Wyoming EQIP
Environmental Quality Incentives Program   
 

Applications are taken on a continual basis. 

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General Program Description

The Environmental Quality Incentives Program (EQIP) provides technical and financial assistance to agricultural producers to implement conservation practices on eligible agricultural land. It is a voluntary program that promotes environmental quality in agricultural production. EQIP was reauthorized in the 2008 Farm Bill and is administered by the Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS).

Producers can apply for financial assistance for many types of conservation practices. All sign-ups are conducted at USDA Service Centers in Wyoming. 

How EQIP is being implemented in Wyoming:

The overall philosophy for EQIP in Wyoming is to meet national priorities, be locally driven, streamlined, and provide flexibility for producers to achieve their diverse conservation objectives.

Wyoming State Conservation Plan/Priorities:

The following priorities are based on recommendations from the Wyoming State Technical Committee. The State Technical Committee is made up of representatives from various producer groups, conservation organizations, agribusinesses, and federal, state, and tribal government agencies.

• Grazing lands management 
• Water quality 
• Irrigation water management 
• Wetlands 
• Prevention of the conversion of agricultural lands to non-agricultural use 
• Excessive erosion 
• Streambank/riparian area protection 
• Fish and wildlife habitat
• Forest health
• Noxious and invasive species
• Energy

The following resource concerns have been identified as a priority across Wyoming. These state level priorities support the national EQIP priorities. Funds are set aside for these priorities and applications are accepted statewide.

Water Quality through  Livestock Waste Management

In Wyoming, EQIP funds will be focused to help producers who want to make changes in their livestock waste management systems. Due to the difficulty producers face in complying with environmental regulations, Wyoming's goal is to assist 100% of applicants seeking this assistance. These funds will assist producers with Animal Feeding Operation/Confined Animal Feeding Operation (AFO/CAFO) regulations and supports the national priority of reducing non-point source pollution.

Livestock Waste Management Ranking Worksheet (PDF, 18 KB)

State Energy Initiative

In Fiscal Year 2012 this initiative was expanded to provide producers an opportunity to convert existing systems on their farm or ranch to a more energy efficient operation or to install an alternative energy source when considering new systems. The opportunity to encourage landowners with expiring Conservation Reserve Program (CRP) acres to maintain the land in permanent vegetation is available as in the past.

Landowners with expiring CRP acres are encouraged to maintain the land in permanent vegetation.  Prior to CRP, these were farmed highly-erodible lands which have been seeded to grass and now provide excellent vegetative cover for the land and habitat to many wildlife species.  Preventing conversion back to farming will result in a significant energy savings in terms of fuel usage.

Under this Initiative, producers may receive financial assistance to install fencing, water developments, and other practices needed to utilize the expired acres for livestock grazing, including a conservation plan for sustainable, healthy use.  Assistance is also available to improve the acres for wildlife habitat. 

In Fiscal Year 2012, producers are encouraged to implement tillage operations that will conserve fuel and leave more crop residue on the surface.  Practices such as minimum tillage or no-till and strip till will result in energy savings. This initiative also encourages producers to replace petroleum driven irrigation systems with an electrical drive or a variable speed drive system. Livestock producers have the option to replace existing electrical systems for livestock water with solar panel pumping plants or windmill systems. Another practice offered to reduce energy usage is windbreak plantings around farmsteads, outbuildings and fields. Participants may consider enhancing an existing windbreak or planting a new windbreak to achieve energy savings. 

Locally Led:

A locally led process is used to determine local resource concerns and priorities. The Local Work Group is normally chaired by the Conservation District and is made up of federal, state and local agency representatives, non-profit organizations, agricultural producers, and other individuals.  Meetings are open to the public. Wyoming EQIP applications are evaluated and selected for funding based on locally developed ranking criteria to optimize environmental benefits. 

Ranking Criteria: 

The following guidance was provided to local work groups in setting priorities and ranking criteria: 

• Stay within national and state priorities

• Optimize environmental benefits 

• Give higher priority to applications that use cost effective conservation practices, treat multiple resource concerns, and encourage a higher level of conservation. 

Each county office in Wyoming establishes its own criteria, within state guidelines, to evaluate and select applications for funding. These criteria are based on the local priorities and objectives for natural resource conservation. The national and state objectives will be amplified by addressing local priorities. Each local ranking process is approved by the Wyoming NRCS State Conservationist.

Allocation of funds:

The majority of funds will be allocated to the county level to support locally-led conservation within state and national priorities. A reserve of funds will be used to address the statewide priority concerns.

2011 Statewide Priority Concerns

• National Colorado River Salinity

• Sage-Grouse Initiative

• Ogallala Aquifer Initiative

• Wyoming State Energy Initiative

• Wyoming Water Quality AFO/CAFO

• Wyoming Wind River Reservation

The remaining funds will be allocated to Wyoming's 23 counties based on the following formula which includes factors that support national and state priorities.

Payment Rates:

Rates will be set at levels that encourage producers to adopt the conservation practice, while optimizing the use of federal funds.

Wyoming Historically Underserved (which includes socially disadvantaged, limited resources, and beginning farmers and rancher) (HTML)
FY 2011 Wyoming EQIP Practice Payment Rates and Guidelines (PDF, 210 KB)

Eligible Conservation Practices

Locally led conservation will be used to identify practices that will be eligible for financial assistance depending on the priority resource concerns. The Wyoming electronic Field Office Tech Guide (eFOTG) contains a list of potential practices eligible for financial assistance.

Producer Eligibility

Any producer engaged in livestock or crop production on eligible land may apply for EQIP. Eligible land includes cropland, rangeland, pasture land, private non-industrial forestland, and other farm or ranch lands as determined by the Secretary of Agriculture.

Generally, EQIP applicants must have an average Adjusted Gross Income (AGI) of less than $1 million over the last three years and must have agriculture income of >$1000. Additional eligibility requirements include completing the AD-1026 Highly Erodible Land Conservation and Wetland Conservation Certification, CCC-931 AGI Certification and Consent to Disclosure of Tax Information, and CCC-901 Membership Information or CCC-902 Farm Operating Plan (for legal entities). Total cost share and incentive payments may be up to $300,000 per individual or entity over the life of the 2008 Farm Bill, regardless of the number of farms or contracts. Contact your local Farm Service Agency office for more information on eligibility.

Accomplishments

Since 1997, over $104 million of EQIP financial assistance has been distributed across Wyoming to address natural resource concerns. These dollars will allow private landowners to implement prescribed grazing and other land treatments on rangeland; install improved irrigation and water management systems on cropland and hayland; address water quality concerns, including livestock waste management; and improve riparian area health and wildlife habitat.

For More Information or to apply for the EQIP program

Please contact the NRCS at your local USDA Service Center. Application signup is an ongoing process and can be completed through your local USDA Service Center with NRCS. The application form is also available here.

State Contact:
Cheryl Grapes, Assistant State Conservationist for Programs, 307-233-6757
Mary Schrader, Resource Conservationist/Farm Bill, 307-233-6762

National EQIP Home Page

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Last Modified: 05/07/2012