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Kansas 2004 State EQIP Sign-Up and Application Information

General Program Description

Photo of NRCS District Conservationist inspecting clover cover crop with a producer

The Environmental Quality Incentives Program (EQIP) is a voluntary conservation program from the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS).  The program promotes agricultural production and environmental quality as compatible goals.  EQIP offers financial and technical assistance to assist eligible participants install or implement structural and management conservation practices on eligible agricultural land.

EQIP offers contracts with a minimum term that ends one year after the implementation of the last scheduled practice and a maximum term of 10 years.  EQIP activities are carried out according to a conservation plan of operations developed with the program participants.  Conservation practices are subject to Kansas NRCS standards and specifications.  Farmers and ranchers may elect to use a certified third-party provider for technical assistance, if available.

Contracts with confined animal feeding operations (CAFO) are required to develop and implement a comprehensive nutrient management plan (CNMP).  Contracts funded with EQIP Ground and Surface Water Conservation funds will implement conservation measures that result in a net water savings in the agricultural operation of the producer.

An individual or entity may not receive, directly or indirectly, cost-share or incentive payment that, in the aggregate, exceed $450,000 for all EQIP contracts entered into during the term of the 2002 Farm Bill. 

NRCS will establish application evaluation periods and a cut off each year when funds must be obligated.

Applications can be taken at any time during the year.  Sign-up is conducted at local USDA Service Centers. 

EQIP is a competitive program.  Since program implementation in 1997, demand for EQIP financial assistance in Kansas has greatly exceeded the funds available.  Typically, Kansas has been able to fund approximately 30% of the applications received.  With the changes from the 2002 Farm Bill, such as removing “bid-down”, we expect the cost per contract to increase; however, it appears we will receive substantially more funds than in previous years.  Producers should not hesitate to sign-up for the program if they have a resource concern the program seeks to address that needs to be treated.  NRCS is available for assistance to determine if a resource concern exists on the site.

How EQIP Works In Kansas

Priority Natural Resource Concerns

Based on local advice through the Kansas State Technical Committee (KTC) and national EQIP priorities, the following resource concerns were identified as priorities in Kansas for Fiscal Year 2004:

  • Air Quality – Objectionable Odors (Livestock Management)
  • Soil Erosion - Wind
  • Sedimentation of Federal Reservoirs (Soil Erosion - Streambank; Water Quality - Excessive Suspended Sediment and Turbidity in Surface Water)
  • Grazing Lands Health – (Plant Condition - Productivity, Health, Vigor; Plant Condition - Noxious, Invasive Weeds)
  • Water Quality – Excessive Organics in Ground and Surface Water (Concentrated, Non-confined Animal Waste)
  • Water Quality – Excessive Organics in Ground and Surface Water (Confined Animal Waste)
  • Water Quality – Nutrients and /or Pesticides in Ground and Surface Water; Excessive Suspended  Sediment and Turbidity in Surface Water
  • Water Quantity – Inefficient Water Use on Irrigated Land; Aquifer Overdraft

At risk species habitat was identified as a concern.  Kansas NRCS, with advice from KTC, has chosen to address this concern within each of the priority natural resource concerns.  Additional priority is given to those applications whose treatment addresses restoring or improving at risk species habitat that is affected by that priority natural resource concern.

The availability of other programs, both public and private, to assist with activities related to the priority natural resource concerns was considered.  Additional funds are available from other state and federal agencies, as well private organizations, for the treatment of these priority resource concerns and may be partnered with EQIP.

Evaluation Criteria

Statewide evaluation criteria for each concern have been developed and eligible practices identified within each resource concern.  Applications are evaluated by the primary resource concern.  Evaluation criteria consider cost-effective practices, practices that provide long-term environmental benefits, use of practices that promote carbon sequestration and treat multiple resource concerns, compliance with federal, state, and local regulations, and benefit to at-risk species.  Within each resource concern category additional factors are used to sort applications (see Sorting Order within each priority resource concern Application Evaluation Criteria)

The use of geo-spatial data and tools enabled Kansas NRCS to implement a streamlined process that ensures the optimization of environmental benefits in EQIP.  Geo-spatial data was compiled for the allocation and application process.

For the application process, a tool (AV-EQIP) was constructed to gather information used to determine the amount of environmental benefit gained from each application and track location of applications.  Applications are evaluated by determining if they reached threshold priority levels.  The information gathered is transferred to a database which then ranks all the applications, in their appropriate resource concerns, determining the order of optimization of environmental benefits. 

These tools are used extensively after funding decisions are made to evaluate program delivery, assess program effectiveness, and analyze before and after impacts of treatment.

Consideration was given to how adjoining states are addressing the Water Quantity natural resource concern in the High Plains Aquifer region in developing the application evaluation criteria and eligible practices for this concern.

Eligible Practices

Cost-share percentages have been set by the State Conservationist based upon recommendations from the KTC.  Incentive payments may be provided for up to three years to encourage producers to carry out management practices they may not otherwise implement without the incentive.   Incentive payments are limited to $25,000/contract except for those incentives in the Water Quantity priority resource concern that are specifically for conversion to non-irrigated land.

Allocation Process

Allocations are made to NRCS administrative areas for the Air Quality; Sedimentation of Federal Reservoirs; Water Quality - Concentrated, Non-Confined Animal Waste; Water Quality - Confined Animal Waste; and Water Quantity natural resource concerns.  Application in these resource concerns are ranked within the NRCS administrative area.

The following documents require Adobe Acrobat.

Adobe Acrobat Document NRCS Administrative Area Map (95 KB) (Text version)

Allocations are made to the county level for Grazing Lands Health; Soil Erosion-Wind; and Water Quality - Nutrients, Pesticides, Suspended Sediment.  All allocations are based on the amount, type, and the magnitude of the resource concern.  Applications in these resource concerns are ranked within the county.

2004 Application Evaluation Criteria

2004 Eligible Conservation Practices

Application Forms

Application forms are available at your local USDA Service Center or at the national NRCS EQIP website.

Other Links

Contact

Gaye Benfer
Phone: (785) 823-4569
Email: Gaye.Benfer