Buena Vista County EQIP

The Environmental Quality Incentives Program (EQIP) is a voluntary conservation program of the USDA Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS) that promotes agricultural production and environmental quality. This program is available to farmers and offers financial and technical assistance to install or implement structural and management practices on eligible agricultural land.

The following are Buena Vista County resource concerns to be addressed by EQIP:

1. Water Quality – Excessive Nutrients and Organics in Surface Water
2. Water Quality – Harmful Levels of Pesticide in Surface water and Groundwater
3. Plant Condition - Productivity, Health and Vigor
4. Plant Condition - Noxious & Invasive Plants
5. Soil Erosion - Sheet and rill
6. Soil Erosion - Ephemeral gully
7. Soil Erosion – Classic gully
8. Domestic Animals - Inadequate quantities and quality of feed and forage
9. Domestic Animals - Inadequate Stock Water   
10. Fish & Wildlife – Inadequate Cover or Shelter 

These resource concerns address the following National EQIP priorities:  

1. Reduction of non-point source pollution, such as nutrients, sediment, pesticides, or excess salinity in impaired watersheds consistent with Total Maximum Loads (TMDL’s), where available, as well as the reduction of groundwater contamination and reduction of point sources such as contamination from confined animal feeding operations.
2. Conservation of Ground and surface water resources.
3. Reduction of emissions, such as particulate matter, nitrogen oxides (NOx), volatile organic compounds, and ozone precursors and depleters that contribute to air quality impairment violations of National Ambient Air Quality  Standards.
4. Reduction in soil erosion and sedimentation from unacceptable high levels on agricultural land.
5. Promotion of at-risk species habitat conservation.

The goal of the locally led group was to recommend a ranking system that rewarded and gave priority to those producers that address the above resource concerns. The ranking will be completed for the specific practices to be applied through the EQIP contract. Sign-up is continuous at the NRCS field office. Application ranking will be done periodically as funding allocations become available, will be announced through the NRCS State Office, and will be publicized by all levels of NRCS. The NRCS may establish local, minimum ranking cut-off levels for funding selection.

The local work group also recommended a list of conservation practices that are the most cost-effective, longest duration and address these priority resource concerns in the district.

For more information on EQIP and other NRCS administrated programs contact the Buena Vista County USDA Service Center located at 1617 N Lake Ave, Storm Lake, IA  50588. Phone (712)-732-3096 Fax (712) 732-6059

The following files require Acrobat Reader.

EQIP Practice List - 2009
EQIP Application Ranking - 2009

EQIP Practice List - 2008    For Archival Purposes Only
EQIP Application Ranking - 2008    For Archival Purposes Only
Nutrient Management Intensity Options - 2008    For Archival Purposes Only

EQIP Practice List - 2007    For Archival Purposes Only
EQIP Application Ranking - 2007    For Archival Purposes Only
Nutrient Management Intensity Options - 2007    For Archival Purposes Only
Pasture Management Intensity Options - 2007    For Archival Purposes Only

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