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Maryland 2007 State EQIP Sign-Up and Application Information

Last Modified: 05/13/2008

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EQIP objectives, as stated in the 2002 Farm Bill, are to promote agricultural production and environmental quality as compatible national goals, and to optimize environmental benefits. EQIP provides assistance to producers to install and maintain conservation practices that enhance soil, water, and related natural resources, while sustaining production of food and fiber. EQIP assists producers to make beneficial, cost effective changes to cropping systems, grazing management systems; waste management systems associated with livestock, and other practices on agricultural land.

Individuals or entities engaged in the production of crops or livestock on eligible land may participate in the EQIP program.  EQIP offers contracts that provide incentive payments and cost-sharing to implement conservation practices. EQIP contracts have a minimum contract length of one year after the last scheduled practice is completed.  The maximum contract length is 10 years. EQIP activities are carried out according to a conservation plan and schedule that NRCS develops with the participant.  This plan identifies the appropriate conservation practice (or practices) that will address identified resource concerns and provide environmental benefits.  The participant agrees to implement practices as scheduled in the contract and according to Maryland NRCS conservation practice standards and designs.

A number of application pools exist.  They include:

  • Livestock-related Agriculture (animal waste management, grazing land management, and poultry house windbreaks)
  • Biodiversity and Forest Management
  • Erosion Control and Crop Management
  • Irrigation Water Management

Additional pools include those that emphasize the development of Comprehensive Nutrient Management Plans (CNMP), Prescribed Grazing Plans, and Forest Management (Stewardship) Plans. A cover crop early planting bonus pool also exists.  In the five southern Maryland counties (Anne Arundel, Calvert, Charles, Prince George’s, and St. Mary’s), there is a pilot effort to encourage implementation of conservation crop rotation and no-till agriculture to improve soil quality.

Applications will be evaluated on a regional watershed basis.  The regions include the following county groups:

  • Western Maryland:  Allegany, Garrett, and Washington Counties
  • Central Maryland:  Baltimore, Carroll, Frederick, Harford, Howard, and Montgomery Counties
  • Southern Maryland:  Anne Arundel, Calvert, Charles, Prince George’s, and St. Mary’s Counties
  • Upper Shore:  Cecil, Kent, Queen Anne’s, and Talbot Counties
  • Lower Shore:  Caroline, Dorchester, Somerset, Wicomico, and Worcester Counties

DISCLAIMER:  The information currently available on this and linked sites may not be the final version of the ranking, application, or conservation practice documents.   Please check with your local NRCS office or check back on this site to ensure that the documents that you use to make a final decision are not a draft version of the ranking, application, and conservation practice worksheets.

EQIP Conservation Practice, Sign-Up, Ranking Documents, Checklists/Worksheets, Tools, and Planning Guides

The following documents require Adobe Acrobat or Microsoft Excel.

2007 Maryland EQIP Handbook (PDF; 597 KB)
2007 EQIP Cost List (PDF; 36 KB)
The benefits of Average Cost-Share Incentive Payment Implementation (PDF; 29 KB)
2007 Tiered Nutrient Management Checklist (PDF; 36 KB)
2007 Tiered Pest Management Checklist (PDF; 35 KB)
2007 EQIP Nutrient and Pest Management Payment Caps (PDF; 27 KB)
Claim Summary Sheet (XLS; 56 KB)
Transfer Agreement (CPA-152) (PDF; 11 KB)
Participant Checklist for NRCS Financial Assistance Contracts (PDF; 26 KB)

Tree Fruit

The following document requires Adobe Acrobat.

2007 Tiered Pest Management Checklist (PDF; 30 KB)
Attachment A - Pheromone Traps and Mating Disruption (PDF; 27 KB)
Attachment B - Tree Fruit Mating Disruption Specifications (PDF; 13 KB)
Attachment C - Pheromone Traps and Pest Phenology Models (PDF; 13 KB)
Attachment D - Intensive Insect Monitoring and Trapping (PDF; 22 KB)
Attachment E - Reduced Risk Insect/Mite Management (PDF; 36 KB)
Attachment F - Biological Control Specifications (PDF; 32 KB)

Web-Based Beginning and Limited Resource Farmer Determination

Links to Other Useful Documents for the 2007 EQIP Program

Contact

Tom Morgart
Phone: (443) 482-2927
Email: thomas.morgart@md.usda.gov

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

or your local service center