How EQIP Works in South Carolina 

Details about signup, eligible practices and costshare rates are announced each year.  NRCS evaluates each application, with higher priorities given to applications that use cost-effective conservation practices, address local priorities and provide the most environmental benefit.

Farmers will develop a conservation plan, if they don’t already have one, for the acreage affected by the EQIP practices.  Conservation practices must meet NRCS technical standards.  Farmers may elect to use an approved third-party provider for technical assistance, if available.

The major resource concerns targeted by EQIP in South Carolina are components of the national priorities and measures outlined by the National NRCS Office.  Those national concerns are reduction of nonpoint source pollutants, reduction of emissions, reduction in soil erosion and sedimentation and promotion of the conservation of at risk species.  All EQIP contracts should document an existing resource concern.  

Eligibility

The Natural Resources Conservation Service, the Local Working Group or the Farm Service Agency determine eligible producers for the EQIP program.  Any farmer engaged in livestock or crop production on eligible land may apply for EQIP.  EQIP contracts may be for a tract, farm or multiple farms.   Eligible land includes cropland; rangeland; pasture; private non-industrial forestland; and other farm or ranch lands, as determined by the Secretary of Agriculture. 

Resource Concerns

South Carolina’s resource concerns, recommended by the State Technical Committee, are listed here. 

• Soil Quality 
• Surface Water Quality 
• Wetlands Health 
• Grazing Lands Health 
• Water Quantity 
• Air Quality
• Plant Population Health
• At-Risk Species Habitat Quality

Conservation Practices - County Signups

Local Working Groups, as outlined in the EQIP Manual, have identified resource priorities for their area. The conservation practices that treat the resource needs of the highest concerns receive the most environmental points and are funded accordingly.  Sign-Up forms are available here, at your local USDA Service Center or through the National EQIP website.  

Counties

Counties will receive EQIP allocations based on the dollar amount of applications received and the extent at which they are addressing their local resource concerns and how those concerns reflect State and National resource concerns.

Program Payment Limits

EQIP will pay up to 50 percent of the costs of eligible conservation practices although limited resources farmers may be eligible for up to 90 percent cost share. EQIP costshare is limited to $450,000 per person or entity, as well as a $50,000 for incentive payments for the entire Farm Bill. Costshare payment on irrigation practices are limited to $25,000 per contract and Stacking Sheds with a roof are limited to 50 percent costshare rate.

Input from Outside Groups, Agencies and Citizens: In South Carolina the list of eligible practices, cost share rates and limits, eligible resource concerns and scoring criteria for were developed based on input and recommendations from the South Carolina State Technical Committee (SCSTC).  The SCSTC is made up of representatives from various agribusinesses, producer groups, conservation organizations and federal, state and tribal government agency representatives.

The SCSTC receives input on factors affecting the program from the Local Work Groups (LWG).  The LWG is made up of county agency staff.  Landowners may provide advice and information to the LWG as part of the locally led process.

The priorities set are those that the SCSTC and LWG determined were of the greatest need and would have the greatest positive environmental impact. The scoring process was developed in order to select those projects that would provide the greatest environmental benefit, and therefore provide the greatest public good.  The resource concerns are ranked differently from county to county depending upon the LWG priorities, however the resource concerns being addressed are the same for the entire state, as determined by the SCSTC.  

Contact

Bethel DuRant
Soil Conservationist
Phone: 803-253-3512
Email: bethel.durant@sc.usda.gov