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Hale County 2006 EQIP Program

Executive Summary

The USDA-Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS) in Hale County, Alabama, will hold a signup for the Environmental Quality Incentives Program (EQIP) for the 2006 Fiscal year. This signup will be held on a continuous basis.

Any eligible land user who has a resource concern or problem on pastureland, cropland, or hay land may apply for assistance through this program.

USDA- Natural Resources Conservation Service
Post Office Box 98
200 First Street
Greensboro, AL 36744
Phone: 334-624-3265, Extension 101
Fax: 334-624-8419
Hours:  7:30 a.m. to 4:00 p.m.

The first cut-off for applications to be considered under the first ranking and funding period is December 30, 2005. If you file an application later than the deadline for the first funding pool consideration, your application will be considered in the next pool of funding if additional funding is available. Additional cut-off dates will be set as needed until funds have been exhausted.

Program Objective

The overall objective of the EQIP program is aimed at treating resource problems within Hale County to improve conservation and sustain the resource base. This includes cropland, grazing land, and environmentally sensitive areas impacted from food and fiber production.

Selected Resource Concerns

The local concerns to be addressed with the EQIP funds are prioritized as follows:

1. Grazing Land Systems
2. Soil Quality and Erosion
3. Forest Health and Wildlife
4. Water Quality/Animal Waste
5. Water Conservation (Irrigation)

Application Ranking

All applications will be ranked and approvals made based on an environmental ranking worksheet that will insure that the most environmental benefit is received for the dollars expended. All applications will be ranked using the State approved ranking worksheet. Points will be awarded according to the conservation practice needed and priority of resource concern selected. Additional bonus points will be awarded according to the following:

  1. Watershed where tract being treated is located
  2. Tract being treated is located in a watershed where a critically designated stream is identified
  3. Threatened and endangered aquatic species ranges and beneficial practices will be implemented
  4. Tract being treated is located in the county with identified threatened and endangered terrestrial species ranges and beneficial practices will be implemented
  5. Tracts being treated located in watershed with a 303d designated stream indicating an agricultural related source problem and beneficial practices will be implemented to address source of the problem

Individuals with the highest point total generated form this worksheet will be ranked higher in consideration to receive cost-share assistance than those applications with lower points. In the event that a tie occurs on ranking and application the application that was submitted with and earlier date will be ranked higher.

Eligible Conservation Practices

The approved NRCS practice list will be used for selecting eligible cost share practices and incentive payments. The approved NRCS conservation practice list will also be utilized to determine that cost-share percentage for each practice.

The following practice limitations have been set:

Perimeter Fencing 5,280 feet maximum
Pasture and Hay Planting 150 acre maximum
Conservation Tillage 150 acre maximum
Pest Management 150 acre maximum

Special Provisions

Beginning farmers and ranchers that meet qualifying criteria will receive a 20 percent increase in their total ranking score. Limited resource farm applications that have not been funded under the State Concern will be considered under the County Concern that meet qualifying criteria will receive a 90 percent cost-share rate on eligible practices. There will be no increase on incentive payments. Self-certification is required and will be spot checked by the NRCS State Office.

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

  These documents require Adobe Acrobat.

Adobe Acrobat DocumentConservation Program Application - CCC1200 (330 KB)
Adobe Acrobat DocumentState Practices and Restrictions (121 KB)
Adobe Acrobat DocumentState Cost-Share Rates (115 KB)

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