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Maryland 2003 State EQIP Sign-Up and Application Information

Last Modified: 05/13/2008

General Program Description

The Environmental Quality Incentives Program Sign-ups are now underway. Applications received on or before July 19th will be grouped and ranked for 2003 funding. Two application pools exist. One is statewide with statewide competition, while the other is countywide with countywide competition.

Environmental Quality Incentives Program: Photo of NRCS District Conservationist and farmer

A statewide sign-up and evaluation is underway  for certain practices. The practices include; animal waste storage, including waste storage facilities, lagoons, roof runoff and contributing watershed management (as it relates to managing animal waste), all other Comprehensive Nutrient Management Plan (CNMP) components, heavy use area protection, composting facilities for animal mortality, and closure of waste impoundments, when they are no longer used for their intended purpose. Also included in the statewide effort are agro-chemical mixing facilities.

EQIP cost-sharing on systems and practices relating to cropland, grazing land, forest land, and irrigation/nurseries is offered on a county-by-county basis. Each county has the ability to determine what percentage of their allocation will be devoted to each of the land use categories and irrigation/nurseries. Every category is assigned a percentage based on the anticipated needs in the categories noted above.

EQIP offers contracts with a minimum term that ends one year after the implementation of the last scheduled practices to a maximum term of ten years. These contracts provide incentive payments and cost-shares to implement conservation practices. Persons who are engaged in livestock or agricultural production on eligible land may participate in the EQIP program. EQIP activities are carried out according to a plan of operations developed in conjunction with the producer that identifies the appropriate conservation practice or practices to address the resource concerns. The practices and incentives are subject to NRCS technical standards adapted for local conditions. The local soil conservation district approves the plan.

EQIP incentive payments may be provided for up to three years to encourage producers to carry out management practices they may not otherwise use. However, limited resource producers and beginning farmers and ranchers are eligible for higher cost-share rates. Farmers and ranchers may elect to use a certified technical service provider for technical assistance. An individual or entity may not receive, directly or indirectly, cost-share or incentive payments that, in the aggregate, exceed $450,000 for all EQIP contracts entered during the term of the Farm Bill.

2003 EQIP General Program Description Documents

EQIP Conservation Practice, Sign-Up, Ranking Documents and Planning Guides

The following documents require Adobe Acrobat.

CCC-1200 Conservation Program Application/Contract (PDF; 132 KB) revised 7/2003
Appendix to Form CCC-1200 Environmental Quality Incentives Program Contract (PDF; 125 KB) revised 7/2003
Maryland County Ranking Criteria and Application Worksheet (PDF; 18 KB) revised 7/2003
Waste Storage Ranking Criteria and Application Worksheet (PDF; 17 KB)
Ranking Sheet for Windbreaks for Poultry Houses (PDF; 12 KB)
Pasture Condition Score Sheet (PDF; 58 KB)
Pond Reconstruction Worksheet (PDF; 12 KB)
Ranking Criteria for Agro-chemical Mixing Facilities (PDF; 12 KB)
Ranking Criteria for Irrigation (PDF; 14 KB)

2003 EQIP Eligible Conservation Practice List (PDF; 14 KB) revised 7/2003
Cattle Feeding & Waste Storage Structure Planning Guidance (PDF; 61 KB)
Guide to Pasture Condition Scoring
(PDF; 5 MB)

The following documents require Microsoft Excel.

2003 County Component Costs (XLS; 703 KB)
2003 Practice Component List (XLS; 591 KB)

Links to Other Useful Documents for the 2003 EQIP Program


Contact

Mark Rose
Phone: (443) 482-2910
Email: mark.rose@md.usda.gov

or your local service center