Natural Resources conservation service Cost-share Programs

Helping People Help The Land

USDA-Natural Resources Conservation Service

• Conservation Technical Assistance (CTA)Conservation Technical Assistance (CTA)

• Environmental Quality Incentives Program Environmental Quality Incentives Program (EQIP)(EQIP)

• Wildlife Habitat Incentives Program (WHIP)Wildlife Habitat Incentives Program (WHIP)

• Voluntary ProgramVoluntary Program

• Available to land owners/operators at no cost.Available to land owners/operators at no cost.

• Often results in a conservation plan.Often results in a conservation plan.

Conservation Conservation Technical Technical AssistanceAssistance

Conservation Technical Assistance

A Conservation plan includes:

• Producers objectives/goals;• Aerial photograph of your

operation;• Soils map and descriptions;• Resource inventory;• List of your treatment

decisions;• Location and schedule for

applying conservation practices.

EQIP• EQIP:

– Voluntary program that provides financial and technical assistance to agricultural producers.

• Sign-Up:– Continuous however, NRCS

establishes application “cut off” deadline dates for evaluation and ranking of eligible applications.

• NRCS:– Works with landowners to

develop contracts and implement conservation practices that address environmental natural resource problems and sustain food and fiber.

• Payments:– Made to producers once

practices are completed according to NRCS requirements.

EQIP

EQIP• Rates:

– Up to 75% cost-share for standard contracts and 90% for beginning, limited resource or socially disadvantaged farmers and ranchers.

• Payment limitation:– $300,000 per individual.

• Contract length:– Minimum 1 year after

implementation of last scheduled practice, Maximum 10yrs

WHIP• Sign up:

– Continuous

• Purpose:– Help landowners or

lessees develop and improve wildlife habitat.

– Protect , restore, develop or enhance fish and wildlife habitat.

• Eligible land:– Tribal land, private

agricultural, state and federal lands.

WHIP• Payment Limitation:

– 50,000/person or legal entity/year.

• Rates:– Up to 75% cost-share

for standard contracts. Up to 90% cost-share for historically underserved.

– Applications typically ranked once a year.

Conservation Program Eligibility

• Limited to individuals/entities making less than $1 million/yr average adjusted gross farm income (AGI).

• Unless 66% or more of the income comes from farming, ranching or forestry.

• Secretary of Agriculture can waive AGI limit for projects on environmentally sensitive land.

Alfredo MuñozRangeland Management Specialistalfredo.munoz@tx.usda.gov

Thank you for your time

522 Main Street

Junction, TX 76849

Phone #: (325) 446-2717 x 3

www.tx.nrcs.usda.gov