An Interagency Landowner Assistance Technical Publication, First Edition
Jeffrey W. Stringer, Department of Forestry, University of Kentucky; Jeffery Sole, Kentucky Department of Fish and Wildlife Resources; David Stipes and Mason Howell, Natural Resources Conservation Service, United States Department of Agriculture; Cary Perkins, Kentucky Division of Forestry, Department of Natural Resources
Determining which financial assistance program or mix of programs is best suited for developing a cost-share plan for a landowner can sometimes be a difficult task for technical assistance providers. In Kentucky, over 50 agriculture, forestry, and wildlife conservation practices are financially supported by more than 10 programs.
Often a given practice can be funded through several programs. The large number of programs and practices and the restrictions imposed by each program make it difficult to effectively plan a financial assistance package for a landowner.
This guide provides a concise reference of approved conservation practices and programs in Kentucky. Technical assistance providers can use this guide to quickly determine:
The guide consists of two tables. Table 1 lists conservation practices supported by financial assistance programs. All the conservation practices and the supporting financial assistance programs approved for use in Kentucky are shown. Looking across a practice row will tell you not only which programs support the practice, but also whether the practice will be funded by itself or whether the practice is a component of another practice and must be implemented in conjunction with other practices.
Table 2 provides specific information about each program, including whether the funds are federal, state, or local; the type or method of payment; percent paid for by government or organization funds; and the maximum allowable payment during a given time frame. This table also provides information on any special program requirements and the availability of funds. The information in Table 2 is necessary to determine which programs represent the best deal for a landowner and how to mix the programs to achieve the best package.
For example, it is often better, for a particular practice, to obtain annual rental monies rather than cost-share monies. Also, state money can be used to satisfy matching requirements of federal programs, and therefore, a mix of programs can be used to provide monies for various practices implemented by one owner. While this guide can be used to develop a cost-share plan, the changing nature of financial assistance programs makes it necessary to constantly check with funding sources on program status and availability of funds.
A Cooperative Interagency Publication
Kentucky Division of Forestry
Cooperative Extension Service/University of Kentucky/Department of Forestry
Natural Resources Conservation Service
United States Department of Agriculture
Kentucky Department of Fish and Wildlife Resources
Natural Resources and Environmental Protection Cabinet
| Table 1. Conservation practices supported by financial assistance programs. | |||||||||||
| PRACTICE | PROGRAM | ||||||||||
| Habitat Improvement Program (HIP) | Kentucky Partners for Wetland Wildlife (KPWW) | Stewardship Incentive Program (SIP) | Kentucky Soil Erosion and Water Quality Cost-Share Program | Forestry Incentives Program (FIP) | Conservation Reserve Program (CRP) | Environmental Quality Incentive Program (EQUIP) | Wetlands Reserve Program (WRP) | Wildlife Habitat Incentive Program (WHIP) | Quail Unlimited and National Wild Turkey Federation | Local Wildlife Enhancement Projects | |
| Animal waste utilization | X | X | |||||||||
| Composting facility | X | X | |||||||||
| Conservation easements | X | ||||||||||
| Contour buffer strips | X | X | X | X | X | X | |||||
| Critical area planting | X | X | X | ||||||||
| Fence | X | component | X | X | X | component | X | X | |||
| Field border | X | X | X | X | X | X | X | ||||
| Filter strip | X | X | X | X | X | X | X | X | |||
| Fire break | X | X | X | X | |||||||
| Forestland erosion control | X | X | |||||||||
| Forest site preparation | X | X tree planting | X | X tree planting | X tree planting | X critical area | X | X | X | ||
| Grade stabilization structure | X | X | X | ||||||||
| Grassed waterway | X | X | X | X | X | ||||||
| Grassland-pasture/hay/wildlife | X | X | X | X | |||||||
| Grassland-wildlife | X | X | X | X | X | X | X | ||||
| Green tree reservoir | X | X | X | X | X | X | X | ||||
| Heavy use area | X | X | |||||||||
| Integrated crop management (ICM) & nutrient pest management | X | X | |||||||||
| Limited stream access for livestock | X | X | X | ||||||||
| Livestock stream crossing | X | X | X | ||||||||
| Livestock water (ponds-springs, pipeline-tanks) | X | X no ponds | X | X no ponds | |||||||
