My vision for NRCS is for the agency to be recognized world-wide as the premier enabler of voluntary, private lands conservation. On conservation policy, we have the potential to use our new conservation authorities to position the United States as an example of locally-driven, voluntary conservation efforts into the next generation of farm, trade, and conservation policy.
NRCS Chief Bruce Knight, Soil and Water Conservation Society Annual Conference, Spokane, Washington, July 28, 2003. Click here to see the entire speech.

In This Issue

Status of Farm Bill Rules
Technical Service Provider Assistance

New Release
NRCS Releases Updated Strategic Plan

NRCS Drought News
Western Governors’ Association Supports Drought Legislation
Links to USDA and NRCS Drought Information and Assistance

Focus on the Field
Nebraska Partners Use Beetles to Battle Purple Loosestrife
NRCS to Preserve 181 acres of Rural Colorado Ag Land
NRCS Helps Preserve Historic New Hampshire Farm Land
Bear Creek Project to Reduce Flood Risk, Sedimentation in Minnesota, Iowa
Solar System to Refresh Ohio Livestock
Smithfield Agreement Funds to Help North Carolina Streams, Hog Lagoons
Students from Five States Enjoy Ecological Academy in Oklahoma

Word from Washington
Secretary Veneman Announces Bush Administration’s Climate Change Plan
NRCS Legislative Summaries, Testimony, and Reports

Tech Tip
Streambank Bioengineering Field Guide for Low Precipitation Areas Available

Upcoming Events
Major conferences and exhibitions of interest to NRCS and its partners are happening all across the Nation. Click here to find an event near you.

Discover NRCS!

Subscribe to NRCS This Week

Contact Us

Status of Farm Bill Rules

Technical Service Provider Assistance

An amendment to the TSP interim final rule was published in the Federal Register on July 9, 2003. This amendment establishes an approval process for public agencies to be TSPs separate from the certification process. Comments on the interim final rule are due August 8, 2003.

The TSP policy, handbook, and amendment to the rule are available on the NRCS website at http://techreg.usda.gov/WhatsNew.aspx. Your contact is Melissa Hammond, NRCS TSP Group Leader, at 202-720-6731, or melissa.hammond@usda.gov.

As of July 24, 2003, nearly 1,700 entities have registered through the TechReg web site at http://techreg.usda.gov, of which 868 have been certified as technical service providers.

New Release

NRCS Releases Updated Strategic Plan
NRCS has issued an updated version of its 5-year strategic plan that replaces the plan that was issued in September 2000. The purpose of the update was to ensure that NRCS plan was aligned with the Secretary’s policy statement issued in September 2001, the new activities mandated for the agency in the Farm Security and Rural Investment Act of 2002, and the goals and objectives of the new USDA Strategic Plan for FY 2002-2007. The updated plan incorporates the most recent NRI information and clarifies agency goals and objectives. This plan is providing guidance for the budget formulation process for FY 2005 now underway.

A more thorough revision of the agency strategic plan is also underway. The revision will be based on more extensive analysis of conditions and trends, input from employees, and consultation with partners. The revision is to be completed by December 31, 2003. Federal agencies are required to update their strategic plans every 3 years to reflect progress towards goals and objectives and to incorporate new strategies to respond to changes in conditions.

This document is posted to the NRCS Accountability home page at: http://www.nrcs.usda.gov/about/spa/accountabilityindex.html

Your contact is Dan Lawson, Director, Strategic & Performance Planning Division, 202-720-5322 or dan.lawson@usda.gov.

NRCS Drought News

Western Governors’ Association Supports Drought Legislation
On July 24, the Western Governors Association endorsed drought legislation that they say is badly needed to better prepare for drought and manage its often devastating impacts to communities, agriculture, and watersheds. The National Drought Preparedness Act of 2003 is sponsored by Sens. Pete Domenici and Max Baucus and by Reps. Alcee Hastings and Dennis Rehberg. Under the bill, the National Drought Council would coordinate and integrate federal drought assistance programs. “This badly needed legislation will enable improved coordination across government and a proactive approach to drought management,” the governors said in a letter signed on behalf of their colleagues by Govs. Judy Martz of Montana; Bill Richardson of New Mexico; and Michael Johanns of Nebraska. (AgWeb News)

