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U.S. Department of Agriculture
Natural Resources Conservation Service
9173 W. Barnes Dr., Suite B
Boise, Idaho 83709

For more information:
Lee Brooks 378 5720
 

NRCS ANNOUNCES SIGNUP FOR ENVIRONMENTAL QUALITY INCENTIVES PROGRAM

BOISE, FEB. 4, 2003—The Natural Resources Conservation Service is accepting applications now through March 14 for the 2003 Environmental Quality Incentives Program (EQIP).

EQIP is a voluntary conservation program that provides financial and technical help to farmers and ranchers to install or implement structural and management conservation practices on eligible agricultural land.

EQIP was reauthorized in the 2002 Farm Bill with several primary changes that triggered a rulemaking process. NRCS expects the proposed rule to be published in the Federal Register soon for a 30-day review and comment period.

Richard Sims, NRCS state conservationist, said he expects the final rule and program funds sometime in early spring.

"We can take applications and do some preliminary evaluations, but we can’t finalize our ranking system until the final rule is published," said Sims. "We’re encouraging signup now to give our local offices time to process applications and schedule field visits. We hope to be able to notify all applicants of funding decisions by mid-May."

Sims said the new EQIP program represents a wonderful opportunity for Idaho farmers and ranchers to voluntarily address many or all of their conservation goals such as soil erosion, water quality and quantity, animal waste, and wildlife habitat with technical and financial assistance.

Primary changes to EQIP in the 2002 Farm Bill include:

  • The waiting period to receive a cost share payment has been eliminated.
  • Buy down provision has been removed. This allowed for producers to reduce a cost share bid to get their application approved, thus forcing another producer out of rank.
  • Minimum length of an EQIP contract has decreased from five years to one.
  • The operation size limit to receive cost sharing for animal waste facilities has been eliminated.
  • Geographic priority areas have been removed; however, there are still priority concerns.
  • Annual payment limit of $10,000 has been eliminated.
  • Maximum cost share for conservation practices that cost more than $100,000 to install is limited to 50 percent.
  • Provides an overall payment limitation of $450,000 per producer for the life of the Farm Bill.
  • Specifies that all livestock producers receiving funding for animal waste manure systems must have a comprehensive nutrient management plan.
  • Up to 90 percent cost share is allowed for limited resource and beginning farmers.
     

USDA is an equal opportunity provider and employer.

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