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EXAMPLES: XSUCCEED CONSERVATION PROGRAMS LOSING GROUND: |
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SUCCEED
WITH EQIP Growers understand better than most people the value of farming practices that conserve natural resources and protect the environment. They also know implementing those practices can be expensive and that the costs are often not readily recovered in the short term. Even so, good conservation practices provide long-term benefits to farmers and the entire community. To assist growers with the expense of initiating conservation practices, the 2002 Farm Bill established programs that provide cost share to eligible growers for a wide range of practices on their farms. One of the important programs funded by the Farm Bill is the Environmental Quality Incentives Program (EQIP). EQIP is a voluntary program administered by the Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS). If you have had little experience with the EQIP, NRCS, or government conservation programs, taking advantage of these opportunities may seem challenging. This guide is intended to be a grower-friendly aid that helps you successfully negotiate the steps to applying for EQIP cost share. Here are the basic steps: Step One – Contact your local NRCS office and let them know you want to apply for EQIP The District Conservationist or a conservation planner working with the District Conservationist will help you identify practices that are eligible for EQIP or other federal or state cost share programs. You and the planner will develop a set of conservation practices to implement. The goal is to work together to design a plan that makes sense for your farm, both for resource conservation and maintaining farm production. The District Conservationist will help you identify practices that make sense for your farm and will help you identify which resource needs (such as erosion, pest management improvements, or water quality protection) and the practices that will address those needs. In doing so he or she will also help you determine whether your application is likely to have priority for funding under EQIP. As a general rule, growers who are able to apply multiple practices that improve more than one resource, have a higher priority for funding. Here are some practices to consider for your operation. You may think of other practices that will also qualify.
Once you have decided what you want to do on your farm you are ready to apply. Step Two – Work with NRCS to start your application. You can schedule a time for you to meet with NRCS staff to start your application. The District Conservationist will guide you through the process of applying. While there may seem to be a lot of paper work involved, most of it is for the NRCS staff to fill out and they are skilled in minimizing any headaches for growers. Of course, the information in your application will be kept confidential. For your meeting you will want to have copies of:
You will also want to bring papers that document ownership (or lease) of your farm in order to verify your eligibility. If you are a Limited Resource Producer or Beginning Farmer you may be eligible for higher cost share rates. (Check with the NRCS staff to determine if you qualify.) Step Three - Submit the application to NRCS Once you have completed your application it can be submitted at any time of the year. Selection of applications is usually done at specific times – check with NRCS staff to see if there are any important deadlines for consideration of your application. Applications are ranked, using state and local priorities, with other applications in your county based on the number of points assigned to the practices you want to use on your farm. Again, applications that include multiple practices have a higher priority for funding because they offer greater conservation benefits. All applications are ranked using the same criteria to assure that everyone is treated fairly. The NRCS District Conservationist will let you know whether or not your application is funded. If your application has been accepted, you will complete and sign a contract specifying the cost share and the work you will do on your farm. Useful resources on the Internet For more information
about EQIP visit: To find the NRCS office in your county at: http://www.nc.nrcs.usda.gov/about/. Click “Find a service center” to access the directory. For the latest information on how specialty crop producers can benefit from participation in the conservation programs authorized in the 2002 Farm Bill see: http://www.agcenter.org/progfarmbill.html Acknowledgements: This document is a product of the Putting the Farm Bill to Work Program, a joint project of the North Carolina Christmas Tree Association, North Carolina State University Cooperative Extension, North Carolina Natural Resources Conservation Service and the Center for Agricultural Partnerships. – November 2004 |