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Environmental Quality Incentives Program 2006 Archive

EQIP Sign-up Dates
Statewide-Animal Waste Storage Nov. 1 - Dec. 30, 2005
Statewide-Cranberry practices Nov. 1 - Dec. 30, 2005
Statewide Orchard practices Nov.1 - Dec. 30, 2005
County-All other practices Dates set locally between Nov.1 - Dec.30, 2005
County CNMP Nov.1 - Dec. 30, 2005

 
Conservation Practices Eligible for County Signups

Conservation Practices & Ranking Criteria by County for 2006.   
Each county in Wisconsin had different signup dates, practices and rates of cost-sharing for conservation.  Sign-up dates were set locally.  Local work groups selected which practices were eligible in their county from a comprehensive list of practices approved for Wisconsin. 

Waste Storage/Alternative Waste Treatment Practices (NEW)

A statewide sign-up was held from Nov. 1 through Dec. 30, 2005.  New for 2006 was the opportunity to apply for EQIP cost-sharing for Alternative Waste Treatment Practices, which include NRCS Practice Standard 632-Solid/Liquid Waste Separation Facility, and Practice Standard 629-Waste Treatment.

Between 25 to 33 percent of Wisconsin's EQIP funds were set aside for the Waste Storage/Waste Treatment signup. Twenty-five percent  of those funds (up to $1 million maximum) were used for Alternative Waste Treatment Practices. 

Details about the Waste Storage Sign-up. 

Quick Access

EQIP Program Policy (EQIP Manual, Conservation Programs Contracting Manual, Notices, Wisconsin Amendments)

Adobe Acrobat Document.Eligible Conservation Practices, Cost-Share Rates and Limits 2006 - comprehensive list of practices approved in Wisconsin

Conservation Practices & Ranking Criteria by County, 2006 Practices selected by local work groups for county-level program


Microsoft Excel Document.Waste Storage Ranking System


Cranberry Sign-up Info


Wisconsin Tribal Conservation Advisory Council Sign-up Ranking Sheet

Adobe Acrobat Document.EQIP Program Fact Sheet

Past Sign-ups

Results from the 2003 Sign-up
Results from the 2004 Sign-up
Results from the 2005 Sign-up

 

Cranberry Production Practices

The cranberry practice sign-up was a statewide signup, Nov. 1 - Dec. 30, 2005 at all NRCS field offices.   Details about the Cranberry EQIP signup.
 

Orchard Production 

Apple, cherry or other orchard crops were eligible to apply for nutrient/pest  management practices.  The orchard practice sign-up was a statewide signup, Nov. 1 - Dec. 30, 2005 at all NRCS field offices.  
 

Comprehensive Nutrient Management Plans (CNMP)

The CNMP (Livestock Farm Plan) sign-up was part of the local county signups, Nov. 1 - Dec.30, 2005 at all NRCS field offices.     Funds were for development of CNMPs (also called Livestock Farm Plans) for animal feeding operations. 


Eligibility

Any farmer engaged in livestock or crop production on eligible land may apply for EQIP. Eligible land includes cropland; rangeland; pasture; private non-industrial forestland; and other farm or ranch lands, as determined by the Secretary of Agriculture.
 

How EQIP Works

Signup and details about eligible practices and costshare rates will be announced each year.  NRCS will evaluate each application, with higher priorities given to applications that use cost-effective conservation practices, address local priorities, and provide the most environmental benefit.

Farmers will develop a conservation plan, if they don’t already have one, for the acreage affected by the EQIP practices. Conservation practices must meet NRCS technical standards. Farmers may elect to use an approved third-party provider for technical assistance, if available.
 

What Are My Chances of Being Funded?

EQIP is a competitive program. Since program inception in 1997, demand for EQIP financial assistance has exceeded the funds available. Typically, NRCS in Wisconsin has been able to fund about 60 percent of the applicants.  We estimate approximately two of every five applicants in the statewide signups will be successful in securing an EQIP contract this year. Since the signups for most practices are handled on a county basis, individual county results may vary from this statewide average.

Final results for this year's sign up will depend on the number of farmers who apply and the level of funding actually received.

Those applicants who are interested in waste storage should be aware that historically only one in six applications have been successful in Wisconsin.   See the results of the 2003 EQIP Sign-up,  2004 Sign-up, and the 2005 sign-up.

Decision Making Process for EQIP

Input from Outside Groups, Agencies, and Citizens: The list of eligible practices in Wisconsin, cost share rates and limits, eligible resource concerns, and scoring criteria for waste storage were developed based on input and recommendations from the Wisconsin State Technical Committee (WSTC). The WSTC is made up of representatives from various agribusinesses, producer groups, conservation organizations, and federal, state, and tribal government agency representatives.

The list of eligible practices for the county wide signups, county scoring criteria, eligible resource concerns, and cost share rates and limits were based on input from the Local Work Groups (LWG). The LWG is made up of county agency staff. Landowners may provide advice and information to the LWG as part of the locally led process.

The priorities set at the state and county level are those that the WSTC and LWG respectively determined were of the greatest need and would have the greatest positive environmental impact. The scoring process at both the state and local level was developed in order to select those projects that would provide the greatest environmental benefit, and therefore provide the greatest public good.

See EQIP Program Policies, Manual, Wisconsin Notices and Amendments for more information on EQIP rules.



 

 

For More Information

If you need more information about EQIP, please contact NRCS at your local USDA Service Center, or your local land conservation department.