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FY08 Environmental Quality Incentives Program (EQIP) - Oregon

About the Environmental Quality Incentives Program (EQIP)

Current EQIP Application Cut-Off Dates

Environmental and Operational Benefits

Technical and Financial Assistance

FY 2008 EQIP Practice Payment List

Eligibility

Application Evaluation and Ranking

Archived 2007 EQIP Information

About the Environmental Quality Incentives Program (EQIP)

The Environmental Quality Incentives Program (EQIP) is a voluntary conservation program that provides assistance to agricultural producers in a manner that promotes agricultural production and environmental quality as compatible goals. Through EQIP, farmers and ranchers receive financial and technical assistance to implement structural and management conservation practices that optimize environmental benefits on working agricultural land. EQIP is re-authorized through the Farm Security and Rural Investment Act of 2002 (Farm Bill).

Interested parties may apply for the regular EQIP described on this page or through the Ground and Surface Water Conservation (GSWC) portion of the EQIP. EQIP/GSWC is a voluntary program that provides assistance to farmers to conserve ground and surface water in their agricultural operations.

< Go to the EQIP Ground and Surface Water Conservation (EQIP/GSWC) page.

EQIP and EQIP/GSWC applications are accepted through a continuous sign-up process. Local offices periodically announce a cutoff date when applications are ranked for funding. The current cutoff date for EQIP may vary based on location.

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Current EQIP Application Cut-Off Dates

There is no current cut-off date announced. Applications are accepted on a continual basis and will be evaluated for funding at a later date.

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Environmental and Operational Benefits

EQIP assistance helps landowners and agricultural operators implement measures to improve water quality, conserve ground and surface water, reduce soil erosion from cropland and forestland, and improve grazing lands. EQIP assistance also helps people enhance riparian and aquatic areas, improve air quality, and address wildlife issues.

EQIP can provide financial and technical assistance to plan and design such measures as:

Irrigation and water management, including such items as: efficient irrigation upgrades, irrigation scheduling, tailwater recovery systems, etc.
Grazing management: fencing, stockwater systems, range and pasture planting, etc.
Nutrient management: manure storage structures, planned nutrient applications, soil testing, etc.
Pest management: crop and pest monitoring activities, planned pesticide applications, etc.
Forest management: tree planting, pre-commercial thinning, etc.
Erosion control: grade control structures, diversions, water and sediment control basins,
Wildlife habitat enhancement: stream buffers, fish screens, fish passage, upland wildlife habitat establishment, etc.

These and the many other measures included in EQIP can help producers accomplish a variety of operational goals, which may include:

Improvements to the long-term productivity and sustainability of an agricultural operation;
Improved condition of crops and forage for livestock;
Reduced costs for fuel, labor, fertilizers and pesticides;
Energy efficient systems and field operations; and
Compliance with regulatory requirements.

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Technical and Financial Assistance

Technical Assistance: NRCS provides conservation planning expertise to help applicants identify conservation measures suited for the land and land use. In addition, NRCS provides program participants with expertise for structural practice design and development of management strategies to address natural resource needs.

One-Time Practice Payments: EQIP participants may receive a one-time practice payment to offset the costs of certain conservation practices, such as grassed waterways, filter strips, manure management facilities, capping abandoned wells, and other practices important to improving and maintaining the health of natural resources in the area.

Incentive Payments: In addition, incentive payments may be made through EQIP to encourage land management practices, such as nutrient management, manure management, integrated pest management, irrigation water management, and wildlife habitat management. These payments may be provided for up to three years.

Limited Resource Producers and Beginning Farmers and Ranchers: Those who qualify as limited resource producers and beginning farmers and ranchers may be eligible for EQIP payments that are 30 percent above the actual contract amount. Click here for more information on limited resource producers and beginning farmers and ranchers.

EQIP Practice Payment List

The file below includes all practices and activities with the corresponding EQIP payments for NRCS in Oregon. Some practices are applicable only in certain areas, based on local conservation priorities.

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FY 2008 Oregon EQIP Practice Payment List (128 KB) -- New! Updated October 19, 2007

For a list of practices relevant to specific locations and priorities, click on one of the pages below:

Central Coast Upper Willamette Basin
Deschutes Basin
High Desert Basin
John Day / Umatilla Basin
Lower Willamette Basin
North Coast Basin
Snake Basin
Southwest Oregon Basin

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Eligibility

Land Eligibility: Eligible land includes cropland, rangeland, pasture, private non-industrial forestland, and other working farm or ranch lands.

Applicant Eligibility: To be eligible for the program applicants must:

Be an agricultural producer engaged in livestock or agricultural production:
Be in compliance with the highly erodible land and wetland conservation provisions of the 1985 Farm Bill; Provide the Social Security number of all individuals who will benefit from the assistance;
Meet the Adjusted Gross Income provision of the 2002 Farm Bill;
Have an interest in the farming operation associated with the land being offered for EQIP enrollment;
Have control of the land for the term of the EQIP contract; and
Be within appropriate payment limitation requirements. (The 2002 Farm Bill limits the total amount of conservation program payments paid to an individual or entity to an aggregate of $450,000, directly or indirectly, for all contracts.)

For more detailed information on program eligibility, go to the NRCS Directives web page at: http://directives.sc.egov.usda.gov/ Under "Manuals," select "Title 440 Programs," then select "Part 515 Environmental Quality Incentives Program, Subpart F: Program Eligibility."

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Application Evaluation and Ranking

Priorities for EQIP funding are established locally, based on locally identified natural resource needs consistent with state and national EQIP priorities. Local Work Groups convened by local Soil and Water Conservation Districts (SWCDs) provide advice to NRCS about natural resource issues and priorities within their counties. EQIP applications are evaluated based on these county priorities and are then prioritized for funding. Applications that best address natural resources as described in the ranking criteria are prioritized for funding.

For detailed ranking criteria based on location, click on one of the pages below:

Central Coast Upper Willamette Basin
Deschutes Basin
High Desert Basin
John Day / Umatilla Basin
Lower Willamette Basin
North Coast Basin
Snake Basin
Southwest Oregon Basin

For more information on local issues and criteria for the Ground and Surface Water Conservation (GSWC) portion of the Environmental Quality Incentives Program, go to the EQIP/GSWC page.

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Program Requirements

NRCS works with each program participant to develop an EQIP plan of operations. This plan becomes the basis of the agreement between NRCS and the participant. NRCS provides program payments to landowners through contracts that can have a minimum term of one year after implementation of the last scheduled practices and a maximum term of ten years. Participants must complete activities as outlined in the EQIP plan of operations in order to receive program payments.

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How to Apply

Applications may be obtained and filed at any time with your local USDA Service Center or conservation district office. To apply:

Complete a an EQIP application form "CCC-1200" and return it to the local NRCS office.

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EQIP Program Application and Appendix form CCC-1200

Visit the local USDA service center to ensure you are registered in the Service Center Integrated Management System (SCIMS) database and that the following forms are filed and current with the Farm Services Agency:

CCC-526 (Average Adjusted Gross Income Certification) and
CCC-502 or CCC-501a (Farming Operation Individual or Entity Payment Eligibility)

Applications are accepted through a continuous sign-up process. Local decision makers periodically announce a cutoff date when applications will be ranked for funding. Cutoff dates may vary based on location. Click here for current application cutoff dates: EQIP Cutoff Dates by Location

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