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Wisconsin

Celebrating the Completion of Wisconsin’s Soil Survey
Soil scientists, school groups, and State and Federal dignitaries recently celebrated the completion of the Wisconsin soil survey with the Year of Soil event held in Madison. Governor Jim Doyle declared 2006 as the Year of Soil in Wisconsin.  Wisconsin now becomes the 10th State to have complete digital soil survey coverage.

 

Texas

NRCS Co-Sponsors 7th Annual Texas State Wildlife Contest
With a host of agencies and volunteers from Texas, NRCS Zone 5 co-sponsored the recent 7th Annual Texas State Wildlife Contest held at the Richards Ranch.  The ranch, located near Jacksboro, Texas, has been in operation since 1865. The contest was held in conjunction with the Texas Wildlife Alliance for Youth with the objective of supporting and promoting proper management and conservation of wildlife and related natural resources.

Massachusetts

NRCS Approves Up to $30,000 and Technical Assistance for Dam Stabilization
NRCS has approved up to $30,000 in Emergency Watershed Protection funding for work to stabilize the Millbrook Dam in Rockport, Massachusetts.  The dam had partially collapsed, causing extensive damage to the park and endangering public safety, as well as business and residential property downstream. The possible rupture of water and sewer lines also threatened to release contaminants into Rockport Harbor.
 

Illinois

Conservation Tillage Thriving in Illinois
Illinois district conservationist Kevin Donoho is optimistic about use of conservation tillage in his district.

Connect to NRCS' State News, Newsroom, and News Releases!

Walk-A-Mile Comes to Washington, D.C.
Through a unique partnership with the National Association of Conservation Districts the Walk-A-Mile in My Boots program has resulted in a number of exchanges between producers and NRCS. One of the most recent provided an opportunity for three ranchers from the western U.S. to visit and work with NRCS Regional Assistant Chief, West Sara Braasch at NRCS National Headquarters in Washington, D.C.

Johanns Announces 43 Percent Decline In Total Cropland Erosion
Agriculture Secretary Mike Johanns has announced that according to USDA’s National Resources Inventory (NRI), a statistical survey of natural resource conditions and trends on non-federal land, that total soil erosion on cultivated and non-cultivated cropland in the U.S. decreased 43 percent between 1982 and 2003, sheet and rill erosion decreased 42 percent, and wind erosion decreased 44 percent.  The NRI is a statistical survey of natural resource conditions and trends on non-federal land that measures soil erosion, land cover and use, prime farmland soils, wetlands, habitat diversity, selected conservation practices, and related resources.

Links...
Johanns Announces 43 Percent Decline In Total Cropland Erosion (May 22, 2006)

National Resources Inventory

Celebrate Asian Pacific American Heritage Month
Twenty-seven years ago, President Jimmy Carter signed a joint resolution declaring the first Asian Pacific American Heritage Week as May 4-10, 1979. Eleven years later, in 1990, President George Bush extended the week into a month-long celebration. Two years after that, Public Law 102-450 designated May of each year Asian Pacific American Heritage Month. The theme for this year’s Asian Pacific American Heritage month is Celebrating Decades of Pride, Partnerships and Progress.

Links…
President's Proclamation for Asian/Pacific American Heritage Month

Chesapeake Bay Recognized during National Wetlands Month
Every day, watersheds from six States pour into the Chesapeake Bay — our nation’s largest estuary and an endangered wetland.
 

Larry Clark Speaks at National Agronomy Conference in Alabama
"We really don’t recognize soil as the agronomists do. They think of our soils as the factory that produces our food and fiber, so that factory needs care and maintenance," said NRCS Deputy Chief for Science and Technology Larry Clark this week at the National Agronomy Conference in Auburn, Alabama.

General Manual State Supplement

Nevada May 17, 2006
To issue a supplement to the General Manual setting policy on completing spot checks at Nevada Field offices.

Title 450, Part 407, Documentation, Certification, and Spot Checking, Subpart A, Policy Subpart B, Documentation and Certification
Subpart C, Spot Checking
Subpart D, Exhibits

National Bulletins

National Bulletin: 190-6-13 
May 18, 2006
Subject: ECS – Collecting Information on Conservation Plant Materials Releases Available for Testing Through Conservation Security Program (CSP) Research Enhancement
The Conservation Security Program (CSP) Research Enhancement component offers the opportunity for increased testing of conservation plant materials releases. To provide State-level offices with the latest information on available conservation plant releases for additional testing under the CSP Research Enhancement, the Plant Materials Program needs to collect information from State-level offices on actually (i.e., current use/adaptation) and potentially (i.e., to be tested in/for future adaptation) used conservation plant materials releases.

National Bulletin: 210-6-10
 May 17, 2006
Subject: ENG – Draft National Engineering Handbook (NEH) 630, Hydrology, Chapter 7, Hydrologic Soil Groups
This draft of Chapter 7 represents a multi-year coordination and collaboration effort between the Conservation Engineering Division and the Soil Survey Division to reach an agreement on definition and determination of hydrologic soil groups. Upon final release the definition of hydrologic soil groups in Chapter 7 will supersede information provided in any other NRCS technical references. While the official definition of hydrologic soil groups will reside in Chapter 7, the Soil Survey Division will still have responsibility for assigning map unit components to hydrologic soil groups.

National Bulletin: 450-6-12
May 19, 2006
Subject: TCH – Technical Service Provider (TSP) Acquisitions Information Needed for Fiscal Year (FYS) 2003 Through 2006 and Future Quarters
This bulletin is requesting information regarding TSP acquisitions for FYs 2003, 2004, 2005, and 2006 through the third quarter and for subsequent quarters. The agency needs TSP acquisition data to respond to internal and external requests.

The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) prohibits discrimination in all its programs and activities on the basis of race, color, national origin, age, disability, and where applicable, sex, marital status, familial status, parental status, religion, sexual orientation, genetic information, political beliefs, reprisal, or because all or a part of an individual's income is derived from any public assistance program. (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 to USDA, Director, Office of Civil Rights, 1400 Independence Avenue, S.W., Washington, D.C. 20250-9410 or call (800) 795-3272 (voice) or (202) 720-6382 (TDD). USDA is an equal opportunity provider and employer.