Nov. 21 is EQIP cutoff date for Funding of 2015 projects
PINE BLUFF, Ark. – Arkansas farmers and landowners have until Nov. 21, to sign up for financial assistance through the Environmental Quality Incentives Program, known as EQIP, for the 2015 year, said Henry English, head of the Small Farm Program at the University of Arkansas at Pine Bluff.
And, because signup is continuous, if producers miss this deadline, their application will be accepted in future funding.
EQIP provides financial and technical assistance to implement conservation practices. Payments are made after conservation practices and activities identified in an EQIP plan are implemented. Contracts can last up to 10 years.
Socially disadvantaged, beginning and limited resource farmers, Indian tribes and veterans are eligible for an increased payment rate and may receive an advance payment of up to 50 percent to purchase materials and services to implement conservation practices in their EQIP contracts.
Many producers already follow many good conservation practices such as crop rotation, nutrient management and herbaceous weed control, but they do not sign up for these management practices or list them in their conservation plans, English said.
“This is a mistake as acceptance into EQIP and funding are on a point basis. Producers are passing up points and money,” he said. He advises producers that the next time they sign up for EQIP funding to sign up for those good management practices they already use.
The EQIP website lists more than 450 management practices and their corresponding EQIP payment rates.
“Of course, the first step is to develop a conservation plan,” English said. “It can help you decide which USDA cost share assistance programs and practices are suitable for your farm operation to protect and improve your land.”
A conservation plan is a free service provided by the USDA Natural Resources Conservation Service. With your help, an NRCS representative will inventory the resources on your farm and help you interpret the information about the land, its soil and production capability. You can discuss concerns and solutions field by field.
For more information, contact your local Extension associate or sign up at your local NRCS service center.
Pursuant to 7 CFR § 15.3, the University of Arkansas System Division of Agriculture offers all its Extension and Research programs and services (including employment) without regard to race, color, sex, national origin, religion, age, disability, marital or veteran status, genetic information, sexual preference, pregnancy or any other legally protected status, and is an equal opportunity institution.
By Carol Sanders
Cooperative Extension Program
UA-Pine Bluff
Media Contact: Carol Sanders
UAPB School of Agriculture, Fisheries and Human Sciences
(870) 575-7238
sandersc@uapb.edu
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