NRCS This Week - 03/16/01

Kids Enjoy Farm Day - Over 1,000 third-graders from six school districts participated in Monterey County, California's, annual South County Farm Day. NRCS district conservationist Danny Marquis teamed with Monterey County Resource Conservation District's Emily Hanson to present a model on water quality to students. The hands-on demonstration allowed the students to see how pollution travels throughout their watershed and inspired them to offer ideas on decreasing non-point source pollution. Other presentations included grape and mushroom growing, irrigation, plant health, nutrition, organic farming, and livestock raising. Your contact is Jolene Lau, NRCS Public Affairs Specialist, at 831-754-1595.

Wetland Seminar Continues to Grow - Over 110 participants - nearly double last year's total - attended Nebraska's Rainwater Basin Joint Venture (RWBJV) 6th Annual Seminar. Attendees of the seminar heard remarks by U.S. Senator Ben Nelson and watched presentations on the latest wetland management tools, restorations, and technology. NRCS State Conservationist Steve Chick presented RWBJV coordinator Steve Moran with a plaque for his leadership and dedication to wetland preservation and conservation. Your contact is Joanna Pope, NRCS Public Affairs Specialist, at 402-443-3463 ext. 109.

NRCS to Celebrate Bennett's Birthday - A celebration of Hugh Hammond Bennett's 120th birthday is planned for April 13, 2001, at the University of Wisconsin at Platteville. The all-day Chautauqua-style meeting will feature live music from Warren Nelson's Big Top Chautauqua and a re-enactment of the original 1933 play "Old Man Erosion," which was performed throughout the Coon Creek Watershed (first watershed-size erosion control demonstration site in the U.S.) to convince farmers to try conservation. Many noted conservationists will speak throughout the day, including Roger Cohee (son of Melville Cohee, one of the original Coon Creek Watershed staff); Stanley Trimble, Professor, UCLA Department of Geography; and Ben Brancel, Secretary of the Wisconsin Department of Agriculture, Trade, and Consumer Protection. Paul Johnson, former Chief of NRCS, has been invited to attend. Your contact is Renae Anderson, NRCS Public Affairs Specialist, at 608-276-8732, ext. 227.

NATIONAL

Celebrate Women's History Month! - Women's dreams, goals, and accomplishments have resulted in remarkable accomplishments in every area of society, from business and medicine to community service, sports, and the arts. The Women's Museum recently opened in Dallas, Texas, serves as a forum to showcase women's contributions toward improving everyone's lives in the 21st century. Visit the Women's Museum online at http://www.thewomensmuseum.org/. Your contact is Nadine Scott, Vice President, California Association of Resource Conservation Districts, at 760-757-6685.

WHAT'S UP IN WASHINGTON

Visitors to PLANTS Web Site Increase - The NRCS PLANTS web site http://plants.usda.gov continues to receive accelerated use by NRCS, partners, and others. For the first quarter of FY 2001, PLANTS received 6 million hits during 300,000 visitor sessions. The National Plant Data Center sponsor of the site, is working closely with people in the plant materials discipline and others to continue to add more information on high-priority conservation plants. Your contact is Scott Peterson, Director, NRCS National Plant Data Center, at 225-775-6280, or speterson@npdc.usda.gov.

NASDA Seeks Updated Information - The National Association of State Departments of Agriculture (NASDA) is seeking information from State departments of agriculture about their Animal Feeding Operations (AFOs) and Concentrated Animal Feeding Operations (CAFOs) programs and requirements. This new information will be used to update NASDA's 1998 CAFO Survey. The original 1998 survey results and specific data have been valuable policy and educational tools, especially as more attention has been focused on the environmental impacts of animal agriculture. Many States have requested and used the survey information, and congressional staffs have continuously requested the data to help them develop policies and make cases for increased State funding resources. This information will be even more important to NASDA as the Environmental Protection Agency has proposed new CAFO regulations with comments due May 2, 2001. A questionnaire and copy of the State Survey on Waste and Manure Management Regulations are posted on NASDA's website at http://www.nasda.org/joint/02-2001cafo_memo.html. Comments can be written directly on the survey or by completing the questionnaire. Please fax or e-mail comments by April 6, 2001, to Tom Sommer at 202-296-9686, or tom@nasda-hq.org. Your contact is Tom Sommer, NRCS Resource Conservationist, at 202-720-1836.

Condition of Nation's Dams Given a "D" on ASCE's Infrastructure Report Card - The American Society of Civil Engineers (ASCE) recently released its 2001 report card on America's flood control structures at a news conference at the National Press Club. The condition of the Nation's dams was given a "D," the same as was given in their last report in 1998. ASCE noted that more frequent severe weather conditions and uncontrolled development are resulting in growing risks from dam failures. The report cited the passage of PL-106-472, "The Small Watershed Rehabilitation Act of 2000," as one of the few positive steps taken since their last report. ASCE called for full funding of PL-106-472, increased public education efforts, and increased support for dam safety programs. The full ASCE report can be accessed at http://www.asce.org/reportcard.

