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Environmental Quality Incentives Program (EQIP) - Update

EQIP Offers Assistance to Orchardists for Implementing New IPM Practices

North Central Washington, South Central Washington & Columbia Basin Highlights

The Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS), through EQIP, is offering orchardists financial assistance for 2009 as an incentive to advance the use of integrated pest management practices. EQIP is a voluntary conservation program, which is competitive due to limited funds. In 2008, over $500,000 was awarded for orchard pest management in Washington.

While WSU’s Pest Management Transition Project offers the educational assistance to help growers successfully transition from broad-spectrum insecticides into mating disruption and new reduced risk crop protection materials, EQIP can provide some growers with the financial assistance to make the transition.

This year’s signup deadline is July 15, 2008. Applications submitted prior to the deadline are encouraged by NRCS to allow time for an on-site visit with an NRCS conservationist.

New Considerations for 2009:

Growers may apply to implement both an irrigation system upgrade and pest management.
For the first time, orchardists can qualify for assistance with the costs of new pest management practices without applying for an irrigation system upgrade in three NRCS areas: North Central (Chelan, Douglas & Okanogan counties), Big Bend (Grant, Adams & Kittittas counties) and South Central (Yakima, Benton & Klickitat counties). [Currently not available for Franklin or Walla Walla counties.]
Growers who have applied previously, but were not awarded contracts due to limited EQIP funds, are encouraged to re-apply.

Available Orchard Pest Management Practices

with payments per year for up to three years include:

Codling moth mating disruption - $125/acre
Use of reduced risk pesticides - $75/acre
Conversion to use of low-volume precision sprayers - $50/acre
Required pest management annual plan, including orchard scouting - $1,000 per contract

The combined cap on pest management component payments is $25,000 per contract. Implementation of these practices and payments usually takes place over 2 to 3 years.

If you want to sign up, contact your local Natural Resources Conservation Service office:

Wenatchee – 664-0275	Yakima – 454-5743
Waterville – 745-8362 Ext. 3	Zillah – 829-3003
Okanogan – 422-2750 Ext. 3	Prosser – 786-1923
Ephrata – 754-2463 Ext. 3

Apllication Steps

First, visit the Farm Services Agency (FSA) in the same building as NRCS and update your farm information in their database to ensure your eligibility for EQIP. At the same time, you may stop by NRCS and ask to apply for EQIP. You will sign the application cover sheet. If the full application isn’t completed at that time, NRCS staff will set up a time to meet with you later, to complete the application, which takes about 1½ hours. A farm visit may be included and you can request it, since the NRCS conservationist may help you identify other projects on your property that qualify for assistance, such as eroding access roads.

NRCS conservation Plans

NRCS encourages farmers to develop a plan for conservation of all natural resources on their farms: water, soil, air quality, and wildlife. EQIP applications are ranked on the natural resource benefits provided. In addition to adopting pest management practices that reduce environmental risk, other conservation practices valuable in and around orchards include:

Irrigation system improvements that result in reduced water use and erosion
Soil moisture monitoring for irrigation scheduling
Nutrient management:

Soil testing - to assess nutrients that may leach and affect water quality
Improving soil condition by increasing organic matter with composts

Providing food, water or shelter for wildlife, beneficial insects or native pollinators
Use of fabric mulch (weed barrier) to reduce herbicide use and moisture loss

Download this Sample Inventory Sheet for devoloping an EQIP conservation plan in Orchards.

Who can apply for assistance:

Agricultural producers who make at least $1,000 in gross farm sales.
Applicant must control the land for the contract period (may own or lease).
Individuals or entities that have an average adjusted gross income (AGI) of less than $2.5 million for the three tax years immediately preceding the year the contract is approved.
Growers with an AGI above $2.5 million can qualify if 75 percent of the AGI is derived from farming, ranching, or forestry operation
An owner with multiple entities or management units can apply for separate contracts for those units within the same fiscal year.
The purpose of providing information on your farm to the USDA Farm Services Agency is to determine eligibility.

Eligible land includes: cropland, rangeland, pasture, forestland, and other farm or ranch lands where the program is delivered. Organic and transition to organic orchards are eligible.

For the most up-to-date information and to download the application visit NRCS-EQIP at:

http://www.wa.nrcs.usda.gov/programs/eqip/FY09/index.html

For specific information on ranking criteria for applications, eligible practices and payment limits ("hold downs") go to:

(click on your county) http://www.wa.nrcs.usda.gov/programs/eqip/FY09/eqip_packets.html#South_Central_Team

If you are interested in learning more, please contact:

Naná Simone, Pest Management Transition Project EQIP Coordinator: tel 509-667-9557 or cell 630-2067. Email nanas@nwi.net. (Se habla español).

or visit:

Washington Tree Fruit Research Commission website http://www.treefruitresearch.com/ or the links on the left column of this page.

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