properly close out an existing waste storage pond or waste treatment lagoon? Related Practices: 313, 359, 360, 378, 634, 590. 10 points

WQ 2 Is applicant willing to install a temporary Waste field Storage system instead of a Drystack structure? Related Practices: 749, 342, 466, 362. 40 points

WQ 3 Is the applicant willing to install a composter to manage normal animal mortality? Related Practices: 316, 317, 590, 595, 342, 466, 362. If answer is YES, then all other mortality questions are NO. 20 points

WQ 4 Is the applicant willing to install an incinerator to manage normal animal mortality? Related Practices: 316, 590, 342, 466, 595, 362. If answer is YES, then all other mortality questions are NO. 30 points

WQ 5 Is the applicant willing to install a freezer or an incinerator with an after burner (air quality) and/or a thermostat (energy conservation) to manage normal animal mortality? Related Practices: 316, 590 , 342, 466, 595, 362. If answer is YES, then all other mortality questions are NO. 50 points

Soil Quality/Erosion

SQE 1 Is applicant willing to use cover crops in a conventional tillage system to reduce erosion and improve soil quality? Practice 340. If answer is YES, then SQE2 is NO. 10 points

SQE 2 Is applicant willing to use precision agriculture techniques and conservation tillage on the farming operation to control traffic and reduce compaction? (I.E. guidance system for rows or for fertilizer and pesticide application) related Practices: 329, 328, 340. 10 points

SQE 3 If fields are above and within 50 feet of a stream or waterbody is applicant willing to apply all needed practices to reduce sedimentation and runoff? Related Practices: 328, 329, 590, 595, 393, 386, 412, 638, 332, 472, 342, 466, 362. 10 points

SQE 4 Do you wish to control noxious weed/ invasive plant species on property? Related Practices: 595. 10 points

SQE 5 Do you wish to use poultry litter as a source of nutrients? Related Practices: 590, 634. 10 points

Contact your local NRCS office for more information.

Additional program information is available at: http://www.nrcs.usda.gov/programs/eqip/.  

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