AWARDS AND ACCOLADES

Elsberry PMC Manager Recognized as Premier Seed Grower - Jimmy Henry, manager of the Plant Materials Center in Elsberry, Missouri, received a Special Premier Seed Grower Award from the Missouri Seed Improvement Association. The association presents the award to a member who has shown commitment to producing high-quality certified seed throughout the years. The Elsberry Center serves Illinois, Iowa, and Missouri. Your contact is Norm Klopfenstein, NRCS Public Affairs Specialist, at 573-876-0911.

First State RC&D Honored - The Points of Light Foundation selected the First State RC&D's Emergency Home Repair Project as a Daily Points of Light Winner - one of two State winners in Delaware for Make A Difference Day. The project has also been recognized two times by USA Weekend Magazine, the Paul Newman Foundation, and the Points of Light Foundation for not only its Make-A-Difference Day activities but for its commitment to volunteers, as well. Your contact is Paul Petrichenko, NRCS Public Affairs Specialist, at 302-678-4178.

NRCS Minnesota Receives Ducks Unlimited 2001 Conservation Award - NRCS Minnesota received the Ducks Unlimited, Inc., Minnesota Chapter's 2001 Conservation Award. Ducks Unlimited presented its "partner category" award at its State convention to NRCS for the agency's commitment and dedication to wetland conservation, best demonstrated through the agency's Wetlands Reserve Program. Ducks Unlimited also recognized NRCS for its partnerships with several agencies and organizations, including The Nature Conservancy, Minnesota Waterfowl Association, and U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service. Ducks Unlimited cited NRCS involvement in one of the largest wetland/tall grass prairie restoration projects in U.S. history - the Glacial Ridge Project. The Nature Conservancy purchased nearly 25,000 acres in northwestern Minnesota for $9 million. NRCS in Minnesota has identified about 21,000 acres in this project that can be restored through its Wetlands Reserve Program at a total estimated cost of $13 million. Of the 21,000 acres, there are 7,000 acres enrolled. Your contact is Sylvia Rainford, NRCS Public Affairs Specialist, at 651-602-7859.

TECH TIP

Conservation Planning Atlas Now Available - The USDA National Agroforestry Center, a partnership between NRCS and the Forest Service, has developed a web-based atlas that is now available to assist planners and stakeholders in defining area wide objectives. The atlas website is http://www.unl.edu/nac/conservation/atlas/index.html. The compilation of assessment and resource maps, which can be viewed quickly with an Internet browser, provides a general overview of national and regional issues facilitating a larger-scale perspective in conservation planning providing guidance for prioritizing projects, and thereby supporting the policy decision-making process. The atlas is part of a larger project under development that will facilitate the design of conservation buffers for multiple objectives. The planning framework integrates regional landscape and site scale information, including both national and Midwest regional maps, using a question-based process enabling the atlas to support the regional component of the planning framework. Each map includes a description as well as Internet links to additional information. Presently, over a hundred maps are available for clean water, water use, stability and biodiversity, aesthetics and recreation, ecosystem health, demographics, climate change, air quality, and cultural resources. Both Internet Explorer and Netscape can be used to view the atlas, however, Internet Explorer seems to work best. Resetting monitor resolution to 1152 x 864 allows the maps to be viewed without having to scroll. Your contact is Gary Wells, NRCS National Agroforestry Center, at 402-437-5178, ext. 41 or gary.wells@ne.usda.gov.

CONFERENCE & TRAINING CONNECTION

March 16, 2001

As a service to NRCS personnel and the agency's partners, "NRCS This Week" offers the following by-subject list of conferences and training sessions. To add an event, please send an e-mail message to fred.jacobs@usda.gov

AFO/CAFO

Agricultural Economics

Agricultural Engineering

Agricultural Marketing

Agroforestry/Forestry

Coastal Zone Management

Conservation Education

Conservation Communications

Forestry
Geographic Information Systems

Global Climate Change
Grazing Land & Grassland

Locally Led Conservation

Nutrient Management
NEW! Rural History

Soil Science/Erosion Control

Wildlife and Natural Resource Conservation

AFO/CAFO

Dairy Manure Systems: Equipment and Technology Selection

March 20-22

Rochester, New York

an educational

Dairy Manure Systems: Equipment and Technology Selection is a conference intended for farm managers and their advisors, soil and water conservation district staff, nutrient management consultants, cooperative extension educators, equipment distributors, university specialists, farm system designers and builders, and environmental professionals. It will examine technology and equipment selection for manure handling, treatment, land application, and odor control.. The conference will focus on a systems approach to planning. For more infomration call 607-255-7654 or visit the conference website at http://www.nraes.org/conferences/manure.html.

Agricultural Economics

American Agricultural Economics Associtaion Annual (AAEA) Meeting

August 5-8

Chicago, Illinois

AAEA seeks submission for posters, papers, organized symposia and free sessions for the 2001 annual meeting in Chicago. For more information, contact Nancy Herselius at 515-233-3202, or nancy@aaea.org or visit the meeting website at http://www.aaea.org/meetings/.