How do we force EQIP participants to use the land inside the EQIP cost-shared fences for livestock use?
During the life of the contract, the EQIP applicants must use the fence for the purpose that it was installed, to contain or control livestock. After the contract expires the applicants only legal requirement is to maintain the fence for its useful life of 20 years. However as a part of the EQIP contract we would develop a prescribed grazing plan which would be a component of the EQIP applicants conservation plan in Toolkit. The applicant signs the conservation plan and agrees to follow it as well as carry out the EQIP contract. If the applicant chooses to not follow the conservation plan after the EQIP contract expires, we would not be able to request a repayment of EQIP money as long as the practices were maintained according to NRCS standards and specifications.
