How EQIP Works in South Dakota

South Dakota NRCS supports the locally led conservation effort in the delivery of conservation programs.  The State Technical Committee (STC), convened by the State Conservationist, consists of individuals representing commodity groups; private entities; Tribal representatives; private individuals; federal, state, and local governments.  The STC identified the following four state resource concerns as priorities for 2007:

• Water Quality

• Grazingland Health and Productivity
• Cropland Protection/Improvement
• Wildlife Habitat Development

EQIP provides cost-share for implementing certain conservation practices important to improving and maintaining the health of South Dakota's natural resources.  Cost-share rates will vary; however, they will not exceed 75 percent unless the farmer or rancher is eligible as a Limited Resource Producers and Beginning Farmers and Ranchers.   Limited Resource Producers and Beginning Farmers and Ranchers are eligible for an increased cost-share rate of 25 percent not to exceed 90 percent for conservation practices.

The following method was used to establish South Dakota's cost-share rates.  The applicable resources listed in Conservation Practice Physical Effects tables found in the NRCS Technical Guide were reviewed and a numerical rating was assigned to each conservation practice based on the practice's effect to resources.  Once ratings were assigned to each cost-shared practice, the table was reviewed by various NRCS staff, several ad hoc committees, and approved by the STC.  Based on the numerical rating established for each conservation practice, the cost-share rates were set and approved by the STC.

NRCS earmarks 17 percent of the EQIP allocation for South Dakota American Indian applications.  Applications are eligible for the American Indian earmark if the land with the proposed cost-share conservation practice(s) is physically located within the reservation boundaries or is American Indian operated land outside of the reservation boundaries.  After the amount of earmarked funding is identified, the STC approved the distribution of the remaining portion of the EQIP allocation as follows:

• $2 million for applications that include an animal waste management system (AWMS);
• 50 percent for applications with total cost exceeding $100,000; and
• 50 percent divided evenly among the seven South Dakota Association of Conservation Districts (SDACD) area workgroups for applications with a total cost of less than $100,000

All applications will be evaluated using the state-developed, SDACD area-developed or Tribal-developed ranking worksheets.  The state-developed EQIP Evaluation Worksheet will be used to rank applications with total costs exceeding $100,000.  The applications with total costs of less than $100,000 will be evaluated with the SDACD Area EQIP Local Workgroup Evaluation Worksheets.  All applications eligible for the American Indian earmark will be evaluated with the EQIP American Indian Earmark Evaluation Worksheet developed by the Tribal Subcommittee to the STC.

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