EQIP leaves East Texas producers in the cold

By LORI COPE | East Texas Edition

December 12, 2002 -- Concerns over allocation of Environmental Quality Incentives Program (EQIP) funds were cited by East Texas ag producers to state and federal officials during a Dec. 2 meeting in Nacogdoches.

The newly-formed East Texas Conservation Work Group (ETCWG) hosted the meeting to shed light on what seems to be an unbalance of federal monies distribution within their region of the state.

EQIP, an incentive payment and cost-share program administered by the USDA's Natural Resource Conservation Service (NRCS), is a voluntary conservation program for farmers and ranchers that promotes agricultural production and environmental quality.

EQIP funds available in fiscal year 2002 totaled $414 million nationwide. Texas' portion of the funds was $29 million, up from $12 million in 2001, according to Doug Sharer, EQIP program liaison, Texas.

In 2002, 18 of the 22 deep East Texas counties received no EQIP funds, according to ETCWG member David Powell. "If you look at it on a statewide scale, (near) 100 of the 254 counties received no funds. Of the counties that were funded, many had only one producer funded.

"Of the more than 10,000 EQIP applications taken, 93 percent were turned down," Powell added. "The last two Farm Bills made changes that didn't benefit East Texas. Under the old program, a producer was allowed a maximum of $3,500 per year per person. Approximately 70 percent of applications were approved. The amount was later changed to $10,000 a year with application approvals dropped to less than 20 percent."

Today, the EQIP program allows a maximum of $450,000 per producer, which means a large chunk of the funds can be eaten up by fewer.

One ranch owner cited East Texas ag producers, nowadays, do not sign up for the EQIP program because it has become unlikely they will receive any of the funds.

Persons who are engaged in livestock and agricultural production on eligible land may apply for EQIP funds. A point system is used to determine the farms and ranches that most qualify for the funds, and where the completed projects would benefit most.

One cow/calf rancher cited the point system is weighted to give unfair advantage to row crop farmers in West Texas. Because that region of the state would benefit most from conservation measures, more points are tallied for a producer in that area.

"The intent of the (EQIP) program is not happening," cited dairy farmer Rita Dyess of Jacksonville. "There are lots of practices that will help dairymen but they are not being implemented."

Dyess, one of several East Texas ag producers who spoke at the Dec. 2 meeting, pointed out that before the 1996 Freedom to Farm legislation, the federal conservation assistance program funds were available to ag producers to plant grasses, apply lime, build ponds, control erosion, and other conservation practices. "Not only was it available, it was implemented," she added.

Vernon Swor, ETCWG chairman, cited that prior to 1996 when legislation changed how the federal program was handled, "60 to 80 practices were applied for and funded" in his county, and since 1996, only three practices have been funded.

Powell said of the EQIP applications made in Rusk County, where he resides, none were approved last year.

Prior to 1996, before the Freedom to Farm legislation, the conservation funding program was handled by two agencies - the Farm Service Agency and the NRCS. FSA dealt with the administrative tasks and the NRCS dealt with the technical aspects.

"Now, the administrative part is handled by NRCS," said Swor. But the FSA has a committee of elected county producers who could better handle and/or approve EQIP applications in their county.

Swor, an FSA committee member in Angelina County, simply said "we feel like a change is needed."

ETCWG came to the meeting to not just voice concerns, but to offer solutions.

"Allow funds to be distributed to the county level proportionally," Powell said. "Ranking of producers can then be done by conservation need in that area. The government agencies are already in place. The FSA (Farm Service Agency) and NRCS can make sure the spirit of the Farm Bill that was intended can be fulfilled on a local level."