1. NRCS Energy Programs and Standards: How to Become a Technical Service Providers Nancy Ferlow CT State Resource Conservationist

2. Environmental Quality Incentives Program (EQIP) The Environmental Quality Incentives Program (EQIP) is a voluntary conservation program from the USDA Natural Resources Conservation Service. It supports production agriculture and environmental quality as compatible goals. Through EQIP, farmers may receive financial and technical help with structural and management conservation practices on agricultural land.

3. EQIP Participant Eligibility EQIP Participant Eligibility Must be a producer Must have at least $1000 of farm income for the past year Must have farm records established with USDA Must own or lease the property for the length of the contract Must be HEL/Wetlands Compliant Must meet Adjusted Gross Income requirements

4. EQIP Practice Eligibility Energy Practices currently need to meet an Air Quality resource concern in Connecticut. Practice components should decrease the emissions from boilers, furnaces, or diesel engines Can be achieved through energy conservation measures and odor/gas reductions from manure storages

5. Components Available Maple Syrup production savings (sap preheaters, pan evaporators, reverse osmosis) Thermal Blankets for greenhouses to save on heating and cooling costs

6. Components Available Anaerobic Digester for Manure digestion Covers for Waste Storage Facilities Composting Facilities

7. HEL & Wetland Compliance Affects all programs except AMA When signing up make sure form AD-1026 has been completed correctly Before renting a field check if the field is HEL. If it is you must be applying a Conservation Plan. Request HEL and Wetland determinations before clearing land for agricultural production

8. Adjusted Gross Income Requirement An entity and all individuals associated with that entity must not have AGI above $1 million Forms must be signed before application is complete. Adjusted Gross Income verified through IRS records.

9. Overview of Signup and Ranking Process for EQIP Signup is continuous A plan is developed prior to contract writing Preliminary contracts are developed and ranked on a statewide basis Contracts are approved after ranking

10. EQIP Key Points Requires a preliminary assessment of environmental issues Requires an EQIP plan of operations (practices, practice cost schedules, and implementation date) Cost schedules may pay 50 to 75% of the costs of structural practices and up to 100% of certain management practices Limited resource farmers and beginning farmers up to 90% rates

11. EQIP Key Points (cont’d) Maximum contract limit to $300,000 over the life of the Farm Bill No annual limit on the funds

12. NRCS Energy Tools

13. Conservation Activity Plans (CAPs) CAPs are specialized, in-depth plans that address specific resources and can be used to improve management  Connecticut offers CAPs in Forestry and Energy for 2010  2008 Farm Bill granted authority through the EQIP Program

14. CAPS  Financial assistance payments are supported through EQIP contracts  EQIP payments are 75% of the estimated incurred costs for the development of the CAP (up to 90% for historically underserved producers)

15. CAPS  Each CAP will be supported by a single, stand alone program contract  CAPs are to be developed within the first 12 months after obligation

16. CAPS Only certified Technical Service Providers (TSPs) may be used to provide services for development of CAPs The landowner/land manager chooses a TSP from an approved list of certified, registered TSPs from the TSP Registry (http://techreg.usda.gov)

17. CAPS Many of the recommendations from the CAP plans can be part of future applications for financial assistance through NRCS Programs

18. Energy CAP – Agricultural Energy Management Plan (AgEMP)  An analysis of current farm infrastructure and management with recommendations about how to reduce energy consumption on the farm.  These plans can be done on farm headquarters such as dairy, greenhouse, or maple syrup operations.

19. Energy CAP – Agricultural Energy Management Plan (AgEMP) Can also be used for the field operations on the farm (landscape)

20. The Technical Service Provider Web Site

21. Become a TSP

22. Become a TSP - 2

23. Become a TSP - 3

26. Questions? For more information, contact your local District Conservationist Hartford/Tolland – 860-688-7725 x-118 Litchfield/Fairfield – 860-626-8258 x-200 Middlesex/New Haven – 203-269-7509 x 200 New London – 860-887-3604 x-300 Windham – 860-774-8397 x-102

27. Also on line at: www.ct.nrcs.usda.gov Or www.nrcs.usda.gov

28. The Natural Resources Conservation Service provides leadership in a partnership effort to help people conserve, maintain, and improve our natural resources and environment. The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) prohibits discrimination in all its programs and activities on the basis of race, color, national origin, sex, religion, age, disability, political beliefs, sexual orientation, or marital or family status. (Not all prohibited bases apply to all programs.) Persons with disabilities who require alternative means for communication of program information (Braille, large print, audiotape, etc.) should contact USDA's TARGET Center at 202-720-2600 (voice and TDD). To file a complaint of discrimination, write USDA, Director, Office of Civil Rights, Room 326-W, Whitten Building, 1400 Independence Avenue, SW, Washington, DC 20250- 9410 or call (202) 720-5964 (voice and TDD). USDA is an equal opportunity provider and employer.