Local Work Group Meetings
Local Work Groups (LWG) are convened by the Soil and Water Conservation Districts (SWCD) to make recommendations to the State Conservationist regarding state and local priority natural resource concerns, the selection of conservation practices that address those resource concerns, and the establishment of payment levels. The Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS) uses the recommendations to develop the Environmental Quality Incentive Program (EQIP) guidance and operating procedures. LWG's are composed of SWCD supervisors, agricultural producers, non-industrial private forest landowners, and other professionals representing agricultural and conservation interests in the community. Georgia is divided into 26 Local Work Groups (see map to locate your LWG). Refer to the NRCS contact page to get more information on your LWG.
LWG's prioritize conservation practices in six natural resource concerns: energy, forestry, grazing, soil erosion, water conservation, and water quality. National, state, and local ranking questions determine an applicant's ranking amongst other applicants in the same local work group. Applicants who agree to implement high priority practices are placed in the high priority ranking and are considered first for funding.
Local Work Groups met in July and August to develop guidance for Fiscal Year 2012.