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Inflation Reduction Act EQIP FY 2024 Ranking Criteria for Caribbean Area Beginning Farmers & Ranchers

Applicability

Did the applicant self-certify as a beginning farmer or rancher on the NRCS-CPA-1200, Conservation Program Application submitted for Environmental Quality Incentives Program - Inflation Reduction Act funds (EQIP-IRA) for a farm operated in Puerto Rico or US Virgin Islands?

  • a. Yes — Points: 0
  • b. No — Points: 0

Category Question

Conservation treatments for assessed PLUs are in: 

  • a. Puerto Rico — Points: 0
  • b. U.S. Virgin Islands — Points: 0

Program Questions

1. Does the applicant meet the NRCS definition of a veteran farmer or rancher (VRF)?*

  • a. Yes — Points: 20
  • b. No — Points: 5

2. Is the applicant a covered producer participating in the CRP-TIP and NRCS is evaluating the assessment during the two-year period covered by the CRP-1R?

  • a. Yes — Points: 5
  • b. No — Points: 0

3. Has the application been evaluated under another ranking pool?

  • a. Yes — Points: 100
  • b. No — Points: 0

4. Does this participant have prior year contracts or has an active contract including practices that address the same resource concerns considered in this application?

  • a. Yes — Points: 5
  • b. No — Points: 10

5. Is the project in or near a locally identified priority watershed or environmentally sensitive area?

  • a. Yes — Points: 10
  • b. No — Points: 

7. Is any portion of the land in the operation in a Caribbean Area source water designated priority watershed?

  • a. Yes — Points: 10
  • b. No — Points: 5

8. Does the application include one or more of the following Climate-Smart Agriculture and Forestry (CSAF) Mitigation Practices? 311, 313, 314, 315, 317, 327, 328, 329, 332, 336, 338, 340, 342, 345,
366, 367, 372, 374, 379, 380, 381, 383, 384, 386, 390, 391, 393, 412, 420, 422, 430, 441, 442, 449, 453, 484, 512, 528, 533, 543, 550, 585, 590, 592, 601, 603, 612, 632, 643, 657, 666, 670, 672.

  • a. Yes — Points: 45
  • b. No — Points: 0

Resource Questions

1. Which are the Climate Change Mitigation Categories that will be addressed in the practice schedule? Select all that apply. (Refer to CSAF Mitigation Activities List)

  • a. Soil Health — Points: 5
  • b. Nitrogen Management — Points: 5
  • c. Livestock Partnership — Points: 5
  • d. Grazing and Pasture — Points: 5
  • e. Agroforestry, Forestry, and Upland Wildlife Habitat — Points: 5
  • f. Restoration of Disturbed Land — Points: 5
  • g. Energy, Combustion, and Electricity Efficiency — Points: 5
  • h. Wetlands — Points: 5
  • i. Rice — Points: 5

2. Will the project include Wildlife related practices to improve terrestrial and/or aquatic wildlife habitats?

  • a. Yes — Points: 25
  • b. No — Points: 0

3. Will the application include associated facilitating practices to improve crop health and vigor?

  • a. Yes — Points: 20
  • b. No — Points: 0

4. Will the application include associated facilitating practices to increase pumping efficiency, improve irrigation water storage capacity, collect runoff from precipitation to manage availability of water supply?

  • a. Yes — Points: 20
  • b. No — Points: 0

5. Will the application include associated facilitating practices for the control or prevention of invasive plant species?

  • a. Yes — Points: 20
  • b. No — Points: 0

6. Will the application include the associated facilitating practices to increase the number of grazing cells or exclude livestock access to water bodies?

  • a. Yes — Points: 20
  • b. No — Points: 0

7. Will the application include associated facilitating practices to reduce objectionable odors or greenhouse gases?

  • a. Yes — Points: 20
  • b. No — Points: 0

8. Will the application include associated facilitating practices to reduce transport of agricultural biosolids, chemicals or pathogens to surface or groundwater in sites are subject to flooding, have high water table or where runoff is concentrated?

  • a. Yes — Points: 10
  • b. No — Points: 0

9. Does the EQIP schedule of operations include associated facilitating practices that will result in creation of buffer zones that will mitigate offsite contaminants from entering the farm?

  • a. Yes — Points: 10
  • b. No — Points: 0

10. Does the EQIP schedule of operations include associated facilitating practices with the intent of increasing habitat for pollinators, beneficial insects, or both?

  • a. Yes — Points: 10
  • b. No — Points: 0