Small Farm Commission Holds Public Forum - The Small Farm Commission established by Agriculture Secretary Dan Glickman held its first public forum on July 28 in Memphis, TN. Concerns raised by farmers at the forum included how to compete with large corporate farms, how to use new information technologies, and how to bring the next generation into farming. Additional hearings will be scheduled in August. The public is encouraged to participate.

Conservation Buffer Job Sheets Available - NRCS State Conservationists should have received by now a supply of 10 different National Conservation Buffer Initiative technical job sheets and a technical brief, "Blending Buffers with Business." The job sheets, intended for distribution to staff and conservation partners, provide information on a range of buffer practices including alley cropping, cross-wind trap strips, and herbaceous wind barriers. Attached to a July 18 memo to State Conservationists on the buffer job sheets was a form for States to use to order more copies. The form should be sent by FAX to James Robinson, with the Conservation Buffer Technical Team, at 817-334-5454.

The buffer job sheets can be accessed on the Internet on the NRCS Home Page. To reach them, select Technical References, then select Conservation Practices Standards, and then select National Handbook of Conservation Practices. The standards that have job sheets have a blue box in the right hand column. Also available on the NRCS Home Page is "Selecting and Sizing Conservation Buffers for the Conservation Buffer Initiative." It is available under Technical Tools.

Leopold Center for Sustainable Agriculture Celebrates 10th Anniversary - On July 30, NRCS Chief Paul Johnson gave the keynote address at the 10th anniversary celebration of the Leopold Center for Sustainable Agriculture at Iowa State University, Ames, IA. Chief Johnson spoke about how we must make conservation and sustainable agriculture a greater part of the national and international land ethic.

NRCS to Participate in Dialogue on Pork Production - NRCS will participate in the National Environmental Dialogue on Pork Production to be held August 6-8, 1997, in Baltimore, MD. NRCS will be represented by Chief Paul Johnson and Deputy Under Secretary Tom Hebert. The meeting will include local and State government officials as well as Federal agencies and pork producers. The goal of the dialogue is to have an open discussion about the opportunities and difficulties present in addressing environmental issues surrounding modern pork production.

U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (FWS) and USDA's Office of the General Counsel (OGC) Visit NRCS Virginia Field Office - On Monday, July 14, a group of NRCS National Headquarters staff took FWS and OGC representatives on a field trip to Warrenton, VA, to demonstrate how NRCS helps private landowners comply with the Endangered Species Act through its natural resources conservation planning process. NRCS staff described the National Planning Procedures Handbook and how it is used in conservation planning. Also discussed was how NRCS employees in Virginia interact with Federal and State agencies to identify threatened and endangered (T&E) species and their habitats. A decision-making flow chart used by NRCS in addressing T&E species with private landowners was demonstrated. An FWS biologist discussed proposed endangered species programs including Safe Harbors, Candidate Conservation Agreements, and Habitat Conservation Plans.

Virginia NRCS employees conducted an environmental evaluation in the Cedar Run Watershed in Airlie, VA, for a client requesting a spring development. NRCS showed how environmental factors and on- and off-site and potential conservation alternatives are assessed in addressing the client's objectives. The group also examined a wetland mitigation site for enhancing habitat for T&E species and other wildlife. Additional meetings are being scheduled to maintain and enhance working relationships among the participating agencies.

Regional Oversight and Evaluation and Operations Management and Oversight Division Staffs Meet - Regional oversight and evaluation (O&E) and Operations Management and Oversight Division staffs held a national meeting in Sacramento, CA, from July 14-17. Deputy Chiefs and Regional Conservationists held two teleconferences with meeting participants to discuss the evolving nature and role of O&E in NRCS. Participants recommended that four of the 18 proposals submitted for national O&E reviews in FY 1998 be forwarded for approval to Deputy Chief for Management Tom Weber. In addition to the proposed reviews, O&E staffs will be conducting reviews of implementation of the Conservation Reserve Program and Environmental Quality Incentives Program in FY 1998.

LEGISLATIVE NEWS

FY '98 Agriculture Appropriations - The House and Senate will likely name their respective members to serve on the appropriations conference committee. Negotiations will begin soon to draft a committee report and a revised appropriations measure. This will allow for the conferees to work out any differences between the two bills during the August recess and have a conference report ready for final passage once Congress reconvenes in September.

Congressional Recess - The traditional August recess is scheduled for August 2-September 1. Members are scheduled to return to Washington September 2.

UPCOMING EVENTS

August 18-23 - Blacks in Government 19th Annual National Training Conference, Washington, DC.

August 10-14 - American Society of Agricultural Engineers National Meeting, Minneapolis, MN.

August 21-25 - National Association of Conservation Districts National Leadership Conference, Royal Waikaloan Hotel, Kona, HI. For more information, contact Robert Raschke at 303-988-1810.

August 25-27 - The National Rural Development Partnership 1997 Annual Leadership Conference, "The Power of Partnership," Delavan, WI. For conference information contact Marsha Cannon by phone at 608-292-9479 or by e-mail at cannon@aae.wisc.edu. You can also visit this Internet site: <http://www.rurdev.usda.gov/nrdp>.

September 1-6 - The 9th World Water Congress, International Water Resources Association, Montreal, Quebec, Canada. Contact Aly M. Shady at 819-994-4098 or e-mail aly_shady@ACDI-CIDS.gc.ca.

September 10-13 - Congressional Black Caucus Annual Legislative Conference,Washington, D.C.

September 22-26 - National Watershed Water Quality Project Symposium, Hyatt Regency Washington, On Capitol Hill, Washington, DC. For more information contact the Conservation Technology Information Center at 765-494-9555.

October 6-10 - National Conference on Urban Soils, New York City, NY. Contact Tyrone M. Goddard at 315-477-6526 or send e-mail to tgoddard@ny.nrcs.usda.gov for more information.

November 2-4 - International Irrigation Exposition & Technical Conference, Nashville, TN. For conference information visit the Irrigation Association's Web site at <http://www.irrigation.org/ia/main.html>.

November 2-5 - The National Urban and Community Conservation Conference "Natural Resources Issues in Rural America," Columbus, OH. For conference information contact Robert Raschke at 303-988-1810 or visit NACD's Web site <http://www.nacdnet.org>.

November 2-5 - Third North American Conference of the Farming Systems Research & Extension Association, "Food & Natural Resource Systems: Integrating Diversity, Inquiry, Action, & People," Welches (Mt. Hood), OR. For information contact seiters@bcc.orst.edu of Oregon State University.

QUOTE

"We have a responsibility to keep our small farm heritage alive. We have a responsibility to ensure young people see a future for themselves on the farm, and we have a responsibility to raise the awareness of the need for small farms."

--Agriculture Secretary Dan Glickman

NRCS This Week is issued weekly by the Conservation Communications Staff, NRCS headquarters, Washington, D.C., and posted on the NRCS Home Page at http://www.nrcs.usda.gov. Please send correspondence and material via e-mail to: nancy.garlitz@usda.gov or mail to Editor, "NRCS This Week," NRCS, P.O. Box 2890, Washington, DC 20013 or FAX to Editor, "NRCS This Week," 202-690-1221.

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