  |
 |
 |
 |
Vermont Home
About Us
News
Programs
Technical Resources
Partnerships
Contact Us |
   |
|
|
| Vermont 2012 EQIP Information
General Program DescriptionEQIP offers financial and technical help to assist eligible participants install or implement structural and management practices on eligible agricultural land. All approved EQIP contracts will have a minimum term that ends one year after the implementation of the last scheduled practice and a maximum term of ten years. Contracts will provide set payments to implement eligible conservation practices, based on a per unit cost of installing a practice in a typical scenario. Persons who are engaged in livestock or agricultural production on eligible land may participate in the EQIP program. Contracted EQIP activities are carried out according to an environmental quality incentives program plan of operations which is developed with the producer. The EQIP Plan of Operations identifies the appropriate conservation practice or practices to address resource concerns. The contracted practices must be implemented according to NRCS technical standards adapted for local conditions. EQIP payment rates may cover up to 75 percent of the costs of installing certain conservation practices in a typical setting. However, limited resource producers, beginning farmers and ranchers, and socially disadvantaged farmers may be eligible for up to 90 percent. Payments for specified management practices may be provided for up to three years to encourage producers to carry out those practices which they may not otherwise implement. An individual or entity may not receive, directly or indirectly, payments that, in the aggregate, exceed $300,000 for all EQIP contracts entered during the term of the Farm Bill. EQIP participants may elect to use certified Technical Service Providers for technical assistance. EQIP is administered by the U.S. Department of Agriculture Natural Resources Conservation Service.
Forms Needed to Signup: PLEASE NOTE: Practices started or completed before NRCS signs the contract are not eligible for payments, in accordance with program regulation and the Conservation Program Contract (CPC) appendix. Starting a practice or engaging the services of a technical service provider (TSP) before the contract is approved by NRCS renders an applicant ineligible for payment unless a waiver has been granted by the State Conservationist. Requests for a waiver to this provision must be made in writing. Waivers may be considered in special cases for meritorious reasons for applications that meet all eligibility requirements, provided that the practice was not started when the waiver application is made. Vermont Specific EQIP InformationEQIP program sign-ups are conducted at USDA Service Centers in Vermont. 2012 Regular EQIP Funding Pool DescriptionsThe following is basic information for the various funding pools that a participant can choose to enroll their 2012 EQIP application in. Priority resource concerns are mentioned in each funding pool description below. All funding pools are subject to a $300,000 payment limitation, except for the organic initiative (see below). All payments, even EQIP payments scheduled for 2012 and beyond under prior year EQIP contracts, will be factored in to determine the $300,000 payment limit for new FY2012 contracts. Certified organic producers and those transitioning to organic may elect to apply under the organic initiative, or any of the other funding pools available. The organic initiative supports producers who need to install practices in order to obtain organic certification and to maintain organic certification. Practices offered through this initiative include grazing practices, buffers, reduced tillage practices, cover cropping, water conveyance practices, and high tunnels, just to name a few. Organic Initiative applicants are limited to $20,000 per year and $80,000 in any six years. This is why organic producers and those transitioning to organic, who need a costly practice like waste storage, are encouraged to apply to the Structural Pool. For all pools, a forest management plan must be in place prior to undertaking any practice implementation in a forested area. Conservation Activity Plan (CAP) Pool – Applicants who need a forest management plan, nutrient management plan as part of a CNMP, or an agricultural energy management plan must apply for a plan under this funding pool. Program rules require that no other practices except for the plan (one plan per contract) can be included in the final contract. All states are required to offer Comprehensive Nutrient Management Plan (CNMP) – written, Forest Management Plan – written, Irrigation Water Management Plan – written and Conservation Plan Supporting Organic Transition – written, however, if a certified Technical Service Provider (TSP) is not available to write the plan in TechReg (http://techreg.usda.gov/) the applicant’s application is still processed and obligated when funds are