Environmental Quality Incentives Program

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Environmental Quality Incentives Program (EQIP)
Welcome To Your EQIP Listening Session
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Environmental Quality Incentives Program (EQIP)

• EQIP was established in the 1996 Farm Bill.
• EQIP is a voluntary USDA conservation program for
  farmers and ranchers.
• In the 2002 Farm Bill, EQIP was re-authorized to
  optimize environmental benefits.

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EQIP Background

• EQIP is a voluntary USDA Conservation
• Program for Farmers and Ranchers.
• EQIP was established in the 1996 Farm Bill.
• EQIP was re-authorized in the 2002 Farm Bill to
  promote agricultural production and environmental
  quality.
• EQIP was designed to assists Farmers and Ranchers
  in Complying with Federal, State, Tribal and
  local regulatory requirements.

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EQIP Background

• NRCS Provides Technical and Financial assistance
  to eligible producers in EQIP. Technical Service
  Providers are also available to provide technical
  assistance.
• EQIP involves Local, State, Tribal and Federal
  Partnerships.
• EQIP encourages enhancements on lands in an
  environmentally beneficial and cost-effective
  manner.

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EQIP Background

• Under EQIP, NRCS provides assistance to promote
  agricultural production and environmental
  quality as compatible goals.

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Environmental Quality Incentives Program (EQIP)

• Technical and Financial Assistance for the
  program is provided by the Natural Resources
  Conservation Service.
• Technical Service Providers (TSPs) may also
  provide technical assistance.

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EQIP National Priorities

• What are the National Priorities?

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EQIP National Priorities

• Reduction of non-point source pollution,
• such as nutrients, sediment, pesticides or
  excess salinity in impaired watersheds and
  reduction of groundwater contamination.

• Reduction of emissions,
• such as particulate matter, nitrogen oxides
  (NO2), volatile organic compounds, and ozone
  precursors and depleters that contribute to air
  quality impairments.

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EQIP National Priorities

• Reduction in soil erosion and sedimentation from
  unacceptable high levels on agricultural land.

• Promotion of at-risk species habitat conservation.

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Implementing EQIP in TN since 1997
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We Need Your Input
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Local Contact Information

• Schedule for Listening Sessions
• DATE DAY TIME COUNTY LOCATION LOCAL CONTACT
• March 1 Tuesday 930-1100 am Madison TACD
  Convention Chris
  Moyers, 731 668-7770
• March 4 Friday 900 -1100 am Cumberland Cumberlan
  d Mountain State Park Restaurant
  Allen Persinger, 615-773-9009
• Alan Neal,
  865-494-2343
• March 7 Monday 100 - 300 pm Bradley Cleveland
  State Community College
  Bill Dailey, 423-472-5731, x 107
• March 7 Monday 600 - 800 pm Montgomery Cooperati
  ve Extension Service
  Louis Boyd, 931-368-0252, x 111
• Chandra Berry,
  931-368-0252, x 5
• March 8 Tuesday 200 - 400 pm Rutherford Lane
  Agri-Park/USDA Service Center
  Larry Robeson, 615-893-9295, x 3
• March 8 Tuesday 600 - 800 pm Washington Jonesbor
  ough USDA Service Center
  Roy Settle, 423-282-3232, x 2
• March 9 Wednesday 900 -1100 am Carroll Carroll
  County Civic Center
  Chris Moyers, 731-668-0700, x 103

A handout is available with this information for
your use at your home location.
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We would like your comments and input on these
two sets of questions
1. What additional natural resource needs are not
addressed by the four current national EQIP
priorities? What is the nature of your
concern(s) and its extent or significance within
Tennessee?
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We would like your comments and input on these
two sets of questions
2. What modifications are needed to the four
existing National Priorities? Do these existing
priorities continue to reflect the critical
national resource needs and concerns?
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Questions

• What additional natural resources needs are not
  addressed by the four current national EQIP
  priorities? What is the nature of your
  concern(s) and its extent or significance within
  Tennessee?

• What modifications are needed to the four
  existing National Priorities? Do these existing
  priorities continue to reflect the critical
  national resource needs and concerns?

• Reduction of non-point source pollution 3.
  Reduction in soil erosion
• Reduction of emissions 4. Promotion of at-risk
  species habitat conservation

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Where Can I Find Additional Information on EQIP
and Other Farm Bill Programs? www.tn.nrcs.usda.gov
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Thank You for Your Comments and Input
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How EQIP Works Nationally
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• (Background information developed for Listening
  Sessions Power Point Presentation)
• ENVIRONMENTAL QUALITY INCENTIVES PROGRAM (EQIP)
• EQIP was established in the 1996 Farm Bill.
• EQIP was re-authorized in the 2002 Farm Bill to
  optimize environmental benefits.
• EQIP is a voluntary USDA conservation program for
  farmers and ranchers to treat identified soil,
  water, air and related natural resources concerns
  on eligible land.
• EQIP encourages enhancements on lands in an
  environmentally beneficial and cost-effective
  manner.
• EQIP assists farmers and ranchers in complying
  with Federal, State, Tribal and local regulatory
  requirements.
• EQIP provides technical and financial assistance
  to eligible producers.
• EQIP involves Local, State, Tribal and Federal
  partnerships.
• Under EQIP, the Natural Resources Conservation
  Service (NRCS) provides assistance to promote
  agricultural production and environmental quality
  as compatible goals.
• EQIP utilizes the technical services of NRCS and
  Technical Service Providers (TSPs).

