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"There are no passengers on Spaceship Earth. We are all crew."
--Marshall McLuhan, semanticist and social commentator, 1911-1980
Focus on the Field
Soils of Alabama Program Airs on Public Television
The 30-minute Soils of Alabama video aired three times on Alabama Public
Television in July 2002. The video was produced as a cooperative effort with the
Discovering Alabama Public Television program, the Alabama State Soil and Water
Conservation Committee, and Alabama Natural Resources Conservation Service. The
video, which features the seven physiographic regions of the state and related
soils, is a part of the Discovering Alabama series. As a segment of the
Discovering Alabama series, it will air periodically throughout the year. The
video is available to school systems in the state.
Your contact is Julie Best, NRCS public affairs specialist, on 334-887-4549 or
Julie.Best@al.usda.gov.
State-of-the-art Streambank Project in Southwest Alaska
Alaska NRCS has amended the cooperative agreement with the City of Soldotna
on the Kenai Peninsula to allocate $450,000 of earmarked funds for streambank
restoration on the Kenai River. These funds, in addition to almost $1.4 million
of previously earmarked funds, are being used to repair streambank and gully
erosion, and to provide elevated, light-penetrating walkways for fishing access.
Installation of the light-penetrating walkways provides long-term protection
from future erosion in his high-impact, heavy-use area. The Kenai River, a world
class fishery for King and Sockeye salmon, is visited by thousands of anglers
each year. This year's conservation project funding will be used to revegetate a
streambank site where sand and salt for winter road treatment was once
stockpiled. NRCS is providing technical assistance for the walkway configuration
and location, plant species selection, and revegetation techniques. Your
contact is Rob Sampson, NRCS Alaska State Engineer, on 907-271-2424, ext. 117.
NRCS North Dakota Assists in New State Wildlife Management Area
NRCS North Dakota, along with 50 individuals representing Federal, State,
non-profit, and private interests, recently celebrated the dedication of the
Joliet Ferry Wildlife Management Area. The land, enrolled in a patchwork of
Emergency Watershed Protection Program and Wetlands Reserve Program contracts,
was acquired by a non-profit organization for public use. NRCS provided the
groundwork of securing easements and restoring wetlands and floodplain hydrology
on this 555-acre parcel located along the Red River. The area has been donated
to the North Dakota Game and Fish Department for public outdoor recreation,
educational, and long-term management. Your contact is Arlene Deutscher,
NRCS public affairs specialist, on 701-530-2099.
Asian Pacific Islander Organization Training Conference Held
Nearly 100 NRCS and Forest Service employees recently attended the APIO's
Fourth Annual Training Conference in Verdi, Nevada. Participants were updated on
new program information, diversity and outreach initiatives, and
self-development skills. In addition, a new partnership was formed between NRCS'
API organization and the Forest Service's Asian Pacific American Employees
Association. Lou Gallegos, USDA Assistant Secretary for Administration, was a
banquet speaker. He updated participants on the latest USDA initiatives.
Presentations also included the latest information on the 2002 Farm Bill and
Asian Pacific Islander initiatives underway by NRCS and the Forest Service.
Your contact is Liz Warner, NRCS public affairs specialist, on 775-784-5863.
Farm Bill Update
Secretary Veneman Announces Release of Additional EQIP Funding
On August 1, Agriculture Secretary Ann M. Veneman announced that the
additional $227 million for the Environmental Quality Incentives Program (EQIP)
has been released to all States, Puerto Rico and the Pacific Basin. NRCS State
offices will receive allocated funding needed to provide financial and technical
assistance to farmers, ranchers and tribes through EQIP for conservation
practices that improve soil, water and air quality; wildlife habitat; and
surface and ground water conservation on eligible agricultural land, including
livestock operations. "These funds will enable farmers and ranchers to enhance
and protect our nation's soil, air and water resources for the future by
implementing sound conservation practices today," said Veneman. See the
USDA news release and a State-by-State list of funding at
http://www.usda.gov/news/releases/2002/08/0323.htm.
