I know some of you guys have tried about everything under the sun for quality deer habitat enhancements so I'm looking for some recommendations and feedback from you if you would be so generous. I have an 80 farm in Northern Missouri that's an overall pretty damn good farm considering it's in Missouri. I see tons of deer and Turkey and typically get a nice deer or two on the farm each year. My farm is about 36 acres of timber and 44 acres tillable. It is pretty rolling. Though it has been farmed for a long time, it probably shouldn't be due to the sloping of the ground. I had an NRCS fella out a months back to look at some erosion issues and to get his recommendations to combat those issues and our meeting turned into more of a habitat meeting. Very nice fella and very habitat minded. While he did provide some information and opportunities for terracing and field drains his "off the record" recommendation was to utilize some of the EQIP opportunities to stabilize the soil and at the same time build better habitat. CRP is an option but not my first pick from a financial aspect. His recommendations were to use a combination of the different EQIP programs and specifically the switchgrass programs, Forbes programs, but he also spoke very highly of the pollinator and monarch programs which do pay very high per acre. In February 25' my farming contract will be up, and I'd like to turn my EQIP plan in soon to see if I get approved. My initial inclination is to still try and farm the better ground on the tops of the ridges which would be about 12-18 acres, and then mix and match the EQIP programs to design the rest. I've attached an aerial if that would help, but any and all information or recommendations I could get from you guys would be very appreciated. I figure maybe I can learn from your successes as well as mistakes. Thanks for your time!
Hardwood11
It is going to be a good fall!
That looks nice ! Your rent contract ends next yr ?
Correct, this is the last planting season on the contract. The farmer reached out Friday asking about extending the contract for another 3 years which is what got me to thinking I need to come up with a plan lol.
Windwalker
Life Member
Looks like you have the only crop in the area. Alfalfa ,some CRP ,crop ridges. I think you can food plot in CRP if it is under a certain size. Looks like a fun project.
Those EQIP programs are good if you don't have crop history and are not CRP eligible. Def would not go that route if you are CRP eligible. The payments look good but they are a one time deal, not a yearly rental payment.
From what I see on your map id probably enroll anything tou can see from the road in CRP and keep cropping the rest.
From what I see on your map id probably enroll anything tou can see from the road in CRP and keep cropping the rest.
The south end of the property is the lowest elevation on the entire property. I have a 40' wide switchgrass strip planted along the road for screening currently for added security but the elevation alone makes it hard to see more than 100yrds off the road.
Bucksnbears
Well-Known Member
Do you " need" the income$?
If that's not a big priority, keep any " programs out of the program".
Nice looking piece you have.
If that's not a big priority, keep any " programs out of the program".
Nice looking piece you have.
Unfortunately at this point the income factor does matter. The annual cash rent pays about 40% of my annual payment. I don't have to increase income but I don't want to decrease it a ton if I don't have to. That aspect is somewhat clouding my decision making
deerdown
Well-Known Member
I guess I'm not following. You don't want to reduce your income substantially, then, unless you have a solar, turbine, other 1 off option, your income options are limited, generally you either rent the tillable or put it in crp or so a combination of the 2. I'm curious why you state " CRP is an option but not my first pick from a financial aspect." ... How many choices do you think you have if you're trying to keep your income around it's current level?
Eqip is normally a cost share. Usually you're not going to put lots of money in your pocket. Get your tenant to notill, there used to be an eqip payment for that. Cover crop the tillable for eqip cost share. After those are done, put some of the ground into crp, then eqip brush piles, edge feathering, other eqip programs that you desire. Do some tsi under mdc Or eqip for additional income and habitat improvement. MDC programs are similar to Eqip, pay roughly the same and are less paperwork
Call your Missouri plc and see what else you qualify for. But again, for long term income, your choices are limited. What is currently in your Eqip plan?
CottonwoodCanyon
Well-Known Member
Dang that EQIP contract is pretty substantial. I'm not super familiar with pricing on EQIP contracts, is that type of price tag common? I briefly explored an EQIP option once until I found out they would make me eliminate 100% of ERC which I wasn't interested in completely removing. Didn't even get to the price discussion.
This is my first experience with EQIP so I couldn't tell you if it's the norm or not. I do know I got an additional 15-20% added on to the normal amount bc I've never filed taxes under a certain type of schedule. Kind of like a first time farmer bonus or something like that was the way it was explained to me. My understanding is that those prices per acre are also including the seed cost, which could be $150-$400 per acre depending on the blend so you wouldn't net the full price per acre.