NRCS Maryland Announces Sign-up for $6 Million in EQIP Conservation Funding from USDA Farm Bill

Last Modified: 12/21/2005

Annapolis, MD, December 12, 2005 - Virginia (Ginger) L. Murphy, State Conservationist for the US Department of Agriculture's (USDA) Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS) in Maryland, announced that Maryland received approximately $6,057,344 in fiscal year 2006 conservation funding for financial assistance to Maryland's farmers through the USDA Environmental Quality Incentives Program (EQIP), part of the 2002 Farm Bill. NRCS has leadership responsibility within USDA for implementing EQIP.

There will be two sign-up periods for submitting an application for EQIP funds. The first sign-up period began on December 5, 2005 and will end on January 20, 2006. Applications received will be evaluated and matched to funding priorities. The second sign-up period will begin on February 5, 2006 and will end on February 24, 2006. Farmers should contact their local NRCS or Soil Conservation District office, located at USDA Service Centers for more information on eligible conservation practices, the application process, and receiving conservation technical assistance through EQIP.

"Over the past 10 years, NRCS Maryland has provided farmers with $28 million in EQIP funds to pay for conservation projects that address natural resource concerns and protect water quality," said Murphy. " EQIP will help farmers address some of their most pressing local natural resource concerns. The conservation programs and increased funding levels provided by the 2002 Farm Bill offer farmers a tremendous opportunity to improve and conserve natural resources."

“Grazing practices and the development of Comprehensive Nutrient Management Plans (CNMP) will be a focus for EQIP this year,” said Murphy. “Incentive payments will be offered for grazing plans, forest management plans, CNMPs, and irrigation system efficiency studies.  Other local area priority concerns include animal waste management, erosion control, crop management systems, and biodiversity (including forestry). Forestry-related practices, like forest stand improvement, riparian forest buffers, and reforestration, are eligible for cost-share assistance through EQIP. These forestry practices have proven to be beneficial throughout Maryland and help to improve water quality and decrease soil erosion.”

“Conservation practices on cropland are another local focus for the implementation of EQIP assistance in Maryland,” Murphy said. “Landowners working in nurseries and orchards and with specialty crops can apply for assistance in improving the efficiency of irrigation systems and the management of irrigation water, adapting innovative nutrient management techniques, and integrated pest management practices.”

"EQIP provides farmers with a flexible and effective program that offers financial assistance to install conservation practices related to statewide concerns involving animal waste/manure storage, farmstead runoff control, soil erosion, nutrient management and cover crops, forestry, integrated pest management, and prescribed grazing," said Anne Lynn, NRCS Maryland EQIP Program Manager.

“In 2006, EQIP applications will be evaluated on a regional basis,” said Lynn. Practices eligible in the ranking pool categories include:

• Animal waste storage and management and related practices to include mortality issues (incinerators for poultry), and the development of CNMPs,
• Erosion control and integrated crop management systems,
• Grazing systems,
• Biodiversity and forestry practices,
• Irrigation to include micro-irrigation and tailwater recovery systems,
• Poultry house windbreaks, and
• Long term crop residue management incentives for the five counties in Southern Maryland.

EQIP provides cost-share assistance from 50 percent to 75 percent of the cost of certain conservation practices, such as grassed waterways, filter strips, manure management facilities, contour buffer strips, livestock exclusion, and prescribed grazing. Incentive payments can be made for up to three years to encourage farmers to perform land management practices such as nutrient management, residue management, integrated pest management, and prescribed grazing, in the five Southern Maryland counties.

EQIP offers 1-10 year contracts that provide incentive payments and cost-sharing for conservation practices. Applications will be accepted in two batches, then ranked and approved according to environmental benefits. EQIP applications received in NRCS field offices will be evaluated after sign-up closes.

Limited resource producers and beginning farmers and ranchers may be eligible for higher cost-share rates. Now in its second year, NRCS has expanded its national Limited Resource Farmers Initiative to provide $10 million in EQIP funds to encourage limited resource producers and beginning farmers to participate in conservation programs. Farmers and ranchers may elect to use a certified technical service provider for technical assistance. Total EQIP payments are limited to $450,000 per individual or entity for the length of the current Farm Bill – 2002 through 2007. Additional funding of cost-share practices or contracts may be available through Soil Conservation Districts and Maryland’s Conservation Partnership.

One emphasis for this conservation program is the leveraging of EQIP funds with other conservation programs to provide even greater stewardship of natural resources. In addition to USDA EQIP funding, the Maryland Department of Agriculture provides cost-share funds for selected conservation practices, and the combined conservation funding makes it possible for farmers to install conservation management systems that before would have been prohibitively expensive.  The 2002 Farm Bill allows EQIP cost-share assistance to small operations and large confined livestock operations for the construction of animal waste storage or treatment facilities.

EQIP uses the State Technical Committee, an advisory group of government, environmental, and agribusiness officials, to help develop program criteria and state priorities. The State Technical Committee includes representatives from Maryland Soil Conservation Districts, NRCS, USDA Farm Service Agency (FSA), FSA County Committees, Maryland Cooperative Extension, and other federal, state, and local agencies and organizations interested in natural resource protection.

“EQIP sign-up information is on the Internet on the NRCS Maryland homepage at www.md.nrcs.usda.gov in the Programs Section and is also available from the local NRCS office,” said Lynn. “In addition to the program application form, there is additional application information, a list of practices and costs, and specifics on Maryland’s ranking process, including criteria used to evaluate applications.”

NRCS is USDA’s lead conservation agency and has worked hand-in-hand with farmers and landowners for almost 70 years to conserve natural resources on private lands. Maryland’s landowners can learn more about conserving natural resources by contacting NRCS Maryland through USDA Service Centers collocated with their County’s Soil Conservation Districts or by visiting the NRCS Maryland homepage at www.md.nrcs.usda.gov.