More Than A Half Million Dollars in NRCS Disaster Assistance to Missouri - NRCS, through the Emergency Watershed Protection Program (EWP), has allocated more than $.5 million in EWP funds for flooding in Missouri. Since October 1, NRCS has allocated EWP funds totaling nearly $51 million, for recovery work from natural disasters in Florida, Connecticut, Alabama, California, Puerto Rico, Louisiana, Iowa, Ohio, Kentucky, the U.S. Virgin Islands, Mississippi, Nebraska, Montana, Missouri, Washington, Kansas, Oklahoma, West Virginia, Tennessee and Texas. Through the EWP, NRCS provides technical and financial assistance to sponsors for work such as clearing debris from clogged waterways, restoring vegetation, and stabilizing flood-damaged river banks.

NRCS to Sign MOU's With Technical Organizations - NRCS has received requests for memorandums of understanding (MOU's) from two more third party vendor organizations. These are the American Society of Agronomy (ASA) Certified Professional Agronomists and the ASA Certified Professional Soil Scientists. The first organization is interested in becoming certified to provide technical assistance in nutrient management, pest management, and residue management. The second organization would provide assistance in nutrient management, residue management, and wetland management.

NRCS has already signed MOU's with the ASA Certified Crop Advisers, the ASA Certified Professional Crop Scientists, and the National Alliance of Independent Crop Consultants.

IN THE FIELD

NRCS Participates in Minnesota's First Mall of America "Government Expo" - NRCS recently participated in the Mall of America's first "Government Expo," where 50 State and Federal agencies showcased many programs and services.

Participating agencies, the Mall of America, and the Federal Executive Board, the event sponsor, received Vice President Al Gore's Hammer Award. The NRCS employees present at the award presentation were William Hunt, State Conservationist; Sylvia Rainford, Public Affairs Specialist; Roger Mussetter, Assistant State Conservationist; Cutrina Moreland, Soil Conservationist; Bay Young, WAE; Lori Quinnell, Area Computer Specialist; Jonathan Hempel, Soil Scientist; Michael Walker, Soil Scientist; and Jean Brown, Soil Conservationist.

Several hundred people visited the NRCS booth that featured a "Backyard Conservation" exhibit. A "Wheel-Of-Fortune" game, borrowed from the Minnesota Association of Soil and Water Conservation districts, allowed participants to spin the wheel, which landed on a number, corresponding to a conservation question. Prizes for correct answers to the questions included a soil planner, soil centennial magnets, and Backyard Conservation bookmarks.

NRCS, Partners Sign On for Better Water Quality In Colorado - NRCS in Colorado and its partners recently signed an agreement to establish a $2.9 million Public Law 566 project that will reduce selenium, nitrates, salts, and sediments in groundwater and the Arkansas River. Reduction measures on the nearly 90,000-acre area will include nutrient management and irrigation water management. Joining NRCS in the agreement were the East and West Otero Soil Conservation Districts, and the CO State Soil Conservation Board.

CONSTITUENCY AND PARTNERSHIP NEWS

First Joint Meeting of the Society for Range Management (SRM) and American Forage and Grassland Council (AFGC) - The first joint annual meeting of the SRM and the AFGC will be held in Omaha, Nebraska, February 21-26. The Grazing Lands Technology Institute (GLTI) will sponsor and participate in two symposia. The first "Building on our Heritage with Technology for Today and Tomorrow: Introducing the NRCS National Range and Pasture Handbook," will be a day-long event with multiple sessions. The second symposium, "Anti-Quality Components in Forages," is co-sponsored by the University of Idaho and GLTI. A reference on management implications of anti-quality factors of rangeland and pastureland forages will be published and distributed to NRCS field offices.

RC&D, Partners Start Affordable Rural Housing Program in Montana - The Montana Resource Conservation and Development (RC&D) Association and two local partners received a $500,000 grant to start an affordable housing program for rural families. Grant money will provide low-interest loans for down-payment assistance for single families and pay for the production and distribution of information about home ownership. This is the largest rural housing partnership in the Nation and is being used as a model for future housing programs. Working with the Montana RC&D Association are the Neighborhood Reinvestment Corporation and the Neighborhood Housing Services of Great Falls.

NRCS, Partners Combine Education with Celebration in Mississippi - NRCS in Mississippi, the State's conservation districts, and State soil and water commission employees are putting the finishing touches on their plans for Soil Survey Centennial Celebration activities. Trunks that contain soil education materials will be sent to schools throughout the State. The spirit of celebration spread to a recent meeting of the Mississippi Association of Conservation Districts, where members saw a centennial skit presented by "Dr. Dirt," a character portrayed by an intern on the NRCS Mississippi public affairs staff.

