United States Department of Agriculture
Natural Resources Conservation Service		 West Virginia Go to Accessibility Information
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Environmental Quality Incentives Program (EQIP)

Overview

The Environmental Quality Incentives Program (EQIP) provides cost-share to apply structural practices and incentive payments to address natural resource concerns. In addition to finanical assistance, this voluntary conservation program also provides technical assistance to farmers.

Contracts are based on conservation plans and may be up to ten years in length to provide a long-term commitment for producers to apply needed practices. The program strives to achieve the most environmental benefits possible.

Local Work Groups, convened by Conservation Districts, provide recommendations to NRCS regarding conservation practices for cost-sharing, cost share rates, ranking criteria, sign up periods and other program details. The Local Work Group recommendations are reviewed by the State Technical Committee which provides additional recommendations and advice to the NRCS State Conservationist before final program decisions are made.

2004 Accomplishments

In 2004, West Virginia received 1,102 applications for EQIP assistance totaling $7,280,836. Funding was available for 537 applications, totaling $6,827,100. There were 550 unfunded applications totaling $346,299.

NRCS conservationists developed plans for the following conservation practices:

Animal Trails and Walkways applied (feet)

Composting facilities (number)

Fence (feet)

Heavy Use Area Protection (acres)

Lined Waterway or Outlet (feet)

Livestock Use Area Protection (acres)

Nutrient Management (acres)

Pasture and Hay Planting (acres)

Prescribed Grazing (acres)

Record Keeping (number)

Roof Runoff Structure (number)

Streambank and Shoreline Protection (feet)

Livestock Use Exclusion (acres)

Waste Storage Facility (number)

Waste Utilization (acres)

Watering Facility (number)

9,187

4

1,511,382

9,888

650 ft.

57,690

9,165

5,492

93,658

3,543

1,130

2,400

12,450

139

864

2,120

Summary

Program Financial Assistance Contracts Acres
Environmental Quality Incentives Program (EQIP) $6,827,100 537 48,850

 

West Virginia's Resource Concern Priorities for EQIP in 2004

Priority Resource Concerns Identified by Local Work Groups

  • Quantity and quality of drinking water for Livestock
  • Streambank/Roadbank erosion
  • Plant Productivity
  • Sheet & rill erosion
  • Surface water contamination (nutrients and organics)
  • Surface water contamination (sediment and suspended solids)
  • Plants not suitable for the intended land use
  • Poor soil tilth
  • Surface water contamination (pathogens)
  • Classic gully erosion
  • Wildlife Habitat

Additional Resource Concerns identified by the State Technical Committee

  • Deficient amounts of soil moisture to sustain plant growth
  • Ground water contamination (pesticides)
  • Ground water contamination (nutrients and organics)
  • Ground water contamination (pathogens)
  • Potential objectionable odors from agricultural operations
  • Domestic animals–quantity of food or cover for domestic livestock

2004 EQIP success stories:

Success Story Service Center | RC&D Office
Benefits over the Years White Hall Service Center
Complete Grazing System Increases Herd Size Morgantown Service Center
Cost Sharing Makes Improvements Possible Philippi Service Center
Pasture Management Improves Water Quality and Reduces Erosion Petersburg Service Center
Program Reduced Erosion, Improved Access, and Water Quality Mount Clare Service Center
Solar Pump Demonstration Project Glenville Service Center

< Back to 2004 Annual Report