Term "Technical Service Provider" Replaces "Third Party Vendor"
NRCS is continuing to develop a process for delivery of technical assistance
in accordance with the 2002 Farm Bill legislation. As part of that development
process, the term "third party vendor" has been changed to "technical service
provider" to broaden and elevate the concept, and to more accurately reflect the
relationships of these sources of assistance. Also, two interim final rules are
being developed. One rule will cover technical service from the private sector
and the other technical service from non-Federal public agencies. This effort
will expedite the rulemaking process. Your contact is Melissa Hammond,
NRCS, on 202-720-6731.
2002 Farm Bill Discussed with South Dakota Tribes
In three meetings in western South Dakota, USDA staff met with tribal
representatives regarding the 2002 Farm Bill. NRCS State Conservationist Janet
Oertly, Rural Development State Director Lynn Jensen, and Farm Service Agency
State Executive Director Steve Cutler, recently met in Spearfish with
representatives from all South Dakota tribes. They discussed benefits of the new
Farm Bill and potential benefits to tribes through participation in various
programs.
On the Pine Ridge Indian Reservation, NRCS South Dakota staff met with the lands
department, tribal government and the tribal conservation district. Topics of
discussion revolved around the Farm Bill's programs and Technical Service
Providers. The final meeting emphasized the High Plains Aquifer, which is
located under seven counties in south central South Dakota. The Rosebud Indian
Reservation is located in Todd County and is located over the aquifer.
The Farm Bill authorizes the Environmental Quality Incentives Program. A special
section of this program's legislation allows for additional water saving funding
in the High Plains Aquifer. The High Plains Aquifer underlies eight States,
including South Dakota. The purpose of this special section is to install "water
savings" practices in agricultural operations, particularly on cropland.
Your contact is Dave Keith, NRCS, public affairs specialist on (605) 352-1228.
Word from Washington
NRCS E-Government and Accountability Expo 2002
On Thursday, August 1, 2002, NRCS personnel at National Headquarters (NHQ)
presented an exposition of tools highlighting the agency's accountability
systems and advances in E-Government. The advances displayed at the expo showed
how the accountability and e-government initiatives are improving the efficiency
and effectiveness of agency operations and customer service. It also provided
policy-makers at NHQ with opportunities to become more familiar with the data
available for their analyses and the technological advancements that affect the
way field offices conduct business.
Chief Bruce Knight opened the expo with comments about some of the steps that
NRCS has taken in order to meet the President's Management Agenda, particularly
with regard to budget and performance integration and e-government.
Presenters from the Operations Management and Oversight, Ecological Sciences,
and Conservation Operations Divisions were on hand to answer questions about
their respective topics. Employees from various agencies within USDA talked to
presenters about the Electronic Field Office Technical Guide (E-FOTG), progress
and performance reporting and workload databases. The expo featured on-line
demonstrations of E-FOTG, the
NRCS Accountability Web
site, the Integrated Accountability System, and the
Performance and Results
Measurement System (PRMS). The latter truly demonstrates advances in
e-government, because the public has access via the World Wide Web to the
progress and performance data that are entered by NRCS and its partnership on a
daily basis. Any individual or partner can review progress for his or her
county, congressional district, conservation district, or watershed and compare
that data to the State or the Nation.
The E-FOTG will markedly improve the mechanism for updating and distributing the
technical guidance documentation for the agency. The on-line accessibility means
that once states have uploaded their technical guides, new information can be
added and disseminated with minimal effort.
Another highlight of the expo was the
Customer Service Toolkit
presentation. This software application improves the efficiency and
effectiveness of conservation planning by linking mapping capability with
planning and resource assessment. Output from the toolkit will be useful to
partner agencies. Maps are a traditional method of communicating with customers,
and the toolkit makes it easy to develop these maps for customers. Your contact
is Tish Toomer, NRCS NHQ Operations Oversight and Management Division, on
202-720-1864.
NACD Annual Meeting, Feb. 2003!
The National Association of Conservation Districts' 57th Annual Meeting is
scheduled for February 9-13, 2003. For more information, go to the Conference
Web Site at http://www.nacdnet.org/2003/.
Deadline for USDA Mentoring Program is Aug. 19
USDA's Office of Human Resources Management is looking for participants in
the Department's Mentoring Program. Find out how to apply at
http://www.usda.gov/da/employ/mentor-program.htm.