NRCS, Partners Make High Marks in Conservation Education - Throughout Arkansas, NRCS, local schools, and conservation districts are making outstanding strides in conservation education. Recently completed in Clarksville was an education amphitheater that seats 60 persons and the design and layout of a forest nature trail. A boardwalk for water studies at a nearby pond is being planned. In Charleston, a forest nature trail, an amphitheater, and a 42-foot bridge have been completed, and plans for a boardwalk at a nearby lake are underway. In County Line, an outdoor classroom is on the drawing boards. In Paragould, thanks to NRCS and its partners, students now enjoy nature trails, a weather center, and a garden study area.

National Arbor Day Foundation Sponsors Workshops - NRCS is currently cooperating with the National Arbor Day Foundation in sponsoring three workshops and conferences. The first of these events, a workshop on "Information Privacy, Confidentiality, and the Right to Know: A Growing Challenge for Workers in Agriculture and Natural Resources Management," was held last November. A diverse group of 60 participants discussed how this issue affected both the public and private sectors and how privacy, confidentiality, and right to know questions might be dealt with by public policymakers, business interests, and people administering regulatory programs. A white paper based on the workshop will be distributed by the National Arbor Day Foundation.

A second workshop, "Precision Agriculture and the Environment: Research Priorities for the Nation," will be held March 17-18, at the Lied Conservation Center at Arbor Day Farm in Nebraska City, Nebraska. Participants will discuss what environmental benefits can be gained through the use of precision agriculture technologies and what research needs to be undertaken to affirm and quantify these benefits.

Anyone having an interest in participating should contact June Parsons with the National Arbor Day Foundation in Lincoln, Nebraska, at 402-473-9564.

The third conference is planned for May 2000. It will focus on the use of conservation buffers in urbanizing areas. A program committee has been assembled. Its goal is to have a tentative program planned by this fall.

Arbor Day Farm In Nebraska Installs Demonstration Buffer - Arbor Day Farm in Nebraska City, Nebraska, is a 260-acre facility that includes forest land, cropland, and orchards (apple and nut trees) and is the site of a conservation buffer demonstration being installed on the two fields that are in cropland adjacent to the Lied Conference Center. An estimated 160,000 people visit the farm and conference center annually. A stripcropping demonstration has been installed alongside a contour buffer strip demonstration so visitors can observe the difference in these two practices. A grassed waterway that separates these two elements flows into a constructed wetland. This site will also feature a living snowfence and some backyard conservation demonstrations along the trail leading to a viewing area within the field. All of these practices will ultimately be accompanied by interpretive signs.

In a larger 40-acre field on another portion of the farm, a straightened stream channel is being re-engineered so that it more nearly approximates the original meandering stream channel. Riparian buffers and filter strips will be installed along both sides of the stream and portions of these buffers will be enrolled in the continuous Conservation Reserve Program sign-up.

Elsewhere on the farm there will be demonstrations of silvopasture and forest farming, as well as a PMC (Plant Materials Center) plant release arboretum and several plant evaluation nurseries.

Some of the project partners include the National Arbor Day Foundation, National Agroforestry Center (a key partner), NRCS Plant Materials Center, NRCS Stream Restoration Design Team, NRCS Plant Evaluation Nursery, Wetland Science Institute, National Soil Survey Center, local NRCS field offices, U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, Nebraska Department of Environmental Quality, U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, and the Nemaha Natural Resource District.

LEGISLATIVE NEWS

Watershed Hearing: NRCS Associate Chief Testifies at Subcommittee Hearing - On February 10, the House Transportation and Infrastructure Subcommittee on Water Resources (Chairman Sherwood Boehlert, NY) met to discuss the Administration's FY 2000 budget submission and programs under the subcommittee's jurisdiction. The NRCS Associate Chief presented testimony to the subcommittee. He underscored the importance of the NRCS watershed program to communities around the Nation. He said that the program has provided flood prevention, water supplies, recreation, and economic development to much of the country. He also warned the subcommittee of the condition of aging dams constructed over the past 50 years. The Associate Chief concluded his remarks by summarizing upcoming needs that both the program backlog, and aging infrastructure, will present.

Questions from the subcommittee included one from Chairman Boehlert regarding the NRCS workforce. He expressed concern that NRCS does not have the number of people it needs to meet all of its responsibilities. The Associate Chief agreed to provide detailed analysis of the agency's staffing situation to the subcommittee. Questions were also asked regarding upcoming watershed projects that are before the subcommittee for authorization.

