Madison 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 Madison County resource concerns to be addressed by EQIP:

1. Soil Erosion-Streambank; Sheet and Rill; Ephemeral Gully; Classic Gulley
2. Water Quality-Harmful levels of pathogens in surface water; Excessive nutrients and organics in surface water; Harmful levels of pesticides in surface water; Excessive suspended sediment and turbidity in surface water
3. Air Quality-Excessive greenhouse gas CO2
4. Plant Condition-Noxious and invasive plants; Forage quality and palatability; productivity health and vigor
5. Soil Condition-Organic matter depletion;
6. Fish and Wildlife-Inadequate space; inadequate cover and shelter; T&E species: Declining species, species of concern
7. Domestic animals-Inadequate stock water; Inadequate quantities & quality of feed and forage.

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 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 ranking system that rewarded and gave priority to those producers that address the above resource concerns. Applications from Badger and Cedar Lake watersheds will be given priority because of Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) water quality impairment designations. The North Thompson River Watershed will be given priority because of locally identified flood control 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 Madison County USDA Service Center located at 815 E Hwy 92, Winterset, IA  50273. Phone (515) 462-2961. Fax (515) 462-4569.

The following files require Acrobat Reader.

EQIP Practice List - 2009
EQIP Application Ranking - 2009
EQIP 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

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

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