Correction
The July 26 edition of NRCS This Week incorrectly reported that NRCS and its
Mississippi partners would host two Soil Climate Analysis Network Forums on
August 14, 2002. In fact, one forum will be held that day. It is scheduled for
1:00-2:30 p.m., and will be held in conjunction with the Delta Research &
Extension Center's Cotton Research Field Day, which is set for 8:00 a.m.-1:00
p.m.
Tech Tip
Cool-season Legume Cultivars Released for Southeast
Four new cool-season annual legumes for the Southeast have been released
cooperatively by the NRCS' Plant Materials Center in Americus, Georgia, together
with Auburn University (AU) and the University of Georgia. These legumes were
developed for use as conservation tillage plants, green manure, and cool-season
cover crops, as well as nitrogen fixation providers. The release and use of
these new cultivars are documented in the video, "New Legumes for Cover Crops,"
produced by Clemson University in collaboration with NRCS.
AU EarlyCover is an early blooming hairy vetch that provides early growth and
maturity. Another hairy vetch, Americus, develops much later and provides more
dry matter production and coverage for soil and water protection. AU Sunrise
crimson clover, developed to be the earliest developing crimson clover on the
market, blooms earlier than other crimson clovers, including AU Robin. Along
with AU EarlyCover, AU Sunrise can expand the flexibility of conservation
tillage and cover crop systems. AU GroundCover caley pea is used for forage
production in heavy calcareous clay soils and provides good cover for
conservation tillage. All of these legumes can be used in green manure and
organic gardening systems.
Your contact is Mike Owsley, NRCS Plant Materials Center, on 912-924-4499,
Mike.Owsley@gaamericu2.fsc.usda.gov.
NRCS NewsLinks
NRCS people, projects, and programs appeared this week in the
following newspapers:
Farmland
Protection Program: Preserving Maine's Farms (Portsmouth Herald, NH)
Fire Recovery: Property Tax Increase May Go on Ballot (Durango Herald,
CO)
BAER Report Warns of Grizzly Gulch Runoff Danger (Rapid City Journal, SD)
EXTRA! Satellite photo of Oregon fires
Nutrient
Management/Alternative Energy: Western New York Farm Turns Cow Patties
into Kilowatts (Buffalo News)
USDA's Farm Bill 2002 Website
Special NRCS Klamath Basin Reports
NRCS Legislative Summaries
Conferences for NRCS Employees and
Partners
Events & Activities
AGRICOLA: USDA's AGRICultural Online
Access
National Association of Conservation
Districts e-Notes
NRCS PLANTS Web Site
Links to information on Fire Resistant Landscaping can be found at PLANTS by
clicking on Links - Native Plants & Gardening - Fire Resistant Landscaping.
(NOTE: Links are tested at the time NRCS This Week is cleared. However, by the
time readers try the link, the story may be off its server. In most cases,
readers can go to the paper's homepage, where they will be able to access the
story through the paper's archives).
Please send correspondence and material for "NRCS This Week" to the editor by: e-mail to: fred.jacobs@usda.gov or by fax to: Editor, "NRCS This Week," 202-720-1564; or by mail to: Editor, "NRCS This Week," NRCS, P.O. Box 2890, Washington, D.C. 20013.
You can receive NRCSTW via e-mail by sending an e-mail to: listproc@nrcs.usda.gov (NHQ personnel should send their e-mail to: GW:"listproc@nrcs.usda.gov@i"). Do not use a subject line and put the following in the body of the message: subscribe NRCS-THIS-WEEK Firstname Lastname (example: subscribe NRCS-THIS-WEEK Rachel Carson). To get help with other commands that are available at the "listproc@nrcs.usda.gov" address, send a message with no subject and the word HELP on a line by itself in the body of the message. "NRCS This Week" is posted on the NRCS Homepage.
The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) prohibits discrimination in all its programs and activities on the basis of race, color, national origin, sex, religion, age, disability, political beliefs, sexual orientation, or marital or family status. (Not all prohibited bases apply to all programs.) Persons with disabilities who require alternative means for communication of program information (Braille, large print, audiotape, etc.) should contact USDA's TARGET Center at 202-720-2600 (voice and TDD).
To file a complaint of discrimination, write USDA, Director, Office of Civil Rights, Room 326W, Whitten Building, 14th and Independence Avenue, SW, Washington, D.C. 20250-9410 or call 202-720-5964 (voice and TDD). USDA is an equal opportunity provider and employer.
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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