NRCSer Named 1997 USDA Economist of the Year - John Stierna, NRCS Senior Economist in the Resource Economics & Social Sciences Division in Washington, D.C., has been selected as the USDA Economist of the Year by the USDA Economists' Group. Stierna was recognized for his efforts to integrate economics into the development and implementation of the 1996 Farm Bill and for his highly effective policy advice to NRCS and USDA leaders.

The USDA Economists Group is a non-profit association acting as an advocate for economists with USDA; the Washington, D.C., community; the agricultural economics profession; and society at large. Its members represent a cross section of USDA agencies and other organizations. The group's web site is http://www.pmax.com/usdaecon.html.

Personnel Changes - Gene Andreuccetti, NRCS Regional Conservationist for the West, will retire on December 30, 1997, after more than 32 years with the agency. During his career, Andreuccetti provided leadership for many priority initiatives.

Rosendo Trevino III, currently State Conservationist for New Mexico, will serve as Acting Regional Conservationist for the West effective January 5, 1998.

NRCS Fiscal Year (FY) 1998 Buyout Program - As of December 5, 1997, 53 NRCS employees nationwide had signed up for the FY 1998 buyout program that runs through December 30, 1997.

NRCS Supports Professional Agricultural Workers Conference - On December 7-9, several NRCS employees attended the 55th annual Professional Agricultural Workers Conference (PAWC) at Tuskegee University, Tuskegee, AL. The conference serves as a forum on improving the quality of rural life for people in the South and the Nation. The PAWC is hosted by Tuskegee University and supported by the university, 1890 Land Grant Institutions, other organizations, and USDA agencies, including NRCS. This year's conference theme was, "Access and Equality Issues in Policies and Programs for Agriculture and Rural Development."

Thornton Named as Director of USDA's Office of Outreach - On December 8, in Tuskegee, AL, Agriculture Secretary Dan Glickman announced the appointment of Samuel E. Thornton as director of the U.S. Department of Agriculture's newly created Office of Outreach. Prior to this appointment, Thornton served as a senior advisor to the Secretary of Agriculture and deputy director of USDA's Office of Communications.

Glickman established the Office of Outreach on August 22, 1997, to coordinate and provide leadership in delivering programs and services to USDA customers. USDA's Civil Rights Action Team Report, released in February 1997, recommended that USDA establish an Office of Outreach to ensure oversight and coordination of outreach responsibilities within USDA. The office reports to the Assistant Secretary for Administration.

Glickman also announced the establishment of a toll-free number, 1-800-880-4183, to make it easier for customers to reach USDA. For customers in the Washington, D.C., metropolitan area, the number is (202) 720-6350.

USDA Begins Collection of the 1997 Census of Agriculture - Over 2 million farms and ranches nationwide will soon receive a 1997 Census of Agriculture report form. "We are about to undertake a process that touches every farmer and rancher in the Nation, and for the first time in history, USDA is responsible for this task," said Agriculture Secretary Dan Glickman. Previous censuses of agriculture were conducted by the U.S. Bureau of the Census. "By combining the resources of the former Bureau of the Census with USDA's National Agricultural Statistics Service (NASS) staff, we expect to make the results available more than 6 months earlier than in the past," Glickman added.

Although there are many studies about large-scale farming, the census is unique because it is the only source of local county-level information about small, family farms. Completed report forms are due by February 2, 1998. Another "first" for the census of agriculture will be the collection of information about Christmas trees, maple trees tapped, and farms with all land under the Conservation Reserve Program. NASS has also fortified efforts to improve the coverage of minority-owned farms. Also for the first time, all farm operators on American Indian Reservations will be counted.

For help in completing their form farmers and ranchers can call a USDA toll-free number, 1-888-4AG-STAT, which will be answered by local staff from USDA's 45 NASS field offices. In addition, other local USDA offices will be available to help.

"Buffers for Bobwhites" - Under the National Conservation Buffer Initiative, the Southeast is organizing a "Buffers for Bobwhite" effort to improve quail habitat. Partners in the effort include several agribusinesses.

Eastern South Dakota Nutrient Management Team - A new Agricultural Nutrient Management Team will be serving all counties in eastern South Dakota. The team includes two NRCS engineers, an agronomist, a soil scientist, and a technician hired by the South Dakota Association of Conservation Districts. The team will work with agencies, organizations, and individual producers to provide technical assistance on planning and designing manure storage facilities and using nutrient management. The nutrient management team is a cooperative effort among conservation districts, the South Dakota Department of Environment and Natural Resources, the Environmental Protection Agency, NRCS, and the South Dakota Department of Agriculture.

Florida Seeks to Strengthen Natural Resources Management - Florida's New Natural Resources Management Law, HB 1119, authorizes soil and water conservation districts "to conduct demonstration projects and carry out preventive and control measures related to conservation on lands owned or controlled by the State."

January 26-28, 1998 - National Conservation Buffer Initiative Science and Technology Conference and Workshops, San Antonio, TX. Contact the Conservation Technology Information Center at 765-494-9555, or visit the CTIC Web site at http://www.ctic.purdue.edu. The Web address for conference information is http://www.ctic.purdue.edu/Releases/BufferConf.html.

February 1-5 - "Setting the Stage for Conservation," National Association of Conservation Districts' 52nd Annual Meeting, Opryland Hotel, Nashville, TN. For information contact Robert Raschke or Linda Neel at 303-988-1810.

February 10-12 - "Managing Manure in Harmony with the Environment and Society," Soil and Water Conservation Society West North Central Manure Management Conference, Iowa State Center, Scheman Building, Ames, IA. Contact: Bob Ball, NRCS, Parkade Center, Suite 250, 601 Business Loop 70 West, Columbia, MO 65203. Phone: 573-876-0900.

February 18-21 - Land Improvement Contractors of America annual convention, Opryland Hotel, Nashville, TN. Call Wayne Maresch at 301-248-5749 or send e-mail to WayneF86@aol.com).

February 21-24 - Winter Meeting of the National Governors' Association, Washington, D.C.

February 23-24 - Agricultural Outlook Forum 98, Omni Shoreham Hotel, Washington, D.C. For registration details call 202-720-3050, send e-mail to agforum@oce.usda.gov, or write to Outlook Forum 98, 5143 South Building, 1400 Independence Ave., SW, Washington, DC 20250-3812.

March 22-24 - North Central RC&D Association Meeting, Traverse City, MI.

April 6-7, 1998 - First National Mitigation Banking Conference, J.W. Marriott Hotel in Washington, D.C. Conference registration is being handled by the Terrene Institute, 4 Herbert St., Alexandria, VA 22305; phone: 703-548-5473; fax: 703-548-6299. For more information contact Gary Wooten, Watersheds and Wetlands Division, National Headquarters, at 202-690-1588, or send e-mail to gary.wooten@usda.gov.

May 23-28, 1999 - "Sustaining the Global Farm," 10th International Soil Conservation Organization (ISCO) Conference Purdue University, West Lafayette, IN. For information contact ISCO conference organizers by telephone at 765-494-8683, by fax at 765-494-5948 c/o ISCO99, or by e-mail at isco99@ecn.purdue.edu. Send correspondence to ISCO99, Purdue University, 1196 SOIL Building, West Lafayette, IN 47907-1196.

"If you have built castles in the air, your work need not be lost; that is where they should be. Now put the foundations under them."

--Thoreau, "Conclusion," Walden (1854)

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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