Legislative Alert

By working together on local RC&D Councils, communities, all levels of government, and grass-roots organizations develop opportunities that sustain and improve our communities, local economies, and natural resources.

SAMPLE LETTER TO REQUEST FUNDING FOR RC&D PROGRAM FOR FY09

The Honorable __________________ The Honorable ________________
U.S. Senate                                          U.S. House of Representatives
Washington DC 20510                           Washington, DC 20515

RE: FY09 Funding for the Resource Conservation and Development (RC&D) program in Agriculture appropriations

Dear:

I am a member of the ________ RC&D council located in _________.  I urge you to oppose the President’s budget request for RC&D.  He proposes to eliminate all funding to the RC&D program.  We need your help in restoring this funding to a minimum of $56 million to continue our strong record of service on conservation and economic development issues in our community.

RC&D Councils help plan and carry out activities that increase conservation of natural resources, support economic development and enhance the environment and standard of living in local communities. RC&D Council members are volunteers and include local, civic, appointed, and elected officials.  RC&D Councils are non-profit entities that work in partnership with USDA’s Natural Resources Conservation Service through a federal coordinator. 

The RC&D program is one of the federal government's success stories with its ability to return $7.50 for every dollar the federal government invests to support economic development and resource protection in rural areas.

We cannot allow funding to the RC&D program to be cut.  If funding for this program is cut, the following services and projects can no longer be provided in our community:

(list local projects that have strong public recognition)

I am writing to you to ask that you continue support for this council and Councils nationwide by writing the Chairman and Ranking Members of the Agriculture Appropriations Subcommittee and asking that $56 million be provided to the USDA’s Natural Resources Conservation Service, Resource Conservation and Development Program (RC&D).

I appreciate your interest in RC&D’s, and hope you can support my request by writing to the Chair and Ranking Members of the Agriculture Appropriations Subcommittee and asking them to insert this language into the Agriculture Appropriations bill:

“Resource, Conservation and Development Councils play an important role in rural development and natural resource conservation.  USDA has indicated it takes on average it takes $207,500 to fully support an RC&D Council.  There are currently 375 existing Councils and 38 pending applications.  The Committee provides $56 million to move the existing Councils toward full funding.”

Sincerely,

NATIONAL ASSOCIATION OF RESOURCE CONSERVATION AND DEVELOPMENT COUNCILS

FY 09 APPROPRIATIONS FACT SHEET

Resource Conservation and Development (RC&D) Councils are the leadership entity associated with RC&D areas. The Councils help plan and carry out activities that increase conservation of natural resources, support economic development and enhance the environment and standard of living in local communities.

RC&D Council members are volunteers and include local, civic, appointed, and elected officials. RC&D Councils are non-profit entities that work in partnership with USDA's Natural Resources Conservation Service through a federal coordinator. Because RC&D areas are locally organized, sponsored, and led, the program provides an ideal way for residents to join together to decide what is best for their community. RC&D Councils identify and address unmet needs in local communities. Currently, 375 RC&D Councils serve 180 million people in 2,693 counties in all 50 states, the Caribbean, and the Pacific Basin.

A few of the many RC&D accomplishments in FY07:

•          855 new businesses were created with RC&D Council assistance.

•          3,833 businesses were expanded or retained by RC&D Councils.

•          802 businesses were financially assisted with funds totaling $13.6 million.

•          10,753 jobs were created or retained.

•          Councils helped improve 1,640,000 acres of wildlife habitat, 370,463 acres of lakes, and 5,265 miles of streams.

•          Councils helped 837,000 people learn new skills.

•          RC&D projects have helped nearly 5,200,000 economic or socially disadvantaged people nationwide.

·         Formed 113 cooperatives

·         Obtained $382.7 million for projects

·         Assisted 795 farm or ranch operations with agri-tourism activities

·         Assisted 795 farms or ranches with direct marketing from the field to the consumer via Community Supported Agriculture groups (CSAs), restaurants, commercial stores, or public access farmers markets.

·         Assisted 412 Tribal Nations

·         Preserved or protected over 235,500 acres of agricultural land. 

·         Assisted over 2,050 animal agricultural operations with water quality projects

·         Assisted with the construction or rehabilitation of 338 flood control structures

·         Conducted over 4,600 workshops, tours and seminars nationwide on agriculture, aquaculture, forestry and wildlife;

·         Organized over 5,300 training sessions on leadership development, grant writing, business development, non-profit management and environmental education.

·         Helped nearly 837,000 people develop new skills. 

·         Created more than 900 natural resource related school curriculum and programs

RC&D projects have helped over 3.5 million economic or socially disadvantaged people.

Thirty-eight RC&D Councils in 24 States implemented renewable energy projects.  Projects addressed producing biofuels from soybeans, ethanol production from corn, and energy production from other biomass, solar, water and wind sources.

Funds provided to RC&D through appropriations provide technical assistance and support for one federal coordinator per council.  In turn, council members seek outside funding to address local needs identified in council area plans for conservation and economic development.  RC&D Councils have successfully brought a return of $7.50 for every dollar the federal government provides. In recent years, as the program absorbed inflation and cost of living adjustments, technical assistance to local Councils has declined and as a result, council services provided to local communities have also declined. Councils no longer have full time coordinators and program assistants have been eliminated.

Full support of the 375 existing Councils and the additional 38 applications pending at USDA would require an allocation of $85.7 million to the USDA Natural Resources Conservation Service's RC&D appropriation in FY 2009.  The FY08 funding level for RC&D is $51 million and the President’s Budget request for FY09 is 0.

The National Association of RC&D Councils requests that the following report language be added to the FY09 Agriculture Appropriations Bill:

 

Resource, Conservation and Development Councils play an important role in rural development and natural resource conservation.  USDA has indicated that on average it takes $207,500 to fully support an RC&D Council.  There are currently 375 existing Councils and 38 pending applications.  The Committee provides $56 million to move the existing Councils toward full funding.

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NATIONAL ASSOCIATION OF RESOURCE CONSERVATION AND DEVELOPMENT COUNCILS
Frequently Asked Questions

What was the funding level for RC&D in previous years?
FY 07 $51.3 million
FY 06 $50.7 million
FY 05 $51.2 million

Why do our letters need to go in by the first of March?  Members of Congress must submit their requests for funding to the House and Senate Agriculture appropriations committee by Mid-March.

Can we use e-mail?  This is not recommended.  Members of Congress get hundreds of e-mails daily and their general in-boxes may not be checked for weeks at a time.  The best approach is to fax your request if time is short.

Should I write to the members of the key committees? Not unless you live in their district.  Write to your  member of congress or senator.  If an out of district request comes in, Members of Congress will forward that request back to the appropriate district. 
  
When will we know how we are doing?  The subcommittees generally markup a bill in May and it gets considered on the house floor by mid-June.

What does the budget situation look like?  Budgets will be tighter this year than last.

When can I meet with a Member of Congress while they are back home? 
Congressional District Work Periods

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