available. If there is no TSP in the state to write the plan NRCS modifies the practice out each year until a TSP becomes available. If other practices have been identified without the need of an activity plan, they can be included in a separate contract in one of the following funding pool. Socially Disadvantaged Pool – All practices offered in Vermont’s EQIP are offered in this funding pool. If you meet the definition of a socially disadvantaged producer you need to applying for EQIP under this pool. A farmer or rancher who has been subjected to racial or ethnic prejudices because of their identity as a member of a group without regard to their individual qualities. Socially Disadvantaged Producer means a farmer or rancher who is a member of a socially disadvantaged group. Specifically, a group whose members have been subjected to racial or ethnic prejudice because of their identity as members of a group without regard to their individual qualities. Those groups include African Americans, American Indians or Alaskan natives, Hispanics, and Asians or Pacific Islanders. Applicants self-certify on their application form (CCC-1200) that they are a socially disadvantaged participant. Beginning Farmer Pool - This pool is not limited to just farmers. Any agricultural operator, including forest landowners, who meet the definition of a beginning farmer need to apply for EQIP funds under this pool. All practices offered in Vermont's EQIP are offered in this funding pool. A beginning farmer is an individual or entity who has not operated a farm, or who has operated a farm for not more than 10 consecutive years. This requirement applies to all members of an entity. Also, applicants applying under this pool must materially and substantially participate in the operation of the farm. More information on what a beginning farmer is can be found online at http://www.nrcs.usda.gov/programs/SLB_Farmer/ or by contacting your local service center. Limited Resource Producer Pool - A limited resource farmer or forest owner is an applicant with direct or indirect gross farm sales not more than the current indexed value in each of the previous 2 years, and who has a total household income at or below the national poverty level for a family of four, or les than 50 percent of county median household income in each of the previous two years. All practices offered in Vermont's EQIP are offered in this funding pool. If you meet the definition of a Limited Resource Producer you need to apply for EQIP under this pool. Applicants self-certify that they are Limited Resource Producers on their application form, CCC-1200. Headquarters Pool – If you need to install a facility to store manure, address silage leachate issues, or you need a pad to house your animals in an effort to reduce polluted runoff from entering nearby water sources, the structural pool is the only funding pool that offers these types of practices. A CNMP must be written prior to using funds to implement waste treatment facilities. Cropland Pool –This pool is for operators who need to address soil erosion or water quality concerns by installing agronomic practices such as crop rotations or cover crops or buffers on their cropland. Cropland includes hayland. Grazing Pool - This pool is for operators who need to install grazing practices such as fence, pipeline, watering facilities, or spring development to mention a few. Vegetable or Specialty Crop Pool – This pool is for vegetable operations and specialty crop operations including but not limited to orchards, vineyards, cut flower growers and Christmas tree farms. Prioritized practices offered in this funding pool include irrigation. Irrigation practices are only eligible in EQIP if an irrigation system already exists. Forestry Pool – This funding pool is for those applications that are primarily within a forest. Practices that help to address water quality and soil erosion are included in this funding pool. These practices include invasive species control, forest stand improvement, forest trails and landings (to correct erosion concerns on existing trails only) and access road (to correct erosion concerns on existing roads only). New England / New York Forestry Initiative - The purpose of the Forestry Initiative Pool is to primarily address habitat concerns on forest lands and open lands so long as forest practices are part of the project. Applicants who will be addressing priority wildlife species through such practices as Early Successional Habitat, Forest Stand Improvement, etc. need to apply to this pool. 2012 EQIP Ranking Criteria and Payment RatesThe following documents require Acrobat
Reader. Links to Other Useful Information
Electronic application filing is available through the Electronic Government website. For additional local information or to apply, contact your Local NRCS Office. VT NRCS Office Locations and Contact Information EQIP Information from the National NRCS Website ContactHeather Wetzstein |
|
|
|
Back to Top