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Jackson 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 Jackson County resource concerns to be addressed by EQIP:

  • Water Quality (Surface):  Surface water contamination (nutrients and organics); Pollution problems that result from the application of nutrients, especially N, P and total organic carbon.

  • Water Quality (Ground water):  Surface water contamination (nutrients and organics); Pollution problems that result from the application of nutrients, especially N, P and total organic carbon.

  • Soil Erosion:  Sheet and rill, ephemeral gully, classic gully

  • Plants Management:  Establishment, growth and harvest; Productivity and forage quality.

  • Domestic Animals:  Inadequate Forage and Inadequate Water

  • Soil Condition:  Animal Waste Contamination

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 Loads (TMDLs) 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.

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 Jackson County USDA Service Center located at 603 ½ East Platt Street, Maquoketa, IA  52060-2530. Phone (563) 652-2337. Fax (563) 652-4889.

The following files require Acrobat Reader.

EQIP Practice List - 2008    New!
EQIP Application Ranking - 2008    New!

 EQIP Practice List - 2007    For Archival Purposes Only
EQIP Application Ranking - 2007    For Archival Purposes Only

 EQIP Practice List - 2006    For Archival Purposes Only
EQIP Application Ranking - 2006    For Archival Purposes Only

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