Animal Feeding Operations (AFO) Briefing - Last week, NRCS staff briefed the House and Senate Agriculture Committees on the soon-to-be released Unified Animal Feeding Operations Strategy. NRCS staff and the Deputy Under Secretary, NRE explained the outcome of the AFO listening sessions and discussed the public review and comment period associated with the draft strategy. They explained some of the key issues in the draft strategy.

Aging Watershed Infrastructure Issue Briefing - This week, Larry Caldwell, NRCS State Engineer in Oklahoma, and Bruce Julian, NRCS Watersheds and Wetlands Division, led a briefing for the House Agriculture Committee on the aging watershed infrastructure issue. Subjects were on the funding trends for P.L. 566, and P.L. 534 over the past five decades; the number of structures built under the programs; the common problems associated with aging dams; and possible next steps.

New Legislation Introduced - The following bills of significance to NRCS and conservation were recently introduced:

Bill	Member	Purpose
S. 25	Landrieu (LA)	Conservation and Reinvestment Act of 1999. Would amend the Land and Water Conservation Fund, support urban parks, and wildlife conservation.
S. 188	Wyden (OR)	Amends the Clean Water Act to authorize a State revolving loan fund for construction of water conservation and quality improvements.
H.R. 294	Sweeney (NY)	Would ensure that Federal agencies assess whether regulations result in the taking of properties, and directs the Secretary of Agriculture to report on the issue.
H.R. 408	Peterson (MN)	Would increase acreage allowed in the Conservation Reserve Program to 45 million acres.
H.R. 728	Lucas (OK)	Would provide authority to NRCS to rehabilitate aging dams and would also provide funding for a thorough assessment of the health of the watershed infrastructure.

House Appropriations Hearing - The House Appropriations Committee has scheduled hearings for February 24, on the Administration's FY 2000 budget proposal relating to NRCS and conservation programs. Key witnesses will include Under Secretary for Natural Resources and Environment, Jim Lyons; and Chief Pearlie Reed.

State of Conservation Briefing - The previously scheduled briefing, regarding the state of conservation activities on private land, has been re-scheduled for March 9. The briefing will be sponsored by the Senate Agriculture Committee and open to the public and media. NRCS staff will present information about the state of the NRCS program delivery system and conservation assistance, and will outline key priority issues for the agency for 1999.

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UPCOMING

February 1-28 - African-American History Month.

February 21-26 - (Nebraska) The Society for Range Management and the American Forage and Grasslands Council will hold their annual meeting, "Building on Our Heritage," at the Holiday Convention Center, 3321 South 72nd Street in Omaha, NE. For more information, visit the Society for Range Management website at: http://srm.org/meetings.html.

February 22- 23 - (Virginia) The U.S. Department of Agriculture will hold the 75th annual Agricultural Outlook Forum at the Crystal Gateway Marriott Hotel, 1700 Jefferson Davis Highway, Arlington, VA. For more information, visit the Agricultural Outlook Forum website at: http://www.usda.gov/agency/oce/waob/agforum.htm.

February 24-25 - (Nebraska) The Forest Service, the Ecological Society of America Society for Range Management, the Agricultural Research Service Center for Grassland Studies, the University of Nebraska Center for Great Plains Studies, and the University of Nebraska will hold "Great Plains Grasslands at the Millennium," at the Holiday Convention Center in Omha, NE. For more information, contact Lori Hidinger, Program Manager, Ecological Society of America, at 202-833-8748; fax: 202-833-8775; e-mail: lori@esa.org; or visit the conference website at: http://esa.sdsc.edu/grasslands.htm.

February 28 -March 2 - (Missouri) The Southwest RC&D Association meeting will be held in Springfield, MO. For more information, call the NRCS Resource Conservation & Community Development Division at 202-720-2241.

March 1-4 - (Canada, Vancouver, British Columbia) GEOTec Media will host the 13th Annual Conference on Geographic Information Systems "GeoSolutions: Integrating Our World," at the Pan Pacific Hotel in Vancouver, BC. For more information, call 203-445-9265; e-mail: info@GIS99.com; or visit the conference website at: http://www.gis99.com/default.asp.

March 9 - (Missouri) NRCS, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, Illinois Department of Natural Resources, and the Great Rivers Alliance of Natural Resource Districts will host the 8th Annual Urban Erosion & Water Management Conference, "Meeting Water Quality Concerns in the 21st Century," at the University of Missouri in St. Louis, MO. For more information, contact Rick Macho at 618-656-5166; or Dawn Larry at 314-922-2833.

