News

State Conservationist’s Corner

February 2005

Is EQIP equipped to serve Massachusetts farmers?

By Cecil B. Currin

Conservation projects in Massachusetts may look very different from those in the big farm states. Here in the Bay State, we work to address the natural resource concerns of folks who produce cranberries, greenhouse crops, orchards, fruits and veggies, as well as small dairy farms and specialty livestock operations. Soon we will be adding aquaculture to that list.

In addition to more traditional conservation practices, some of the unique practices and components that the Environmental Quality Incentives Program (EQIP) helps pay for in Massachusetts include: transition to organic production, old orchard removal, cranberry bog sanding, pest predator augmentation, improved efficiency spraying technologies, weather monitoring for pest prediction modeling and disposal of shellfish netting to prevent marine animal entanglement.

NRCS’s national headquarters has asked state offices to seek comments from farmers, partner organizations, and other interested parties on EQIP, our flagship program. Through March 21st, I invite you to submit comments on whether EQIP national priorities match the needs of local landowners.

We’ve set up several ways that you can comment: by phone, fax, e-mail and the web. We will also hold a listening session on Wednesday, February 23 10:00 am to 12:00 noon, at the NRCS state office in Amherst. [Click here for details]

As you may know, the EQIP program offers farmers technical expertise and cost-share assistance for planning and applying conservation practices that protect water and air, increase soil productivity, manage animal waste and sustain agricultural land.

NRCS periodically reviews and updates national EQIP priorities, with input from the public, state technical committees and conservation districts, to ensure the program continues to address the most important natural resource needs as well as any emerging resource issues. Updating the national priorities will help us prepare for the 2006 program year and for the next Farm Bill reauthorization in 2007.

Here in Massachusetts, EQIP and the other Farm Bill programs dovetail well with state programs for farmland preservation, viability and environmental enhancement. With your input, we can work to ensure that federal and state programs continue to complement each other, thereby offering local farmers a complete package of conservation services.

For that reason, we also invite comments on our other programs, such as the Farm and Ranchlands Protection Program, Wildlife Habitat Incentives Program and Wetlands Reserve Program.

NRCS will compile all comments received for state review. They will also be forwarded on for national review in developing the 2006 EQIP program and beyond.

I encourage you to share this information with others who might be interested in commenting on EQIP. Thank you in advance for your assistance and input, as well as for your on-going support.

< Back to Massachusetts Conservation Connection - February 2005...