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• NRCS is asking for your assistance as part of the
  Locally-led and State-led Conservation effort.
• Listening Sessions are being held in every state
  between now and March 25th to obtain feedback
  from the public to see if EQIP continues to
  address national resource needs.
• These sessions will review NRCSs four National
  Priorities and be responsive to any emerging
  resource issues and/or the need to update these
  existing priorities.
• NRCS established the following four National
  Priorities after the 2002 Farm Bill
• Reduction of non-point source pollution, such as
  nutrients, sediment, pesticides, or excess
  salinity in impaired watersheds consistent with
  Total Maximum Daily Loads (TMDLs), where
  available, as well as as the reduction of ground
  and surface water resources.
• Reduction of emissions, such as particulate
  matter, nitrogen oxides (NOx), volatile organic
  compounds, and ozone precursors and depleters
  that contribute to air quality impairment
  violations of the National Ambient Air Quality
  Standards.
• Reduction in soil erosion and sedimentation from
  unacceptable high levels on agricultural land.
• Promotion of at-risk species habitat
  conservation.
• 1997 - 2.8 million
• 550 approved contracts
• 34,076 acres under contract
• 1998 - 2.4 million
• 514 approved contracts
• 36,812 acres under contract
• 1999 - 2.1 million
• 409 approved contracts
• 35, 327 acres under contract
• 2000 - 2.2 million
• 366 approved contracts

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• 1997 - 2.8 million
• 550 approved contracts
• 34,076 acres under contract
• 1998 - 2.4 million
• 514 approved contracts
• 36,812 acres under contract
• 1999 - 2.1 million
• 409 approved contracts
• 35, 327 acres

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• 35, 327 acres under contract
• 2000 - 2.2 million
• 366 approved contracts
• 33,528 acres under contract
• 2001 - 2.5 million
• 366 approved contracts
• 35,355 acres under contract
• 2002 - 2.3 million
• 461 contracts
• 37,719 acres under contract
• 2003 - 6.8 million
• 587 approved contracts
• 48,017 acres under contract
• 2004 - 9.1 million
• 803 approved contracts
• 65,685 acres under contract

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• NRCS uses these National Priorities to guide the
  allocation of EQIP funds to State NRCS Offices.
• NRCS uses these National Priorities in
  conjunction with State and Local priorities to
  assist with prioritization and selection of EQIP
  applications.
• These National Priorities guide local program
  delivery.
• These National Priorities are the current natural
  resource issues that NRCS is targeting to be
  addressed through the use of all applicable USDA
  programs including EQIP.
• Local environmental concerns and conditions from
  counties and states across the Nation have been
  compiled into a National Table of Resource
  Concerns.
• Resource Concerns are identified natural resource
  problems that require specific conservation
  practices to be implemented and maintained in
  order to treat and solve the problem.
• The Table of Resource Concerns is consistent for
  every NRCS field office and is found in Section
  III of the Field Office Technical Guide (FOTG).
• All application ranking processes and criteria
  have to use the Resource Concerns that are listed
  in the FOTG that are specific for the area being
  proposed for treatment. They also will identify
  the associated National Prioirity(s) that is
  addressed by this treatment.
• NRCS has identified specific measures that can
  help EQIP achieve its National Priorities and
  statutory requirements more effectively. These
  measures include identifying and implementing
  conservation practices that
• Increase overall environmental benefits, for
  example by treating multiple resource concerns,
  ensuring more durable environmental benefits and
  limiting adverse ancillary impacts.
• Encourage innovation.
• Comply with the statutory mandate to target,
  nationally, 60 percent of available financial
  assistance to livestock-related conservation
  practices.
• Employ appropriate tools to serve more
  comprehensibly EQIP purposes, such as
  Comprehensive Nutrient Management Plans (CNMP)
  and Integrated Pest Management Plans (IMP).
• As a result of the 1996 Farm Bill, the first
  fiscal year that Tennessee began implementing
  EQIP was 1997. Financial allocations and
  accomplishments by fiscal year are as follows

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• 1997 - 2.8 million
• 550 approved contracts
• 34,076 acres under contract
• 1998 - 2.4 million
• 514 approved contracts
• 36,812 acres under contract
• 1999 - 2.1 million
• 409 approved contracts
• 35, 327 acres under contract
• 2000 - 2.2 million
• 366 approved contracts
• 33,528 acres under contract
• 2001 - 2.5 million
• 366 approved contracts
• 35,355 acres under contract
• 2002 - 2.3 million
• 461 contracts
• 37,719 acres under contract
• 2003 - 6.8 million