General Sign-up EBI Factors and Subfactors
| N-Factor | Description | Explanation | Criteria Type(s) | Sign-up 16 | Sign-up 18 | Sign-up 20 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| N1 | Wildlife habitat benefits | Up to 50 points for the cover established and other points for proximity to permanent water, restored wetlands or protected habitat, benefits to endangered species, and food plots | Cover, location, parcel | (0-100) | (0-100) | (0-100) |
| N2 | Water quality benefits | Up to 40 points based on sheet/rill index and proximity to population served by watershed; up to 20 points for soil leach index and proximity to population served by groundwater; points for cropped wetland criteria and state water areas | Location, parcel | (0-100) | (0-100) | (0-100) |
| N3 | On-farm benefits | Uses higher of wind or water erodibility index | Parcel | (0-100) | (0-100) | (0-100) |
| N4 | Long-term (enduring) benefits | Likelihood that practice will persist beyond contract period (wetlands, trees) | Cover, location | (0-50) | (0-50) | (0-50) |
| N5 | Air quality benefits | Uses downwind population calculation by ZIP code and parcel's wind erodibility factors | Location, parcel | (0-35) | (0-35) | (0-35) |
| N6 | Conservation Priority Area (CPA) | Parcels in CPAs; must receive at least 40% of the points available in the corresponding ranking factor | Location | (0, 25) | (0, 25) | (0, 25) |
| N7 | Cost | Uses formula to convert offered rental rate: [a — (a/b × r)] + cost share points + below max points | (0-150) a =125 b =165 | (0-150) a =125 b = 165 | (0-150) a = 125 b = 165 | |
| Cost share | Points for not requesting cost share assistance | — | (0,10) | (0,10) | (0,10) | |
| Below maximum rent | 1 point for each $1 the rental rate offered is below the maximum SRR (up to 15 points) | (0-15) | (0-15) | (0-15) |
Note: SRR, soil rental rate.