Announcement of EQIP Fund Availability

Contact: Jasper Parker, 405-742-1243

Stillwater, Oklahoma Nov. 18, 2005—State Conservationist M. Darrel Dominick,  Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS), announces that funding will soon be available under the Environmental Quality Incentives Program (EQIP) for fiscal year 2006. Oklahoma is expecting to receive funding similar to 2005 for cost share assistance to apply conservation practices and management incentives. “Oklahoma will receive an allocation to fund new and previous year deferred applications for program participation,” says Dominick.

High priority local issues and location of local emphasis areas have been determined by obtaining input at the local levels. Through this locally-led process, people are encouraged to participate in meetings to provide their personal input, and evaluate and update resource concern priorities. Contact your local NRCS Field Service Center to find out when your area's meeting is scheduled.

“We are accepting applications for participation in the EQIP program on a continuous basis,” adds Dominick. “However, only applications received by locally set application cut-off dates, will be ranked and considered during this initial selection period.” Evaluated applications will be grouped and selected for funding from a local list of high priority applications until the funding allocation is obligated. Even with the increase in funding, it is anticipated that not all of these applications will be funded at this time due to the high interest in applying conservation practices.”

Unfunded applications will be maintained for future funding consideration if the applicant chooses to remain on the waiting list. NRCS will continue to work with producers to implement their conservation plans. Successful applicants with high priority resource concerns will be contacted to develop contracts to obligate the current funding allocation. Individual producers that have high priority resource concerns and are interested in participation in EQIP may apply at any time at your local NRCS Field Service Center. Applications will be evaluated according to locally developed ranking criteria as workload permits and reviewed for potential funding periodically when program funds become available.

All programs and services of the Natural Resources Conservation Service are provided in a nondiscriminatory manner.

The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) prohibits discrimination in all its programs and activities on the basis of race, color, national origin, age, disability, and where applicable, sex, marital status, familial status, parental status, religion, sexual orientation, genetic information, political beliefs, reprisal, or because all or a part of an individual's income is derived from any public assistance program. (Not all prohibited bases apply to all programs.) Persons with disabilities who require alternative means for communication of program information (Braille, large print, audiotape, etc.) should contact USDA's TARGET Center at (202) 720-2600 (voice and TDD). To file a complaint of discrimination write to USDA, Director, Office of Civil Rights, 1400 Independence Avenue, S.W., Washington, D.C. 20250-9410 or call (800) 795-3272 (voice) or (202) 720-6382 (TDD). USDA is an equal opportunity provider and employer.

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