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 financial 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.

2006 Accomplishments

In 2006, West Virginia received 824 applications for EQIP assistance totaling $11,848,848. Funding was available for 247 applications, totaling $5,482,243.

NRCS conservationists developed plans for the following conservation practices:

Summary

West Virginia's Resource Concern Priorities for EQIP in 2006

Some priority resource concerns addressed by local planners include:

• Animal waste and other organic contaminants in ground and surface water
• Classic gully erosion
• Soil Compaction
• Off-site damage from sediment deposition
• Excessive nutrients and organics in ground and surface water
• Excessive seepage
• Excessive suspended sediments and turbidity in surface water
• Forage quality and palatability
• Harmful levels of pathogens and/or pesticides in ground and surface water
• Inadequate cover/shelter and/or food 
• Inadequate quantities and quality of feed and forage
• Inadequate water and/or stock water
• Soil Mass movement
• Noxious and invasive plants
• Objectionable odors
• Soil organic matter depletion
• Plants not adapted our suited for intended use
• Plant productivity, health and vigor
• Reduced capacity of conveyances by sediment deposition
• Road, road sides, and construction sites soil erosion
• Sheet and Rill erosion
• Shoreline erosion
• Streambank erosion
• Animal stress and mortality
• T&E plant species, declining species, species of concern

2006 EQIP success stories:

< Back to 2006 Annual Report