Links to USDA and NRCS Drought Information and Assistance
Defending Against Drought
NRCS Colorado Drought Information
USDA Disaster Assistance Web Site
National Drought Monitor Web Site

Focus on the Field

Nebraska Partners Use Beetles to Battle Purple Loosestrife
The Great Plains Resource Conservation and Development (RC&D) Council and its partners have begun a campaign to eliminate purple loosestrife from the banks of the Platte River in Nebraska. Galerucella beetles, acquired from a USDA insectory in Michigan, have been released against the invasive weed, which grows wild along an 8-mile stretch of the Platte. The beetles have been used with varied success on loosestrife infestations along other Nebraska rivers. The campaign is part of the Lower Platte River Weed Management Area Program, a cooperative effort to eradicate invasive plants in 10 counties. (Fremont Tribune)

To learn more about purple loosestrife, search NRCS's Plants Database.

Image: (Robert H. Mohlenbrock. USDA SCS. 1989. Midwest wetland flora: Field office illustrated guide to plant species.)

NRCS to Preserve 181 Acres of Rural Colorado Ag Land
NRCS awarded $700,000 in Farm and Ranch Land Protection Program funds to help the Mesa Land Trust purchase three conservation easements in Mesa County, Colorado. The grants will help protect 181 acres of orchard, vineyard, and farmland. Two of the properties are located within the Mesa County Community Separators, one in the Fruita buffer zone and the other in the Palisade buffer zone. The third property is an orchard and vineyard property east of Palisade. The land trust has now received five grants from the NRCS program. “Mesa County and the land trust are proud that the [NRCS] has chosen to invest in more Grand Valley agricultural properties,” said Tom Latousek, a land-protection specialist with the land trust. “These funds will go a long way to preserving the agricultural heritage that is so important to the area's quality of life.” (Grand Junction Sentinel)

NRCS Helps Preserve Historic New Hampshire Farm Land
The town of Newington, New Hampshire, announced it will receive $625,000 from NRCS’s Farm and Ranch Land Protection Program to help with the purchase of almost 40 acres of historic farmland. The grant covers half the cost of the parcel. “This is a big success,” said Town Planner Tom Morgan. “This farm is a magnificent piece of property.” The plan is to place the land in a permanent farmland conservation easement for the town and its residents. The land, listed on the National Register of Historic Places, has been owned by the Frink family since 1816. Co-owner John Frink plans to put the family’s proceeds from the sale into a fund to maintain the farm and make improvements. (Portsmouth Herald)

Bear Creek Project to Reduce Flood Risk, Sedimentation in Minnesota, Iowa
An NRCS Small Watersheds Program project will bring safety and a more secure resource base to residents of the Bear Creek watershed. A total of 52 flood water retarding structures are included in the project. Thirty-two of those structures are to be constructed in Iowa, with the remainder in Minnesota.

In addition to reducing damages from flood water and sediment deposits, the project is designed to maintain high-quality water in the trout stream, improve recreational opportunities, and protect the watershed from excessive erosion and resource depletion. The plan is to control runoff from 42 percent of the watershed. Land treatment measures needed to reduce deterioration of the land resource base, sedimentation, and turbidity will also be installed.

“We have been working well with our partners in Iowa,” Caledonia, Minnesota, district conservationist Gary Larson stated. Winneshiek County, Winneshiek County Soil and Water Conservation District (SWCD), Houston County and Root River SWCD — the sponsoring local organizations — are required to secure all land rights needed for installation of planned dams. Engineering services will be performed by the NRCS, and construction costs will be funded by the Small Watersheds Program. (Spring Grove Herald)

Solar System to Refresh Ohio Livestock
Hundreds of farmers in eastern Ohio will soon look to the skies to keep their animals from going thirsty. The Harrison County Soil and Water Conservation District has acquired a solar pump that it will loan to livestock producers. The system uses no electricity, needing only sunlight as a power source. It features a 1,000-gallon storage tank and can pump water up to 100 feet in elevation. This innovative technology allows water from an existing stock tank, pond, or stream to be moved to a more desirable location, allowing for better grazing distribution and creating more opportunities to improve water quality and wildlife habitat. The Ohio Environmental Protection Agency provided funds for the project. For additional information, contact the Harrison Soil and Water Conservation District in Cadiz at (740) 942-8837. (Martins Ferry Times Leader)

