California 2008 Environmental Quality Incentives Program (EQIP)

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• Statewide Contacts

2008 EQIP Program Information

Environmental Quality Incentives Program Application Information for Fiscal Year 2008 - Application deadline: Close of Business, Friday, November 2, 2007.

• California Statewide EQIP Program Information
• EQIP Program and Applicant Eligibility
• California County EQIP Program and Application Information - New!
• NRCS Small, Limited Resource and Beginning Farmer Information

Fact Sheets, Forms  & General Information About EQIP

• Current EQIP Program Fact Sheets
• NRCS EQIP National Program Information (including Program, Contract and Funding Information)
• USDA Service Center Electronic Forms

General Program Description

The Environmental Quality Incentives Program (EQIP) was established in the 1996 Farm Bill to provide a single, voluntary conservation program for farmers and ranchers to address significant natural resource concerns. Nationally, it provides technical and financial assistance to address natural resource concerns. Administered by the Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS), EQIP was reauthorized in the 2002 Farm Bill and awards cost share assistance to projects which provide significant environmental benefit. Eligible farmers and ranchers may apply for EQIP program benefits at any time. Application ranking periods are established to allow evaluation of projects and awarding of contracts based upon an environmental score for each application that achieves the natural resource benefits identified by local, state and national priorities. Practices eligible for cost share and the environmental score is calculated based upon ranking criteria developed with input from Local Work Groups (LWG), Stakeholders and the State Technical Advisory Committee (STAC). To be considered for fiscal year 2007 EQIP program benefits, producers must submitt an application and required eligibility documentation to their local NRCS office no later than close of business on November 2, 2007.

EQIP Program and Applicant Eligibility

Eligible producers engaged in livestock or crop production on eligible land may apply for EQIP program benefits. Eligible land includes cropland; rangeland; grassland; pastureland; private non-industrial forestland; and other farm or ranchlands as determined by the Secretary of Agriculture. Submittal of all applications, determination of eligibility and project evaluation is completed at the local NRCS field office level. Producers are advised to carefully review all program applicant and required eligibility information. Additional information can be found at Program Participant Eligibility.  Producers are strongly encouraged to contact their local NRCS and FSA offices to make sure all records are current and correct before submitting a program application. Producers who submit incomplete applications or whose farm records and certifications are not up to date will be deferred for current year program application.

Contacts

Alan Forkey, Program Manager
Phone: 530-792-5653
Email: Alan.Forkey@ca.usda.gov

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