Program Guidance 2005 New Jersey EQIP Program

For the New Jersey Environmental Quality Incentives Program, a farmer can apply for cost-sharing and/or incentive payment assistance for any practice that will be included in the approved Conservation Plan for the farm. Each practice, however, can only contribute toward one incentive payment. Additionally, each practice must:

1. meet the applicable Field Office Technical Guide (FOTG) Section IV Standard and Specification, and
2. have a positive effect as shown in the FOTG Section V Conservation Practice Physical Effects worksheets for the identified resource concern, and
3. support one or more of the following systems:

Applicants who address two or more of the above systems will be eligible for cost share rates 15% higher than what is listed. (example: 45% NTE rises to 60%; 60% NTE rises to 75%).

Limited Resource and/or Beginning Farmers and Ranchers will be eligible for cost share rates 30% higher than what is listed. (example: systems listed above at 45% cost share 75% of NTE; systems listed above at 60% cost share 90% of NTE).

1. Nutrient and Pest Management System

This system consists of implementing two practices on cropland, Pest Management and Nutrient Management, at either the basic or advanced level. Pest scouting, soil testing, and manure analysis (if applicable) are primary components of the basic systems. Advanced systems include more detailed soil and tissue analysis, site specific application rates, and other enhancements. Drainage, if required for the control of phytophthera, is included. Nutrient Management is eligible as a stand-alone practice on any cropland. Pest Management is approved as a stand-alone practice only on land where a CNMP incentive payment for manure application is in effect.

Funds are available to hire certified nutrient and pest management specialists for professional on-farm planning and scouting assistance through a technical service provider agreement prepared after contracting is complete. However, applicants are encouraged to contact technical service providers prior to contract signing to ensure availability since NRCS does not provide these services.

Incentive payments are authorized at the following levels:

• Basic Nutrient Management on any cropland $10/acre
• Advanced Nutrient Management on any cropland $30/acre
• Basic Pest Management
  • on fruit, vegetables or sod $15/acre
  • on grain or forage $10/acre
  • on greenhouses $15/acre
• Advanced Pest Management
  • on fruit, vegetables or sod $40/acre
  • on grain or forage $28/acre
  • on greenhouses $40/acre
• Cost Share is authorized as follows:
  •  Phytophthera control 45% of NTE

2. Livestock Management System

A. Prescribed Grazing System

Prescribed grazing consists of proper stocking rates, pasture rotation schedules, control of access to streams and other water bodies, watering facilities, proper vegetation selection and management, or other practice needed to meet the prescribed grazing standard.

Incentive payments are authorized at the following levels:

•  Prescribed Grazing System $25/acre

Cost Share is authorized as follows:

• Required engineering practices 60% of NTE
• Pasture and Hayland Planting 60% of FR (FR = $400/acre)

B. Management Intensive System

A livestock operation that maximizes pasture utilization, on an intensively rotated schedule. Pastures are perceived to be intensively rotated when livestock are rotated at a minimum of every 2 days, except a lactating dairy herd which is rotated on a minimum of every 24 hours. Rations of mature animals should consist of approximately 80% grass, either pasture or dry hay. Pastures are broken down into a series of cells with the use of movable fencing to allow strip grazing. Height of forage is the critical factor in determining frequency and duration of grazing.

Incentive payments are authorized at the following levels:

• Grassed-based System - $85/acre

Cost Share is authorized as follows:

• Required engineering practices - 60% of NTE
• Pasture and Hayland Planting - 60% of FR (FR = $400/acre)

3. Animal Waste System

Animal waste systems reduce pollution potential and can conserve more nutrients for land application and plant utilization. Includes storage and/or composting of livestock waste and livestock yards management needed to implement a Comprehensive Nutrient Management Plan (CNMP).

Incentive payments for CNMP implementation begin after all required conservation practices are installed and fully functional. Incentive payments are authorized at the following levels:

• Implementation of a CNMP - $10 /AU or
• (Landowner discretion) - $30/acre

Cost Share is authorized as follows: 60% of NTE

4. Erosion Control System

A. Sheet and Rill Erosion

A combination of management practices that control sheet and rill erosion to the tolerable level (T), or if T cannot be achieved, to reduce current erosion rates by 50% or greater. Each cost-shared component must be newly implemented on the farm to qualify for the incentive payment.

