Decatur 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 Decatur County resource concerns to be addressed by EQIP:

Air Quality

• Excessive Greenhouse Gas-CO2
• Objectionable Odors
• Particulate Matter less than 10 micrometers and/or 2.5 micrometers in diameter (PM 10/2.5)

Domestic Animals

• Inadequate Quantities and Quality of Feed and Forage
• Inadequate Shelter and/or Stock Water

Fish and Wildlife 

• Inadequate Cover/Shelter/Food/Space/Water
• T&E Species: Declining Species, Species of Concern

Plant Condition

• Forage Quality and Palatability
• Productivity, Health and Vigor

Soil Erosion

• Classic and/or Ephemeral Gully
• Sheet and Rill
• Stream bank

Water Quality

• Excessive Nutrients and Organics in the Surface water
• Excessive Suspended Sediment and Turbidity in Surface Water
• Harmful levels of Pathogens in Surface water
• Harmful levels of Pesticides in Surface water

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 Daily Maximum Loads (TMDL’s), where available, as well as the reduction of groundwater contamination and the conservation of ground and surface water resources.
2. 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.
3. Reduction in soil erosion and sedimentation from unacceptable high levels on agricultural land.

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 and gives more points for the higher planned treatment of soil erosion and water quality. The entire county is eligible, but the areas draining into Rathbun Lake, Little River Lake, Lake LaShane, Home Pond, Slip Bluff Lake and North Woods Lake do receive additional points to promote the establishment of permanent practices to improve the water quality for drinking. 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 recommended a list of conservation practices that are the most cost-effective, longest duration and address these priority resource concerns in the district.

In Decatur County three separate accounts will be maintained for the following resource Concerns.  They are soil erosion, water quality, and plant condition. 

For more information on EQIP and other NRCS administrated programs contact the Decatur County USDA Service Center located at 303 SW Lorraine, Leon, IA  50144. Phone (641)-446-4135. Fax (641) 446-3360.

The following files require Acrobat Reader.

EQIP Practice List - 2009
EQIP Application Ranking - 2009
Nutrient Management Intensity Options - 2009
EQIP Pest Management Intensity Options - 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

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