Covington County 2008 EQIP Program

Executive Summary

The USDA-Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS) in Covington 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 who has a resource concern or problem on pastureland, cropland, hayland, animal agriculture, or woodland may apply for assistance through this program.

Applications may be made at the NRCS office in the Covington County USDA Service Center located at 23952 Alabama Highway 55, Suite 1, Andalusia, Alabama, Monday through Friday from 7:30 a.m. to 4:00 p.m. The telephone number is 334-222-3519, extension 3, fax number is 334-222-1565.

The USDA Work Group has identified the resource concerns in Covington County listed in priority order:

1. Soil Erosion/Soil Quality
   
2. Grazing Lands
   
3. Water Quality/Animal Waste
   
4. Forest Health and Wildlife
   

All applications will be ranked using the web based ranking sheet and approvals will be given to those applications that will provide the greatest environmental benefits, i.e. those receiving the most environmental points. Contracts will be developed for approved applications in order of descending environmental points until all funds are obligated. Applications will be batched and ranked after cut-off date October 26, 2007. Any applications filed later than this date will be considered in the next pool of funding (if additional funds become available). Additional batching dates will be specified if needed.

Acres for conservation crop rotation (conservation tillage) will be limited to 60 acres per participant. Acres for conservation crop rotation (sod based rotation) will be limited to 100 acres per participant. Tree planting limited to 50 acres; Pasture Planting and Conservation Cover will be limited to 75 acres. Site preparation limited, not to exceed medium site preparation rates. Prescribed burning and firebreaks limited to longleaf planting and management.  Limited Resource Farmers will be paid at an increased payment rate.

Eligible Practices

316 Animal Mortality Facility (Incinerator, Composter, Freezer)
575 Animal Trails and Walkways
327 Conservation Cover (grass planting only)
328 Conservation Crop Rotation (Grassed based rotation)
360 Closure of Waste Impoundments
342 Critical Area Planting
362 Diversion
382 Fence (cross fence only)
394 Firebreak
490 Forest Site Preparation
410 Grade Stabilization Structure
412 Grassed Waterway
561 Heavy Use Area Protection
466 Land Smoothing
634 Manure Transfer (Liquid Waste Only)
512 Pasture and Hayland Planting
516 Pipeline
378 Pond (Livestock Water Only)
338 Prescribed Burning
329 Residue Management (No-Till/Strip-Till, High Residue)
643 Restoration and Management of Rare and Declining Species
381 Silvopasture
578 Stream Crossing
600 Terrace
612 Tree Planting
620 Underground Outlet
472 Use Exclusion
313 Waste Storage Facility (Dry Stack)
359 Waste Treatment Lagoon
638 Water and Sediment Control Basin
614 Watering Facility
642 Water Well

County Ranking Tool for FY2008 County Allocations

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

 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)

<Back to County Information/Map