Pennsylvania Environmental Quality Incentives Program (EQIP)

General Program Description

EQIP is a voluntary conservation program that helps farmers and owners of agricultural land, including forest landowners, reduce pollution and improve natural resources. EQIP provides technical and financial assistance to help people plan, install and implement structural, vegetative and management conservation practices on agricultural land and forest land.  Financial assistance is provided through incentive payments that are based on average costs to implement conservation practices.  Incentive rates are listed on the annual Practice Payment Rate Schedule. Limited resource Farmers, Beginning Farmers and Ranchers, and Socially Disadvantaged Farmers are eligible for higher payment rates.  EQIP contracts can be as short as one year with a one year maintenance period.  Most contracts are for work that can be completed within four years. Total financial assistance payments are limited to $300,000 per an individual over the six-year period from 2009 through 2014.
 

EQIP National Program Purposes

1. Reductions of nonpoint source pollution, such as nutrients, sediment, pesticides, or excess salinity in impaired watersheds consistent with TMDLs where available as well as the reduction of groundwater contamination and reduction of point sources such as contamination from confined animal feeding operations;

2. Conservation of ground and surface water resources;

3. Reduction of emissions, such as particulate matter, nitrogen oxides (NOx), volatile organic compounds, and ozone precursors that contribute to air quality impairment violations of National Ambient Air Quality Standards;

4. Reduction in soil erosion and sedimentation from unacceptable levels on agricultural land; and

5. Promotion of at-risk species habitat conservation.

Pennsylvania EQIP Program Options

• Air Quality Initiative

• Agricultural Water Quality Enhancement Program (AWEP)

• Chesapeake Bay Watershed Initiative (CBWI)

• Comprehensive Nutrient Management Plan (CNMP)- Incentive payments are available for developing and implementing a CNMP.

• Conservation Innovation Grants (CIG)

• Cropland- Funding for cropland improvements such as waterways and diversions, as well as for core conservation practices, such as nutrient management, no-till, and cover crops.

• Feed Management- Funding for developing and following a nutrition plan that prevents over-feeding of nitrogen and phosphorus-based nutrients.

• Forest Management- Funding for implementing practices in a Forest Management plan.

• Grazing- Funding for establishing or improving grazing systems.

• Organic Farming- Funding for practices transitioning to organic farming or maintaining a certified organic operation.

• Specialty Crops- Incentive payments are available for improving irrigation systems, erosion control, and management practices.

EQIP Eligibility Requirements

• Applicants must be a farmer engaged in livestock or agricultural production on eligible land, or an owner of agricultural land or non-industrial private forest land. Eligible land includes cropland, rangeland, pasture, private non-industrial forestland, and other farm lands, as determined by the Secretary of Agriculture.

• Applicants must comply with USDA’s Highly Erodible Land (HEL)/Wetland Conservation provisions. For HEL, erosion must be reduced to minimum acceptable levels by the first year of the contract. Participants also must comply with Adjusted Gross Income provisions (the three-year AGI cannot exceed $1 million, with some exceptions if at least 2/3 of the income is from agricultural production).

• Priority is given to applicants who have a current conservation plan that addresses soil erosion and, if needed, nutrient management. The conservation plan should describe the practices that will be included on the contract and the schedule for implementing the practices.

• Preference is given to applicants who can complete work within 1-3 years.

• EQIP participants receiving funds for animal waste storage, handling, or treatment practices are required to develop and implement a Comprehensive Nutrient Management Plan

• Participants agree to maintain conservation practices implemented with EQIP financial assistance for the practice life span, which may exceed the length of the contract.

• Conservation Practices must meet or exceed Pennsylvania NRCS standards and specifications.
   

How to Apply for EQIP

EQIP Applications are accepted by NRCS on a continuous basis throughout the year with periodic pooling dates to evaluate, rank, prioritize and select applicants. Monthly cycles will normally be used.

Evaluation and Ranking

EQIP is a competitive program and uses an evaluation and ranking process to assess needs and cost effectiveness. Ranking occurs after applications are first put through a screening tool and are determined to have at least minimal environmental benefits and meet EQIP program purposes. The review of applications for Fiscal Year 2010 contract requests will begin with applications received by the end of December 2009 and will continue as long as funds are available. Because of the large demand for EQIP assistance, funds are sometimes expended after a few ranking cycles.

Funding

Contracts will be awarded to producers with the highest rankings until funds are exhausted.  Upon request by the applicant, applications that are not funded in the current fiscal year funding cycle can be retained for consideration in the next funding cycle.

 

For more information, please contact:
Ed Sanders, PA EQIP Manager, (717) 237-2201 or
Barry Frantz, Asst. State Conservationist, (717) 237-2216

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