Monona 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 Monona County resource concerns to be addressed by EQIP: (as written in Section III of the FOTG):

1. SOIL EROSION: Sheet and Rill; Ephemeral Gully; Classic Gully; Streambank; Wind
2. SOIL CONDITION: Organic Matter Depletion; Compaction; Contaminants – Animal Wastes and Other Organics (N, P, and K); Commercial Fertilizer Contamination (N, P, and K), Residual Pesticides.
3. WATER QUALITY: Excessive Nutrients & Organics in groundwater and Surface Water; Excessive Suspended Sediment and Turbidity in Surface Water
4. WATER QUANTITY: Inefficient Water Use on Irrigated Land
5. AIR QUALITY: Excessive Greenhouse Gas (CO2); Objectionable Odors
6. PLANTS NOT ADAPTED OR SUITED
7. PLANT CONDITION: Productivity, Health & Vigor; Threatened and Endangered Species; Noxious and Invasive Plants; Forage Quality and Palatability; Wildfire Hazard
8. FISH AND WILDLIFE: Inadequate Food; Inadequate Cover and Shelter; Inadequate Space; Threatened and Endangered Species
9. DOMESTIC ANIMALS: Inadequate Quantities and Quality of Feed and Forage; Inadequate Stock 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 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 in soil erosion and sedimentation from unacceptable high levels on agricultural land;
4. 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. Land in the Willow Creek watershed and the Blue Lake watershed will receive points in the local ranking. Payment rates for new or expanding livestock facilities are not included; however, practices and payment rates may be applied toward existing resource concerns. All payments are for practices not currently being utilized. 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 Monona County USDA Service Center located at 607 10th St., Onawa, IA  51040. Phone (712)423-2624. Fax (712) 423-3385.

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 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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