| Moist soil units & shallow water for wildlife | X | X | X | X | X | X | X | ||||
| Nesting structures | X | X | X | X | X | ||||||
| Pesticide containment facilities | X | ||||||||||
| Prescribed burning | X | X | X | X | X | X | |||||
| Residue management, no-till tobacco & vegetables | X | X | |||||||||
| Riparian area protection | X | ||||||||||
| Riparian forest buffer | X | X | X | X | X | X | X | X | X | X | |
| Rotational prescribed grazing | X | X | |||||||||
| Sinkhole protection | X | X | |||||||||
| Site preparation for natural regeneration | X | X | X | X | |||||||
| Stream crossing | X | X | |||||||||
| Streambank & shoreline protection | X | X | X | X | X | X | X | ||||
| Strip cropping | X | ||||||||||
| Strip disking | X | X | X | X | X | ||||||
| Strip mowing | X | X | X | X | X | ||||||
| Subsurface drain | X | component | component | ||||||||
| Terrace | X | ||||||||||
| Tree/shrub planting (not Christmas trees) | X | X | X | X | X | X | X critical area | X | X | X | X |
| Timber stand improvement (TSI) | X | X | X | X | X | ||||||
| Underground outlet | X | component | component | ||||||||
| Waste storage structure | X | X | |||||||||
| Waste management system/storage | X | X | |||||||||
| Waste treatment lagoon | X | X | |||||||||
| Waste utilization | X | X | |||||||||
| Water and sediment control basin | X | X | |||||||||
| Water diversion | X | X | X | ||||||||
| Water well protection (testing, decommissioning) | X | ||||||||||
| Wetland restoration | X | X | component | X | X | X | X | ||||
| Wildlife food plots | X | X | X | ||||||||
| Wildlife water hole | X | X | X | X | X | ||||||
| Component: a practice that is essential to the function of another conservation practice. Not normally funded alone. | |||||||||||
| Table 2. Variance in Kentucky programs supporting conservation practices.1 | |||||||
| Program | Financial and other factors | ||||||
| Source of Funds | Sponsoring Agency or Organization2,3 | Type of Payment | Percent Paid For | Maximum Allowable Funding (Dollars) | Requirements | Fund Availability 1999/2000 | |
| Habitat Improvement Program (HIP) | state | KDFWR | cost share/incentive | @ 75 | 1,000/yr | must have a HIP plan | available |
| Kentucky Partners for Wetland Wildlife (KPWW) | state | KDFWR, NRCS, USFWS | cost share/incentive | 50 | 5,000/yr | preference to bottomlands and wetlands | available |
| Stewardship Incentive Program (SIP) | federal | KDF, KDFWR, NRCS | cost share/incentive | 50 | 10,000/federal fiscal yr | minimum 10 acres of land, must have a forest stewardship plan or equivalent and maintain practices for 10 years | program funding limited to carryover funds, no new allocations |
| Kentucky Soil Erosion and Water Quality Cost-Share Program | state | KDOC | cost share/incentive | 60-75 | animal waste: 20,000 other: 7,500/yr/
application |
silvicultural and agricultural operations | available |
| Forestry Incentives Program (FIP) | federal | NRCS, KDF | cost share/incentive | 50 | 10,000/federal fiscal yr | minimum production 50 cubic ft/acre/yr; tree planting: 2 acres; minimum site preparation: 5 acres; TSI: 10 acres | $22,000 |
| Conservation Reserve Program (CRP) | federal | FSA, NRCS, KDFWR, KDF | cost share/incentive and annual rental | 50 | 50,000/yr | land cover enhancement or protection on eligible land | available |
| Environmental Quality Incentive Program (EQUIP) | federal | NRCS, KDFWR | cost share/incentive | 75 | 10,000/yr 50,000/contract | addresses priority resource concerns on agricultural lands | available |
| Wetlands Reserve Program (WRP) | federal | NRCS, KDFWR | cost share/incentive and easement | 75-100 | no limit | wetlands used for crop or forage production: prior converted wetland, farmed wetland, farmed wetland pasture, degraded or manipulated wetland | available |
| Wildlife Habitat Incentive Program (WHIP) | federal | NRCS, KDFWR | cost share/incentive | 75 | 10,000/contract | > 5 acres required in contract | available |
| Quail Unlimited and National Wild Turkey Federation | local | QU/NWTF | cost share/incentive | NA | NA | all landowners | available |
| Local Wildlife Enhancement Projects | local | KDFWR | cost share/incentive | 75-100 | 1,000/yr or total | all landowners | available |
| 1All data based on allocations and regulations
as of fall 1999.
2Underlined agencies are those responsible for fund allocation. Other agencies participate as technical providers. 3Key: KDFWR = Kentucky Department of Fish and Wildlife Resources, NRCS = Natural Resources Conservation Service, USFWS = U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, KDF = Kentucky Division of Forestry, KDOC = Kentucky Division of Conservation, FSA = Farm Service Agency, QU = Quail Unlimited, NWTF= National Wild Turkey Federation. |
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