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Cherokee 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 flexible financial and technical assistance to install or implement structural and management practices on eligible agricultural land.

The following are Cherokee County Resource Concerns to be addressed by EQIP:

  1. Soil Condition – Compaction
  2. Soil Condition – Damage from Soil Deposition
  3. Soil Condition – Contaminates Animal Waste and Other Organics N, P, and K
  4. Soil Erosion – Sheet and Rill
  5. Soil Erosion – Soil Mass Movement
  6. Soil Erosion – Ephemeral Gully
  7. Soil Erosion – Classic Gully
  8. Soil Erosion – Stream Bank Erosion
  9. Water Quality – Excessive levels of nutrients and organics in surface water.
  10. Water Quality – Excessive levels of nutrients and organics in groundwater
  11. Water Quality – Excessive suspended sediment and turbidity in surface water
  12. Water Quality – Harmful levels of Pathogens in Surface water
  13. Water Quality – Harmful levels of Pathogens in Groundwater
  14. Air Quality – Objectionable odors.
  15. Air Quality – Excessive Greenhouse Gas – CH4 (methane)
  16. Plant Condition – Productivity, health, and vigor.
  17. Plant Conditioning – Forage Quality and Palatability.
  18. Fish and Wildlife – Inadequate cover/shelter.
  19. Domestic Animals – Inadequate quantity and qualities of feed and forage.
  20. Domestic Animals – Stress and Mortality
  21. Domestic Animals – Inadequate stock water
  22. Water Quantity – Excessive Runoff, Flooding, or Ponding
  23. Water Quantity – Inadequate Outlet

These resource concerns address the following National EQIP priorities of which energy conservation is considered a component of all national priorities under existing conservation practice standards:

  1. Reduction of non-point source pollution, such as nutrients, sediment, and pesticides, as well as the reduction of groundwater contamination and reduction of point sources such as contamination from confined animal feeding operations;      
  2. The 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 practice list that are the most cost-effective, longest duration and address these priority resource concerns in the District.

The ranking will be based on factors established by Common Resource Areas, State, and National priorities. Sign-up is continuous at the NRCS field office. Application ranking will be done periodically as funding allocations become available, which 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.

Animal Waste storage structure will be limited to a maximum of $50,000 per applicant. All practices must meet NRCS standards and specifications to be eligible for EQIP payment. Practices that are already being utilized by an applicant are not eligible for financial assistance. The minimum contract life is one year after implementation of the last scheduled practice with a maximum of ten years.  Implementation of the contract must begin in the first year by successfully applying a scheduled practice. All conservation practices have a designed life span which is usually longer than an EQIP contract. The applicant will be responsible for maintenance and operation for the documented service life of each practice.

The ranking system also targets specific geographic areas that have an added environmental importance. These geographical areas include: the watersheds drainage areas of Mill Creek, the Little Sioux, and the West Fork of the Little Sioux as listed on the 2006 Impaired Water body list. 

Initial EQIP funds will be allocated based on the following percentage unless requests are not received to fully obligate funds within that resource concern.

  • 40%           Livestock Resource Concerns
  • 40%           Soil & Water Resource Concerns
  • 20%           Wildlife Resource Concerns

For more information on EQIP and other NRCS administrated programs contact the Cherokee County USDA Service Center located at 314 Lake St. Phone (712) 225-3769. Fax (712) 225-6090.

The following files require Acrobat Reader.


EQIP Practice List - 2009

EQIP Application Ranking - 2009   

EQIP Nutrient Management Intensity Options - 2009

EQIP Practice List - 2008    For Archival Purposes Only

 EQIP Application Ranking - 2008    For Archival Purposes Only

 EQIP 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

 EQIP Nutrient Management Intensity Options - 2007    For Archival Purposes Only

 

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