FY04 Environmental Quality Incentives Program (EQIP) - Oregon

DRAFT

General Program Description

Oregon’s Environmental Quality Incentives Program (EQIP) is a locally lead, voluntary conservation program for farmers and ranchers to address their conservation needs. NRCS administers the program based on locally identified natural resource priorities. Local Work Groups (LWG) convened by the Soil and Water Conservation Districts work together to provide advice to NRCS on the priorities that need to be addressed within their area. Together, the LWG and NRCS develop an application evaluation process to select and fund applications consistent with local priorities. A practice cost list is developed to encourage the installation of conservation systems that will address these local goals. Cost lists identify eligible conservation practices, cost-share rates and payments, and the maximum amount payable for a specific practice.

Application Evaluation Process - EQIP Screening Tools & Ranking:

EQIP applications are selected using a screening / ranking process. This is a two-step approach addressing the local priorities and the level of resource treatment.

Oregon has identified 12 resource concerns common across the state that encompass National EQIP priorities. These concerns are related to the locally identified natural resource problems, NRCS conservation planning, and achieving conservation outcomes. This process is consistent with NRCS planning policy and provides quality assurance. Local work groups assign a weight factor to those resource concerns identified as an issue in their local work group area.

After resource problems are prioritized, each LWG has the option of developing screening tools to identify those applications that best address this prioritization of local resource problems. Using these screens, the applications are sorted into groups of high, medium, and low. The high priority groups are ranked first for funding. If additional funds are available, the selection process proceeds to the next priority group. Some LWGs have decided not to use screening tools and to base selection solely on the ranking process.

Along with cost-share lists and rates, screening tools, and the ranking process, NRCS and the local partnership strive to optimize the use of EQIP funds for cost effective investments for local priorities.

For ranking information in specific counties, click here.

Limited Resource Farmer Self-Certification

The following documents requires Adobe Acrobat or Microsoft Excel.

CCC-1200, Conservation Program Contract (336 KB)
CCC-1200A, Appendix to the Contract, EQIP Special Contract Provisions (108 KB)
EQIP Ranking Score Sheet (43 KB)

USDA Service Center EForms Web Site - for instructions and information

Program Contact - Bill White, Leader for Programs (503) 414-3085.

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