Smithfield Agreement Funds to Help North Carolina Streams, Hog Lagoons
The North Carolina Foundation for Soil and Water Conservation Districts of Raleigh will get $500,000 from Smithfield Foods to continue its efforts to help farmers close out hog lagoons. The grant, announced on July 28, is part of more than $2 million from the company to help improve water quality in North Carolina rivers and streams and help find an alternative to hog waste lagoons. The grants were the second in a series to be awarded to environmental programs under an agreement between the State and Smithfield. Under an agreement signed July 25, 2000, Smithfield will provide $50 million over 25 years for environmental improvement. (Charlotte Observer)

Students from Five States Enjoy Ecological Academy in Oklahoma
NRCS, the Society for Range Management, Oklahoma State University, the Oklahoma Department of Wildlife, and local ranchers recently hosted a one-week ecological “academy” held near Kenton for 26 high school students from Colorado, Kansas, New Mexico, Oklahoma, and Texas. The academy was designed to stimulate interest, teach concepts, instill a land ethic, and foster leadership in rangeland management through instruction and a variety of workshops.

NRCS conservationists pitched in to help with the curriculum and instruction, and gathered resource inventory data using the agency’s global positioning system and geographic information system technology, enabling students to develop their own land management plans. Instructors taught lessons in identifying, collecting, and managing plants that contribute to the well-being of livestock, wildlife, and healthy watersheds. Field trips to local ranches provided outdoor learning opportunities in rangeland management as well as in local culture and history. Students learned basic teamwork, goal setting, and leadership skills during a day on the “challenge course” at the Black Mesa State Park.

For students interested in conservation and other natural resource-related fields, instructors found the academy provided an ideal opportunity to discuss college and career options. Your contact is Jasper Parker, acting NRCS public affairs specialist, at 405-742-1243, or jasper.parker@ok.usda.gov.
 

Word from Washington

Secretary Veneman Announces Bush Administration’s Climate Change Plan
On July 24, Secretary Veneman announced the release of President Bush’s Climate Change Science Program Strategic Plan. “The Strategic Plan released today is the most comprehensive effort to date and provides an important framework for investing in research to address long-term global climate variability as well as the potential impacts on our environment and our lives,” Veneman said. The Secretary emphasized that USDA will encourage farmers and ranchers to adopt conservation practices that prevent carbon from being released into the atmosphere.  Click here to see the USDA news release.

NRCS Legislative Summaries, Testimony, and Reports
Click here for timely and accurate information from NRCS Legislative Affairs.

Tech Tip

Streambank Bioengineering Field Guide for Low Precipitation Areas Available
Looking for a handy streambank bioengineering tool while in the field? The recently published ‘Streambank Bioengineering Field Guide for Low Precipitation Areas’ provides general information about riparian planting zones, plant materials selection criteria, and different bioengineering treatments, including installation guidelines and materials requirements.

Intended as a quick onsite reference source rather than an exhaustive design tool for bioengineering structures, the guide is small enough to fit in a field pack and is printed on water resistant paper.

Information from the field guide is being incorporated into the NRCS Stream Design Guide that is under development. The field guide and its parent publication, the more comprehensive ‘Practical Streambank Bioengineering Guide,’ are online at http://Plant-Materials.nrcs.usda.gov/idpmc/. Click on Riparian/Wetland Project in the lower right corner.  For more information, contact: Chris Hoag, Plant Materials Center, Aberdeen, Idaho, on 208-397-4133, or at chris.hoag@id.usda.gov.

Discover NRCS!

For nearly 70 years, the people of NRCS, along with the agency’s partners, have helped owners of America’s private lands conserve soil, water, and other natural resources. NRCS is known worldwide for its accomplishments and innovations in conserving soil, protecting wildlife, improving water quality, restoring wetlands, preserving farmland, enhancing grasslands, and taking other actions to keep natural resources productive and plentiful. Click here to learn more about the Natural Resources Conservation Service!

 

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The NRCS Mission: The Natural Resources Conservation Service provides leadership in a partnership effort to help people conserve, maintain, and improve our natural resources and environment.

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