WHIP

[CSS archer]

NRCS offices are taking signups again for WHIP this can fund many permanent wildlife habitat improvements with a $10,000 per landowner per year limit. Contact your private lands wildlife biologist for details or your county NRCS office.

http://www.kdfwr.state.ky.us/wildbiol.htm

[Multidigits]

Joe--Can you explain the basics of the program and what it might cover. Thanks

[Bowcrazy]

I'd like a little info too please. Steve Beam came to our local QU meeting last year and seems like a super nice quy. I think the establishment of Private Lands Biologists was a good move.

[Shrike]

WHIP is a federal cost-share program through the USDA specifically designed for wildlife habitat on ground that isn't eligible for other federal programs such as CRP or WRP (meaning no crop history). The link below will provide more information:

http://www.nhq.nrcs.usda.gov/CCS/FB96OPA/WhipFact.html

Some of the basics:

Up to 75% cost-share for wildlife habitat practices including warm season grasses, cool season grasses, legumes, wildlife watering holes, shallow water impoundments, nest boxes, annual food plots, tree planting, etc. Payment is made after the landowner has finished the practices and submitted his bills, and is based on a KY state cost-share list (average cost). Maximum payment per landowner was $50,000 last year, but that's subject to change from year to year.

The program is competitive, meaning that each applicant is ranked according to the practices he submitted for inclusion in the program. They then fund applicants starting at the top and going down the list until all the money is allocated. Each year the federal agency allots an amount of money to each state. The state folks then decide what priorities they wish to fund for that particular year. They can then skew the ranking system so that those practices or particular species get the funding. Last year it was large blocks of warm season grasses. The time before that the priority was to do as many practices as possible. This year's priority has yet to be decided on.

Contracts run from 5 to 10 years, in which you are responsible for maintaining the established practices (some of which are cost-shared as well). After the contract term is up, you are free to do whatever you wish with that ground.

IMO, it's a great program for people who don't farm and can't get into other programs, or farmers who have ground they don't tend but would like to benefit wildlife. Nothing else out there has a 75% cost share. Plus the federal folks are willing to use KDFWR written plans to implement WHIP, which means you can hopefully get good advice on how to get funded and help with getting it done.

Joe, add anything that I missed...

[CSS archer]

That covers it pretty well. I will say that the ranking gives priority to fescue conversion and Native grass establishmet. Other practices alone many times will not make the cut, but a combination may.