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2006 Environmental Quality Incentive Program

Local Work Group Summary for Truth or Consequences

Introduction:

The Truth or Consequences Field Office is located in Sierra County and also covers portions of Northern Dona Ana, Northeastern Luna, and Southern Socorro Counties in southwest New Mexico.The office includes SD-2, WP-3, and WP-2 Major Land Resource Areas.  It is bordered on the south by the Las Cruces and the Deming Field Offices, on the north by the Socorro and Datil Field Offices, on the east by White Sands Missile Range, and on the west by the Silver City Field Office.

Agriculture in the District consists primarily of ranching and irrigated crop production.  The ranches are primarily cow-calf operations and chile, corn silage, alfalfa, cotton, onions, wheat, pecans, and other vegetables are the predominant crops.  The primary sources of water are surface diversion from the Rio Grande through Elephant Butte Irrigation District, groundwater from the Nutt-Hockett underground water basins, and surface diversions controlled by acequia groups along tributaries of the Rio Grande.

Local Work Group:

The Local Work Group (LWG) that was invited to advise the Field Office staff included representatives from:

  • USDA-Farm Service Agency (FSA)
  • FSA County Committee
  • NM Department of Game and Fish,
  • Cooperative Extension Service
  • Bureau of Land Management
  • Sierra Soil & Water Conservation District
  • Caballo Soil and Water Conservation District
  • USDA Forest Service
  • FSA State Committee                                                
  • US Fish and Wildlife Service
  • Sierra County Manager
  • NM State Engineer Office
  • NMDA
  • NM Environment Department
  • NM State Land Office

The meeting of the LWG was held on October 19, 2005 with many of the invited designated agency representatives in attendance.

Priority Resource Concerns:

Water Quantity was the priority resource concern concurred upon by the LWG members.

Funding Considerations:

It was the LWG’s recommendation that EQIP funds received for use in the Field Office be divided 45% for grazing land concerns, 45% for irrigated cropland concerns, and 10% for animal feeding operations.  This was done with the understanding that the LWG could recommend reallocation of funds if it appeared the applications received did not warrant the amounts originally allocated.  Wildlife habitat concerns will be addressed within each of the previously listed concerns if desired by the producer.

The LWG further recommended subdividing the irrigated cropland allocation according to the percent of irrigated acreage in three areas; Nutt Hockett 27.2%, Rio Grande below Caballo Dam 54.8%, and Sierra County above Caballo Dam 18%. 

Cost Docket:

The LWG recommended that the cost docket be adjusted as follows:

441 Micro Irrigation

The LWG felt that filter systems needed to be added back into the cost docket as in 2003 and prior years to allow for producers in different hydrologic units, farming operations, and that do not have contiguous fields to place drip systems on different fields, in different years, and account for actual cost at time of installation. This will allow those producers to install drip systems according to their crop rotation and field size/location.

Please refer to the links for the cost docket and eligible practices to view the final approved practices, cost share rates and practice component costs.

Eligible Practices:

Please refer to the links for the cost docket and eligible practices to view the final approved practices, cost share rates and practice component costs.

Cost Share Rates, Incentive Payments and Caps:

The southwest area wide cost docket will be used.  It was noted that cost share rates for limited resource producers were set at 90% and beginning farmer/rancher would be 15% above regular cost share rate, up to the first $30,000.  Please refer back to the main EQIP page for more information on cost share rates for LRPs and BF/BR.

A $95,000 financial assistance cap has been established for all practices.

Please refer to the links for the cost docket and eligible practices to view the final approved practices, cost share rates and practice component costs.

Ranking Criteria:

The LWG recommended using the same Ranking Criteria Worksheets as last year. The Ranking Criteria Worksheets are attached. As well as adopting the ranking criteria for Woodlands from the Mora Field Office.

The following is the methodology developed for resolving tied scores on ranking:

Irrigated Cropland

  • highest change in efficiency
  • distance to surface water
  • depth to ground water
  • greatest difference in soil condition index

Grazing Land

  • percent change in upward trend
  • percent change in similarity index
  • percent of deeded land in contracted area
  • at risk species that will be benefitted1`

Animal Feeding Operations

  • exact distance from surface water
  • depth to ground water

Woodlands

  • percent of need to be installed (all applications will vary) 

Please refer to the ranking criteria links to view the final criteria.

Timelines, Evaluation Periods:

The LWG reviewed the Proposed Calendar of the EQIP Process for 2005 as received from the SO and agreed that it would be good to try and adhere to this timeline if possible.

All applications and any supporting documentation must be submitted by January 28, 2005.

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