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Humboldt 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 HUMBOLDT County resource concerns to be addressed by EQIP:

WATER QUALITY

  • Excessive Nutrients and Organics in Surface and Groundwater;
  • Harmful Levels of Pesticides in Surface and Groundwater

SOIL EROSION

  • Sheet and Rill
  • Ephemeral Gully
  • Classic Gully

FISH AND WILDLIFE

  • Inadequate Shelter/Cover

DOMESTIC ANIMALS

  • Inadequate Stock Water
  • Inadequate Quantities and Quality of Feed and Forage
  • Inadequate 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 Daily Lads (TMDL’s), where available, as well as the reduction of groundwater contamination and the conservation of ground and surface water resources.       
  2. Reduction in soil erosion and sedimentation from unacceptable high levels on agricultural land.
  3. Increase overall environmental benefits, for example by addressing multiple resource concerns, ensuring more durable environmental benefits, and limiting adverse ancillary impacts.
  4. Employ appropriate tools to more comprehensively serve EQIP purposes, such as Comprehensive Nutrient Management plans and Integrated Pest Management Plans.

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 local workgroup is comprised of local stake holders and the Humboldt Soil and Water Conservation District.  Applications will be funded based on the local ranking worksheet.  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 Humboldt County USDA Service Center located at 1301 6th Avenue North, Humboldt, IA  50548. Phone (515) 332-3337 ext. 3 Fax (515) 332-3961.

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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