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2007 EQIP Special Initiatives Information

In Montana, NRCS offers Environmental Quality Incentives Program (EQIP) initiatives that are designed specifically to address natural resource concerns that may not be addressed in other EQIP opportunities or that are such a critical need that a separate funding opportunity is warranted. Annually, NRCS offers two such opportunities; one for AFO/CAFO applications and one for Tribal Allocation applications. In 2007, NRCS is offering additional initiatives as outlined in the table below.

Eligible cost-share practices for each initiative are selected from the statewide list; however, not all EQIP practices are available in all initiatives.

For more information, see the table below or contact one of the persons listed at the bottom of this page. When reviewing this table it is important to remember that EQIP is a cost-share program. Therefore, the funds listed below represent only 50 to 75 percent of the total cost of each of the efforts. This means that these funds were leveraged with producer or other funding sources.

2007 EQIP Special Initiatives
2007 EQIP Special Initiative Initiative Information
Wildfires The purpose of this initiative is to provide assistance to producers who want to restore their grazing lands. The primary emphasis of the initiative is to compensate producers for deferring all livestock grazing from the burned grazing lands until October 1, 2007, through the issuance of an $11.00 per acre incentive payment. This deferral will allow the vegetation on the grazing lands to grow through a full growing season and then to go to seed. Within the deferred grazing payment NRCS has also included funds to partially compensate producers for fences and watering facilities that were destroyed in the wildfire. Producers who are awarded an EQIP contract through the wildfire initiative incentive payment are not eligible to receive any other EQIP payment for fences, watering facilities, or prescribed grazing on the wildfire contracted acres.

This initiative had two funding phases. One for wildfires that occurred in the summer or fall of 2006 and those that occurred in the summer of 2007.
All-Bird Conservation The goals of this SI were to improve populations of at-risk and other priority bird species on private lands by working with producers to restore and enhance priority habitats in bird conservation focus areas in accordance with the Intermountain West Joint Venture’s (IWJV) Coordinated Implementation Plan for Bird Conservation in Western Montana, Montana Fish Wildlife and Parks (FWP) Comprehensive Fish and Wildlife Conservation Strategy, and Montana FWP’s stepped down bird conservation planning document entitled, All-Bird Conservation : A Status Summary.
Dawson Irrigated Land Reduced Tillage The goals of the SI were: reduction of soil erosion from wind and water erosion by converting to conservation tillage; utilizing conservation tillage to reduce the number of field operations required to grow crops on irrigated cropland thus promoting energy savings; conservation of soil moisture by adopting conservation tillage to reduce tillage operations that typically deplete soil moisture; and, reducing the risk of failure by implementing a new method of growing crops on irrigated cropland.
Derby Wildfire Grazingland Restoration This wildfire burned 207,000 acres. The purpose of this SI was to defer grazing, re-seed native vegetation, build fences, and implement pest management in order to facilitate the rehabilitation of rangelands used for grazing.
Lower Missouri Zero-Till Incentive The purpose of this SI was to increase the awareness of no-till in the Lower Missouri Area to better prepare producers for eligibility into the CSP program.
Lower Yellowstone Windbreaks & Shelterbelts Windbreaks and shelterbelts serve numerous purposes including but not limited to, protecting soil and plants from wind damage, providing animals shelter, protecting, conserving energy and providing beauty for farmsteads, storing carbon and improving air quality, and managing snow. The primary goal of this proposal is to assist eligible producers with site specific needs, who may not be competitive under traditional EQIP contract obligations because of the comparatively small scope and effect windbreaks and shelterbelts have relative to planning efforts addressing numerous concerns on larger scales. This initiative serves as a pilot project for potential future projects. The objectives vary by individual producer but will address SWAPAH quality criteria. Generally, some producers in the proposal area have expressed interest in including windbreaks and shelterbelts as an addition to their farm and ranch conservation. Others wish to integrate it into existing management practices to improve grazinglands, croplands, wildlife habitat, and farmstead conservation qualities mentioned above.
Sage Grouse Habitat Enhancement The purpose of this SI is to improve rangeland health and herbaceous cover thereby enhancing sage-grouse habitat on private lands by providing education as well as technical and financial assistance to producers. Specifically, this SI will establish long-term grazing strategies designed to improve rangeland health and enhance habitat for sage-grouse nesting, brood-rearing, and winter cover. These improvements are designed to increase production, survival, and overall population health of sage-grouse and associated sagebrush-grassland species including the Brewer’s sparrow and other sagebrush obligates while helping to provide long-term sustainability to ranching operations.
Upper Missouri Sensitive Lands Land in permanent vegetation under the CRP program has been protected from erosion and has provided benefits to water quality and wildlife.  Many of the acres converted to CRP initially were lands that were difficult to farm due to the   sensitive nature of the soils.  Some areas currently in CRP offer protection to sensitive environmental areas.  The goal of this initiative is to provide producers, who chose not to re-enroll their acres into CRP or their application for re-enrollment was not accepted, an alternative to breaking the land out of permanent cover.  This initiative targets land associated with fragile soils with high potential for erosion, areas along water courses, lands poorly suited for crop production, pot holes or other wetlands that would be adversely affected by the removal of permanent vegetation, and areas where targeted wildlife species such as burrowing owls, sage grouse, or prairie dogs are known to reside.   Pollinator friendly species for reseedings will be encouraged.  In addition, the practices implemented under this initiative will also be those practices required by or enhance involvement in the Conservation Security Program.
Wibaux Dryland Farming The goals and objectives of this SI were: reduce wind and water erosion; improve soil health; improve water quality; increase soil-water quantity; improve air quality; increase plant productivity; and, benefit livestock and wildlife.

Contacts

Carrie Mosley, Assistant State Conservationist for Programs
Phone: 406-587-6967
Email: Carrie.Mosley

Last Modified: 07/28/2008

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