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EQIP seen as investment in rural America

A northwestern Arkansas farmer says the USDA’s Environmental Quality Incentive Program (EQIP) is an investment in rural America.

Jared Phillips, who raises sheep and forages at Branch Mountain Farm in Washington County, says he utilized the program to completely alter his operation.

“It let us make some key investments in our farm.”  He says, “It let us extend our watering capacity.  It helped us invest in some fencing projects, which meant that we could increase our stocking capacity, which meant that we became a little bit more profitable.”

Harrison Pittman, director of the National Agricultural Law Center, tells Brownfield he’s hearing from many producers who’ve been left in limbo due to now frozen EQIP contracts.

“’I had one of these contracts. I’ve had the work done.’” He says, “’The person that came and did the excavation work or put the fence up, they are wanting me to pay them right now. I was supposed to pay them with this money.  What do I do? Do I have any legal rights because the government hasn’t come through with the money?’”

Ag Secretary Brooke Rollins recently told Brownfield the administration will honor previously signed USDA contracts, but the future of non-legacy conservation programs, such as EQIP, remain uncertain.  Phillips says the uncertainty comes at a time when many farmers are already struggling.

“And that’s really sad because there’s a lot of farmers that want to do these projects to improve the health and well-being of their farm on all these fronts. And they are not able to do it because of the chaos,” he says.

He says the technical assistance received from USDA NRCS staff through the EQIP program was also vital to the growth of his operation.

AUDIO: Jared Phillips – Arkansas farmer