Maine 2009 State Environmental Quality Incentives Program (EQIP) Signup and Application Information
Applications for the Environmental Quality Incentives Program (EQIP) are
accepted at USDA Service Centers in Maine on a continuous basis.
Applicants must then complete a conservation plan with the assistance of NRCS
staff conservationists.
Irrigation
Assistance
Organic Agriculture Initiative
Conservation Activity Plans
General EQIP Program
Description
2009 EQIP
At-a-Glance and Other Program Information
Irrigation Assistance Available Through EQIP
Under the 2008 Farm Bill, priority will be given to water
conservation or irrigation efficiency applications that will reduce
water sue or where the producer agrees not to use any associated water
savings to bring new land under irrigation production.
Maine NRCS will set aside approximately $625,000 in financial
assistance funding for eligible applicants across the state. These
dollars will be used to fund projects that address irrigation
efficiency.
The signup for irrigation assistance is continuous.
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Irrigation Assistance Fact Sheet
Organic Agriculture Initiative
Maine has received funds for a new initiative to encourage more
organic agriculture production. Funding for the initiative is
being made available through EQIP. Successful applicants will
receive funding to implement six priority conservation practices
designed to improve natural resource conditions: (1) Crop
Rotation, (2) Cover Crop, (3) Nutrient Management, (4) Pest Management,
(5) Prescribed Grazing, and (6) Forage Harvest Management.
Applications are being taken on a continuous basis.
If producers who sell less than $5,000 a year wish to use EQIP to
implement practices related to organic production, they may do so;
however, they are required to implement conservation practices for
certified organic production that are consistent with an Organic System
Plan (OSP). Payments are not authorized for activities or practice
components which are solely production related and are not linked to an
identified resource concern. Payments may not be used for any costs
related to organic certification.
News Release
Conservation Activity Plans
Maine NRCS has a new opportunity through the Environmental Quality
Incentives Program to help develop Conservation Activity Plans (CAPs).
A CAP is a specialized conservation plan prepared specifically for a
conservation management unit. CAPs are developed by a Technical
Service Provider, who is certified by NRCS and placed on an approved
list to provide technical assistance to farmers and others for specific
conservation programs administered by USDA. Applications are
accepted on a continuous basis for all plans.
Conservation
Activity Plans
The Environmental Quality Incentives Program (EQIP) offers technical
and financial assistance to agricultural and forest producers to implement
conservation practices. Any producer engaged in livestock or crop
production on eligible land may apply for the Environmental Quality
Incentives Program. Eligible land includes
cropland (as well as hayland), pastureland, private non-industrial forestland, and other farm
lands as determined by the Secretary of Agriculture.
Applications for the EQIP program (PDF, 33KB)
are accepted on a continuous basis, however, NRCS establishes
application “cut-off” dates for evaluation and ranking of eligible
applications.
The Environmental Quality Incentives Program is a voluntary
conservation program from the Natural Resources Conservation Service. It
supports production agriculture and environmental quality as compatible
goals. Through the Environmental Quality Incentives Program,
agricultural producers may receive financial and technical help with
structural and management conservation practices on agricultural land.
The Environmental Quality Incentives Program provides financial
assistance in the form of a fixed
payment rate for each
eligible practice and activity under contract. The payment rate
will be the compensation for the program participant.
Contact
Bill Yamartino
(207)990-9100, Extension 3
E-mail:
bill.yamartino@me.usda.gov
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