United States Department of Agriculture
Natural Resources Conservation Service		 Kentucky Go to Accessibility Information
Skip to Page Content





2006 KENTUCKY WHIP HANDBOOK

Updated 08/27/2008

 

The following document requires  Acrobat Reader

For a complete copy of the handbook, download KENTUCKY WHIP HANDBOOK   (PDF; 63 KB)

 

General

The information provided in the Kentucky WHIP Handbook is supplemental to requirements outlined in the National WHIP manual. The 2002 FSRIA changed the WHIP from a non-Title 12 program to a Title 12 program. All WHIP participants must be in compliance with the Highly Erodible Land (HEL) and Wetland Conservation (WC) provisions of the National Food Security Act. If an applicant is not currently a USDA program participant, they will have to complete an AD 1026 with the Farm Service Agency (FSA) to certify that they are in compliance with the HEL and WC provisions prior to signing a WHIP contract. WHIP participants must also complete the CCC 526 “Payment Eligibility Average Adjusted Gross Income Certification” to ensure they are an eligible participant.  If a WHIP participant has not completed the AD 1026 or CCC 526, instruct them to go to FSA and complete the form. Kentucky’s WHIP objectives support the 2002 Farm Bill Managers Northern Bobwhite Conservation Initiative.

• Applications for cave gates are eligible if federally listed threatened/endangered species or candidate species or Kentucky State Nature Preserve Commission listed species occur or have historically occurred in the cave/mine. All contracts for cave gates will be 15 years long and will be for 100% of the actual cost not to exceed the average cost based on the WHIP cost list. Contact the NRCS State Biologist if you receive an application for cave gates. Due to a new WHIP program requirement (Section 517.40 f "Essential Plant and Animal Habitat Agreements), these applications will be considered special projects.  Special projects must be ranked against other special projects to determine which applications will be funded. Rankings for cave gates will be completed at the state office.

• Points may only be awarded on the ranking criteria for practices cost-shared under the WHIP. Points may not be awarded for non-cost share practices or practices funded under other programs.

• Points for WHIP shall not be awarded for practices that have already been installed or are in the process of being installed.

• Participants must accept the established cost-share amounts and may not take less.

• All planned practices shall meet Field Office Technical Guide standards and specifications.

• All practices awarded points shall be planned in the contract when a participant’s application is accepted. Units planned shall be consistent with the units for which points were awarded.

• WHIP funds may not be spent on acreage under a CRP, WRP, GRP, or Water Bank contract.

• Only one application per farm number per year. Multiple farm numbers shall be on the same application.

• To meet Kentucky’s WHIP objectives of improving habitat for species in decline, at least ten acres must be in the WHIP contract.

The WHIP state average cost list shall be used for ranking, contract development, and payments. Payments will be made based on CPM 440 Part 512.


< < Back to WHIP 2006 Handbook Index...