Houston County 2008 EQIP Program

Executive Summary

The USDA-Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS) in Houston County, Alabama, will hold a signup for the Environmental Quality Incentives Program (EQIP) for the 2008 Fiscal Year. This signup will be held on a continuous basis.

Any eligible landuser with a resource concern or problem on pastureland, cropland, hayland, or forestland may apply for assistance through this program.

Applications can be completed at the Houston County USDA Service Center, Monday through Friday from 7:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. The Houston County USDA Service Center is located at 1849 Ross Clark Circle, Dothan, Alabama 36301. The telephone number is 334-793-2310. Fax number is 334-792-3695. Contact is District Conservationist Joe Wilson.

The local work group has identified the following resource concerns as priorities in Houston County:

• Soil Quality/Erosion Control (emphasis on grass planting).
• Grazing Land
• Forest Health and Wildlife

The first batching period for ranking and prioritizing applications is October 26, 2007. All applications received prior to the scheduled batching date will be ranked using the NRCS Alabama EQIP Scoring System. Funding will be allocated to the applications that will provide the greatest environmental benefits according to the EQIP scoring system. Conservation plans and contracts will be developed with applicants that receive funding. Unfunded applications will be deferred and funded if additional cost-share funds become available.

Any applications filed later than the scheduled batching dates will be deferred and considered for approval in subsequent batching dates if additional funding is received in fiscal year 2008. All unfunded applications on hand as of October 1, 2008, will be cancelled.

Each of the following practices is limited to one hundred acres per participant:

• Conservation tillage (75% residue after planting, small grain is required)
• Pasture/hay land planting (existing cropland only)
• Conservation cropping sequence (sod based rotation, existing cropland).
• Tree planting (longleaf pine, hardwood, & wildlife plantings).

Cost-share for fencing associated with grazing systems will be limited to 8,000 feet. No cost-share will be available for property boundary fencing. No cost-share for livestock shade structures. All components of a grazing system will be installed before installation of livestock water wells.

All cost-share and incentive payment rates are based on the the Alabama NRCS state approved EQIP Practice and Payment Schedule.  Limited Resource Farmers will be paid at an increased payment rate.

Eligible Practices

327 Conservation Cover
328 Conservation Crop Rotation
329A Residue Management, Conservation tillage
340 Cover Crops
342 Critical Area Planting
350 Sediment Basins
362 Diversions
382 Fences
386 Field Border
391A Riparian Forest Buffer
393 Filter Strips
410 Grade Stabilization Structure
412 Grassed Waterways
466 Land smoothing (for terraces)
472 Use Exclusion
512 Pasture and Hayland Planting
516 Pipelines
561 Heavy Use Area Protection
574 Spring Development
600 Terrace
612 Tree & Shrub Establishment
614 Watering Facility
620 Underground Outlets
638 Water and Sediment Control Basin
642 Water Well
647 Early Successional Habitat Development
728 Stream Crossing

County Ranking Tool for FY2008 County Allocations

 These documents may require Adobe Acrobat or Microsoft Excel.

Alabama EQIP Practice and Payment Schedule 2008

Appendix to Form NRCS-CPA-1202: Conservation Program Contract (National NRCS-will open in new window)

Conservation Program Application - NRCS-CPA-1200 (39 KB)

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