USDA Natural Resources Conservation Service Accepting 2011 EQIP and WHIP Applications through November 30, 2010

Little Rock, Ark., Nov. 5, 2010 – Farmers and landowners in Arkansas have until Nov. 30, 2010, to submit applications to receive cost-share assistance to implement conservation activities through the Environmental Quality Incentives Program (EQIP) and Wildlife Habitat Incentive Program (WHIP) for the 2011 program year. Applicants can sign up at their local U.S. Department of Agriculture Natural Resources Conservation Service field service center.

Environmental Quality Incentives Program (EQIP)

Individuals and other entities engaged in livestock and/or crop production are eligible to participate in EQIP.  Eligible land includes cropland, pasture, private non-industrial forest land, and other farm and ranch lands.

The EQIP deadline is for general, organic, Illinois River Sub-Basin and Eucha-Spavinaw Lake Watershed, Mississippi River Basin Healthy Watershed Initiative and energy sign ups.

EQIP in Arkansas is specifically designed to address the resource concerns of water quality issues related to animal manure management and sediment, improved management of irrigation water and reduction in ground water use, reduction of erosion, and improvement of wildlife habitat. All applications will be evaluated for funding based on a state developed procedure to optimize environmental benefits.  Applications ranking highest in a funding category will be funded subject to availability.

A list of eligible conservation practices and how they apply to regular participants or historically underserved participants (beginning, limited resource or socially disadvantaged farmers or ranchers) will be posted on the Arkansas NRCS Web site at http://www.ar.nrcs.usda.gov/programs/eqip.html. Most conservation practices in the Arkansas EQIP Payment Schedule are set at 60 percent cost-share with some receiving 75 percent. Some practices have payment caps that cannot be exceeded in a single contract.

The 2008 Farm Bill also allows applicants qualifying as historically underserved to receive an additional 25 percent cost-share. However, no applicant can receive more than 90 percent. The Farm Bill also provides advance payments to historically underserved producers, of up to 30 percent of the anticipated costs to be incurred to purchase materials or services to implement a conservation practice.

If a contract is cancelled by the participant or terminated because of non-compliance, the NRCS state conservationist may require repayment of cost-shares already paid or a proportion of the payments.

Wildlife Habitat Incentives Program (WHIP)

The program addresses wildlife habitat in riparian areas, wetlands, uplands and cave ecosystems; and elk and quail habitat. Each area will have specific conservation practices eligible for cost-sharing that benefit certain wildlife species.

The WHIP deadline is for the general and Mississippi River Basin Healthy Watershed Initiative sign ups.

Applicants will be ranked according to how the wildlife habitat development plan will effect certain wildlife populations. The plans will be developed by the landowner with assistance from an Arkansas Game and Fish Commission biologist and NRCS conservationist. The plans will be implemented during a long-term agreement that generally lasts from 5 to 10 years.

A wildlife habitat development plan outlines management practices as well as establishment practices such as planting and seeding. Plans include practices to manage plant succession in fields and forests and may prescribe management techniques such as burning, disking and mowing herbaceous stands.

Plans may also include forest management practices such as forest stand improvement by herbicide treatment and harvesting small groups of trees to create the proper density, composition and age of the stand for different wildlife species. On wetland areas, plans outline dates and rates of water drawdown to encourage different species of annual native plants for waterfowl and shorebirds. The Wildlife Habitat Incentives Program is a voluntary program for people who want to develop and improve wildlife habitat primarily on private land.

For more information on any of these programs, visit http://www.ar.nrcs.usda.gov/programs/ or contact the local USDA/NRCS field service center.

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