11/02/07

EQIP SIGN-UP ONGOING:

 The USDA-Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS) has announced that the 2008 Continuous Environmental Quality Incentives Program (EQIP) signup has started in NRCS Field Offices throughout Minnesota including your local Lincoln County office in Ivanhoe.  EQIP continues to be the heart of the NRCS's working lands conservation program.  EQIP is the primary tool for landowners who want to apply soil and water conservation practices.  EQIP provides the necessary technical assistance and cost-share payments for agricultural producers.  Practices included under the EQIP program include structures built to control soil erosion, conservation practices to control feedlot runoff, grazing systems, tree plantings and windbreaks, and incentive programs for improved soil management practices.     

Now with the fall harvest completed, problem areas are visible.  If you have natural resource concerns on your land and are interested in making a commitment to conservation, EQIP could be the answer you have been looking for.  Landowners and agricultural producers who are interested in EQIP are encouraged to sign-up during November for 2008 funding consideration.  EQIP funding is limited so projects are ranked by conservation benefit to soil and water quality. 

To find out more about EQIP in Lincoln County contact the Ivanhoe field office at (507) 694-1630 #3 or visit the Minnesota NRCS website:  www.mn.nrcs.usda.gov        

Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS) Programs include the following:

• Environmental Quality Incentive Program (EQIP)
  EQIP provides incentive payments and cost-share to implement conservation practices.  This program concentrates on improving water quality, conserving both ground and surface water, reducing soil erosion from cropland and forestland, and improving rangeland.  EQIP is also used to improve riparian and aquatic areas, improve air quality, and address wildlife issues.

• Sodbuster/Swampbuster Compliance
   

• Conservation Security Program (CSP)
  CSP is a voluntary program that provides financial and technical assistant to promote the conservation and improvement of soil, water, air, energy, plant, and animal lie, and other conservation purposes on Tribal and private working lands.  This program is limited to specific watersheds throughout the state.
   

• Conservation Reserve Program (CRP)
  CRP encourages farmers to convert highly erodible cropland or other environmentally sensitie acreage to vegetative cover, such as tame or native grasses, wildlife plantings, trees, filterstrips, or riparian buffers.  Currently, a Memorandum of Agreement is in effect to provide for implementation, cooperation, expectations and resposibilities between the NRCS, Farm Service Agency (FSA), and Commodity Credit Corporation (CCC) in carrying out the CRP.

The NRCS provides technical assistance to the agricultural landowners by:

• Review of AD1026 Sodbuster/Swampbuster Compliance
• Conducting a site investigation with the landowner
• Working with the landowner to determine the best management practice (BMP) for the given situation
• Surveying and designing the project
• Producing a rough cost-estimate
• Providing the landowner with a designed plan for submission of bids
• Performing a pre-construction conference with the contractor and landowner
• Supervising construction
• Certifying completion of the project

All practices must be approved for cost-share prior to construction.  Landowners are reimbursed upon completion of the project.

Contacts:

The contacts for the Federal NRCS Programs are as follows:          dennis.johnson@mn.usda.gov or randy.sheik@mn.usda.gov

For information on the Federal NRCS Programs go to:  http://www.nrcs.usda.gov/programs/