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2005 Environmental Quality Incentive Program

Local Work Group Summary for Las Cruces

Introduction:

The Las Cruces Field Office is located Southern New Mexico, and is the county seat for Dona Ana County. The field office provides assistance to the La Union Soil and Water Conservation District (SWCD) and it producers.  Approximately 55% is state and private lands and 45% federal lands.  There is a variety of landscapes ranging from 3,200 feet up to 8,500 feet in elevation.  Annual precipitation ranges from 8 to 12 inches throughout most of the county, but the southwestern part of the county averages up to 16 inches.  Soils are extremely variable and complex with over 80 mapped soils occurring.  They include sandy to gravelly clay or silt clay loams which make up nearly two thirds of the mapped area, deep loamy soils in the Gila River valley, alkaline playas, and rough and broken rock land with very shallow soils.  Vegetation includes blue and black grama, tobosa, dropseeds, bush muhly, creosote bush, yucca, Mormon tea, mesquite, and juniper. Primary field crops are cotton, chile, silage corn, winter vegetables, alfalfa, and cereal grains. We have a few cattle ranches and approximately 20 dairies averaging 2000 head of milking cows. Locations of ranches are on the west mesa and most dairies are adjacent to I-10.

Local Work Group:

The Local Work Group (LWG) met on November 3, 2004 at 9:00 a.m. at the USDA Service Center conference room. Invitations were sent out to about 60 Federal, State, and Local agencies.

Representatives who attended included:

  • Mary Sanchez                NRCS, Dist. Cons.
  • Charles Tharp                LUSWCD, Supervisor
  • Dave Thompson             LUSWD, Supervisor
  • Gary Esslinger                EBID, Gen. Mgr.
  • Marsha Wright                NMDA, Specialist
  • Cliff Sánchez                  NRCS, Area Cons.
  • Sam Salopek                  LUSWCD, Supervisor
  • John M. White                 NMSU, CES Agent
  • Rich LaCasse                  BLM, Range Mgt. Spec.
  • Louise Bevacqua             BLM, Range Mgt. Spec.
  • Leticia Segovia                DAC Flood Comm., PE
  • Teresa Marshall               LUSWCD, Dist. Assist.

Participants in attendance provided input for the new 2005 EQIP program year. Purpose of the meeting was to update the Local Work Group (LWG) on outcome of the 2004 EQIP Programs and have the opportunity to recommend changes to the 2005 EQIP program. Updates and changes were to the following agenda items: Funding Distribution; Eligible Practices; Cost Share Rates; Cost Share Rate Caps, Cost Share Incentives; Evaluation Periods for 2005; Ranking Sheet Criteria; and Cost Docket increases and decreases.

Priority Resource Concerns:

LWG main concern was water quantity and quality, drought and storm water runoff and management due to drought and intense rainstorm conditions in the valley. Mary reported to the LWG the amount of farmers in the valley that area still irrigating with dirt ditches, the number of farm applications for drip irrigation, the efficiency for drip irrigation verses flood irrigation and water saving reported by farmers in the valley. Gary, and Leticia reported on the amount of damage from intense rainstorms are having on farms near arroyos. Gary reported that Elephant Butte has virtually no irrigation water behind it. 

Funding Considerations:

LWG decided to allocate monies received based on a 60/20/10/10 split. Cropland application projects would receive 65% of the funding allocated to Las Cruces, Rangeland applications would receive 25%, CAFO/AFO application would receive 10%.  If no applications for CAFO/AFO money goes to Rangeland then Cropland. If no applications for Rangeland money goes to CAFO/AFO then Cropland.

Cost Docket:

Cost Docket reviewed by LWG with changes made as indicated below. LWG gave Mary the go-a-head to check with of Dist. Cons. from other offices and make necessary changes to cost docket. Range practice cost will rely heavily on Field Offices with more rangeland work. Some new practices components will be added to meet some air quality control standard for Pecan Growers and no practices were removed only zeroed out.

  • 428A Outlet M/P Pull Gate w/Plastic Tailpipe from $165 ea. to $197 each and should be AM cost. This cost is base on extra pipe for road crossing.
  • 587 Measuring Irrigation Water Flume from $600 ea. to $60 ea. then taking out the word Parshall and 12”x15” out.
  • 587 Measuring Irrigation Water Surface Digital from $450 ea. to change second word, water, to digital.  
  • 441 Irrigation drip system should be increased by 10%.
  • All 430## PVC pipe should be increased by 25%.  
  • 533 Pumping Plant for Irrigation Wells will be added ONLY for existing wells servicing surface system and converting to Sprinkler or drip systems. Cost will be the cost of new pressure bowels AM of 15,000.00 (????) 
  • Mulching is $2.50/ton at 20 ton/ac or $50 /acre.
  • 528 Prescribe Grazing will follow average of adjacent office cost docket.
  • 570 Runoff Mgt System – Gary and Leticia will get back to Mary. Rough estimate $652.00 /acre. 

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:

LWG allowed all 2005 conservation practices to be eligible to all programs under the Farm Bill with emphasis going towards EQIP and WHIP programs, but with less focus on practices using “forest” and more on water saving, efficiency, storm management and air quality.

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:

LWG reviewed cost share rates and agreed to follow the 2005 Proposed State Cap Rate except for practices codes 432, 394, 490, 466, 666, 655, 332, 575, 391, 600, 658 which will remain at 0%.

  • Incentive payments have been established for the following practices:
  • Irrigation Water Management (449)  $10.00/acre
  • Nutrient Management (590) $10.00/acre.
  • Pest Management (595)  $8.00/acre.
  • Prescribed Grazing (528a)  $13.40/aum, only in association with Prescribed Burning (338).
  • Comprehensive Nutrient Management Plan (100)  $1,000 per plan

 A $70,000 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:

Current ranking criteria sheets for 2004 were reviewed by LWG and minor recommended changes were approved by group. Mary mention that based on breakdown of applications ranking sheets worked well. Any significant changes to sheets will be emailed to group for review and approval.

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

Timelines, Evaluation Periods:

All applications and any supporting documentation must be submitted by January 28, 2005.  If a second evaluation period is established public notices posted.

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