Incentive payments are authorized at the following levels:

• Management practices for sheet & rill erosion (Alley cropping, Conservation Crop Rotation, Seasonal Residue Use, Contour Farming, Row Arrangement, Residue Use (no-till, mulch-till or ridge-till), and/or Strip cropping - $30/acre
• Cover Crop - $30/acre

B. Gully and Ephemeral Erosion

Structural measures used to control gullies and ephemeral erosion problems on specific areas are independently eligible for cost-share.

Cost Share is authorized as follows:

• Structural measures to control gullies - 60% of NTE

5. Permanent Vegetation Establishment

Vegetation (grass, shrubs, and/or trees) can be used to reduce wind damage to crops, decrease erosion from cropland, and increase diversity and wildlife habitat. Practices include vegetative barriers, wind breaks, conversion of cropland eroding at >=2T, vegetative filter strips, field borders, riparian buffers, and vegetative measures on eroding banks of ditches, streams, and water bodies. Any planned practice can be contracted.

Cost Share is authorized as follows:

• Establishment of permanent vegetation - 45% of NTE
• Establishment of 100% native species - 60% of NTE

6. Agricultural Chemical Handling (ACH) facility

ACH facilities provide a safe location for agri-chemical mixing and loading. Storage may be included. Security and location of the facility are important considerations.

Cost Share is authorized as follows: 45% of NTE

7. Water Conservation System

Cost share is only available on lands that have been irrigated two out of the past five years for any of the following options:

A. Irrigation Water Management (IWM)

The proper application of irrigation water to match the crop need at various growth stages, and the soil infiltration and water holding capacities. Requires the development of an IWM plan, soil moisture monitoring, and water application record keeping.

Incentive payments are authorized at the following levels:

• IWM on fruit, vegetables, nursery or sod - $60/acre
• IWM on other crops - $40/acre

Cost Share is authorized as follows:

• IWM hardware - 60% of NTE

B. Tailwater Recovery System

Permanently installed system to collect, store and transport irrigation tailwater and designed to NRCS standards and specifications. Full IWM implementation is required.

Cost Share is authorized as follows: 45% of NTE

C. Irrigation System

Permanently installed upgrades to an existing irrigation system where system will be 80% efficient upon completion. Full IWM implementation is required for all systems. Cost share is authorized for required permanent, portable, or submersible pumps associated with and used exclusively for these systems. Cost share is not available to develop or enhance water supplies. If a portable pump has been cost-shared under this program, full accountability for pump use and location is also required.

Cost Share is authorized as follows: 45% of NTE

D. Well Decommissioning

The sealing and permanent closure of a water well no longer in use in order to prevent the entry of contaminated surface water into the well, the migration of contaminants into unsaturated (vadose) zones or saturated zones, or to prevent the commingling of chemically or physically different ground waters between separate water bearing zones.

Cost share is authorized as follows: 45% of NTE

8. Agricultural Runoff Management System

Permanently installed conservation practices to safely redirect into surface or ground water outlets the runoff from

1. impervious surfaces that were in existence on the effective date of the NJ Stormwater Management Rules, or
2. any other agricultural runoff concern except as required under another cost-shared system such as Animal Waste System.

Practices may include but are not limited to Roof Runoff Management, Infiltration Trench, Underground Outlet, Filter Strip, or Structure for Water Control.

Cost Share is authorized as follows: 45% of NTE

Definitions and notes:

NTE: means the actual cost, based on bills submitted and items authorized for payment, not to exceed the average cost for the practice as per the approved average cost table in effect at the time the contract is approved.

FR: Flat Rate Cost Share is the term used in the contract for Incentive Payment.

Practice length: Any practice receiving an incentive payment must be successfully implemented for three years.

Drainage: No drainage practice is eligible as a stand-alone practice under any system for the purpose of lowering the water table.

 

Applicants who address two or more of the above systems will be eligible for cost share rates 15% higher than what is listed. (example: 45% NTE rises to 60%; 60% NTE rises to 75%). Limited Resource and/or Beginning Farmers and Ranchers will be eligible for cost share rates 30% higher than what is listed. (example: systems listed above at 45% cost share 75% of NTE; systems listed above at 60% cost share 90% of NTE).

Last Modified: January 04, 2006