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Virginia Environmental Quality Incentives Program (EQIP)
General Program Description
The Environmental Quality Incentives Program (EQIP) is a voluntary program
that provides financial and technical assistance to agricultural producers
through contracts up to a maximum term of ten years in length. These contracts
provide financial assistance to help plan and implement conservation practices
that address natural resource concerns and for opportunities to improve soil,
water, plant, animal, air, energy conservation, and related resources on
agricultural land and non-industrial private forestland. In addition, a purpose
of EQIP is to help producers meet Federal, State, Tribal and local environmental
regulations.
Virginia's EQIP addresses resource concerns important to improving and
maintaining the state's water and environmental quality. EQIP is a voluntary conservation program from the
USDA Natural Resources Conservation Service. It supports production agriculture
and environmental quality as compatible goals. Through EQIP, farmers may receive
financial and technical help with structural and management conservation
practices on agricultural land and privately owned non-commercial forest land.
EQIP is open to all eligible agricultural producers.
Specifically, owners of land in agricultural or forest production or persons who
are engaged in livestock, agricultural or forest production on eligible land and
that have a natural resource concern on the land may participate in EQIP.
EQIP provides financial assistance payments to eligible producers based on a
portion of the average cost associated with practice implementation. Additional
payments may be available to help producers develop conservation plans which are
required to obtain financial assistance.
Applications for EQIP are accepted on a continuous basis, however, NRCS
establishes application "cut-off" or submission deadline dates for evaluation
and ranking of eligible applications. To obtain an EQIP application, visit or
contact your local NRCS field office. Applications that become conservation
program contracts (CPC) are legally binding agreements that define the terms and
conditions of a contract, including the responsibilities of the participants,
NRCS, and technical service providers (TSPs), as well as the consequences of
violating a contract. All conservation practices established through a CPC will
be maintained for the established lifespan. Operation and maintenance (O&M) must
be included for each practice with O&M requirements. This can be incorporated as
part of the practice narrative or through a separate O&M plan, as necessary. The
lifespan of a practice may extend beyond the length of the program contract. The
practice lifespan is defined as the time period in which the conservation
practices are to be used and maintained for their intended purposes, as defined
by NRCS technical references. Practices started or completed before CPC approval
are not eligible for payments, in accordance with the applicable program
regulation and the CPC appendix. Starting a practice or engaging the services of
a technical service provider before the contract is approved by NRCS renders an
applicant ineligible for payment unless a waiver has been granted by the STC.
Requests for a waiver to this provision must be made in writing.
Historically underserved producers (limited resource farmers/ranchers,
beginning farmers/ranchers, socially disadvantaged producers, Tribes) may be
eligible for a higher practice payment rate for the implementation for
conservation practices and conservation plans.
Producers may use a certified Technical Service Provider (TSP) for technical
assistance needed for certain eligible activities, services and the development
of conservation plans. Historically underserved producers may also be eligible
for advance payments up to 30 percent of the cost needed to purchase materials
or contracting services to begin installation of approved conservation
practices.
Ranking PeriodsEQIP applications are accepted year-round. NRCS has established three ranking periods for 2012:
Ranking Period 1: February 3, 2012
Ranking Period 2: March 30, 2012
Ranking Period 3: June 1, 2012
The following documents require
Acrobat Reader.
If you encounter any problems with the files provided on this page,
please contact Ron Wood at (804) 287-1660.
2012 Environmental Quality Incentives Program At A Glance Fact Sheet (pdf,
1.4 mb)
- Animal Waste - Water Quality Concerns - Assistance to construct animal
waste storage and handling facilities for various types of livestock
including dairy, swine, and poultry.
- Cropland - Water Quality Concerns - Assistance to improve soil quality
with crop rotations and high residue crop production in a continuous no-till
program and with erosion control practices.
- Forestry - Water Quality Concerns - Assistance to establish or
re-establish forest trees and with stabilization of logging roads, skid
trails and landings on privately owned noncommercial forest land.
- Grazing - Water Quality Concerns - Assistance to plan and implement grazing
systems with cross-fencing and watering systems, and to establish riparian
buffers, and apply nutrients more efficiently.
- New and Beginning Farmers and Socially Disadvantaged Farmers - Ten
percent of all EQIP funds have been set aside to assist new farmers and/or
historically underserved clients. Landowners certify they belong to one of
these groups. Incentive payments up to 90% for installation of conservation
practices are available for new and beginning and socially disadvantaged
farmers. In addition, individuals may receive up to 30% in advance for
purchasing materials or contracting.
EQIP Archives: FY2011,
FY2010, FY2009,
FY2008,
Contact:
Dan Solomon
(804) 287-1661
E-mail: dan.solomon@va.usda.gov
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