Livestock Waste Management and Conservation

Information on Cost-Share Opportunities

The Environmental Quality Incentives Program (EQIP) is a voluntary conservation program for farmers which promotes agricultural production and environmental quality as compatible goals. Through EQIP, the NRCS offers financial and technical help to assist producers install or implement structural and/or management practices.

The EQIP offers contracts that provide incentive payments and cost-shares to implement conservation practices. Though most practices are cost-shared at 50%, up to 75% cost-share is available for certain conservation practices. However, some practices have caps on the amount that can be cost-shared. For example, NRCS will only cost-share up to $100,000 on a liquid waste management system and $20,000 on a litter storage facility regardless of the total cost of the system.

Limited resource producers and beginning farmers may be eligible for cost-shares up to 90%. Contact your local NRCS office to determine if you could be eligible for more cost-share.

What conservation practices can be cost-shared?
EQIP FY2005 Conservation Practice List

Do different regions have different priorities for cost-sharing?
Yes. Each region determines what their priorities are based on local natural resource concerns. There are also some state priorities that are shared across regions. Below you will find a regional summary for Eastern, Middle and Western Tennessee that outlines each region's priorities.

EQIP FY2005 East Tennessee Summary
EQIP FY2005 Middle Tennessee Summary
EQIP FY2005 West Tennessee Summary

How do they determine who receives cost-share funds?
The long answer would involve many different formulas. The shorter version is that each conservation practice is assigned a point value. The points for all practices to be installed are added together. The higher the total point value, the more likely you will receive funds.

Below you will find links to each region's ranking criteria for conservation practices.

EQIP FY2005 East Tennessee Ranking
EQIP FY2005 Middle Tennessee Ranking
EQIP FY2005 West Tennessee Ranking

How much will I have to pay?
The amount of cost-share will vary among each conservation practice. Some practices can be cost-shared at 75%, and others only at 50% of the total cost. Below you will find cost estimates used in each region to determine the cost of each conservation practice.

EQIP FY2005 East Tennessee Cost List
EQIP FY2005 Middle Tennessee Cost List
EQIP FY2005 West Tennessee Cost List

When can I sign up for EQIP funds?
You can sign up for EQIP with your local NRCS office at any time. However, to increase your chances of receiving funds, it is advisable to sign up within the first quarter of USDA's fiscal year (October to December). Many producers have signed up later in the year and have not received funding because the allocation for the state, region or county had already been obligated.

Who is not eligible for EQIP funds?
If you or your operation has had any environmental violations that resulted in court orders or fines, you are not eligible. At this time, it is unclear if you could be eligible in the future. So, if you are in this situation, please contact your local NRCS conservationist to help determine if you could be eligible for EQIP funds.