March 26-30 - (California) The Wildlife Management Institute will hold its 64th North American Wildlife and Natural Resources Conference at the Hyatt Regency San Francisco Airport in Burlingame, CA. For more information, call 202-371-1808; fax: 202-408-5059; e-mail: wmihq@aol.com; or visit the Wildlife Management Institute website at: www.wildifemgt.org/wmi.

April 14-17 - (California) The second in the series of Third Annual American Wetlands Month Conferences will be held in San Francisco, CA at the Holiday Inn Golden Gateway. For more information, contact the Terrene Institute at 800-726-4853; fax 703-548-6299; e-mail: terrconf@aol; or visit the Terrene Institute website at: www.terrene.org, for program updates.

April 15-16 - (Nevada) Biennial High Mountain workshop will be held at the CalNeva Lodge in Crystal Bay, Nevada. The registration deadline is April 9. For more information, contact the Nevada Tahoe Conservation District office at 800-541-5654.

April 22-23 - (Washington, D.C.) More than 30 different agricultural organizations are combining efforts to hold a national celebration, "Ag-Earth Day" on Earth Day, to raise public awareness and highlight agriculture's contributions to the environment. The event will be on the National Capital Mall and will feature comments from national agricultural community leaders; extensive exhibits; a traditional farmers' market; outdoor equipment displays, and a satellite uplink to classrooms across the country featuring a lesson in soils. For further information, visit the Ag-Earth website at: http://www.nasda-hq.org/nasda/earth/events1/index.html.

April 27-28 - (Oklahoma) 1999 Timber Utilization Conference and Equipment Exposition to be held at Western Hills Resort in Sequoyah State Park near Wagoner, OK. For information, contact Ouachita Mountains RC&D at 918-423-2479; fax 918-423-0793; or e-mail: omrcandd@icok.net.

May 6-8 - (Massachusetts) The third and final Third Annual American Wetlands Month Conferences will be held in Boston, MA, at the Rolling Green Inn and Conference Center. For more information, contact the Terrene Institute at 800-726-4853; fax 703-548-6299; e-mail: terrconf@aol; or visit the Terrene Institute website at: www.terrene.org, for program updates.

May 16-19 - (Texas) The National Watershed Coalition is presenting its Sixth National Watershed Conference, "Getting the Job Done at Ground Level," at the Doubletree Hotel in North Austin, TX. For more information, contact John W. Peterson at 703-455-6886 or 4387; fax: 703-455-6888; or e-mail: jwpeterson@erols.com.

May 23-28 - (Indiana) The International Soil Conservation Organization will host the 10th International Soil Conservation Conference, "Sustaining the Global Farm," at Purdue University in West Lafayette, IN. For more information, call 765-494-8683; fax: 765-494-5948 c/o ISCO99; e-mail: isco99@ecn.purdue.edu; or visit the conference website at: http://spc3.ecn.purdue.edu/isco99/isco99.htm.

June 6-9 - (Pennsylvania) The American Farmland Trust and 13 other agricultural organizations, in cooperation with NRCS and several other Federal agencies, will host the "Keep America Growing: Balancing Working Lands and Development" conference at the Adam's Mark Hotel in Philadelphia, PA. For more information, contact Karl Otte at 703-440-8611; or visit the conference website at: www.farmland.org/KAG.html.

June 9-12 - (Louisiana) The Cooperative State Research, Education, and Extension Service, and other Federal and State agencies, will present the Third National Workshop on Constructed Wetlands/BMPs for Nutrient Reduction and Coastal Water Protection at the Radisson Hotel, New Orleans, LA. For more information, contact Dr. Frank Humenik at 919-515-6767; or e-mail: frank_humenik@ncsu.edu.

July 18-21 - (Toronto, Ontario Canada) The Annual International Meeting of ASAE to be held in cooperation with the Canadian Society at the Sheraton Toronto Center in Toronto, Ontario Canada. For more information, contact Brenda West, ASAE Meeting and Conferences Manager, at 616-429-0300; fax: 616-429-3852; e-mail: west@asae.org; or visit ASAE's website at http://www.asae.org.

QUOTE

"The world cares very little about what a man or woman knows; it is what the man or woman is able to do that counts."

Booker T. Washington (1856-1915), author and founder of Tuskegee Institute.

NRCS This Week is issued weekly by the Conservation Communications Staff, NRCS headquarters, Washington, D.C. Please send correspondence and material via e-mail: fred.jacobs2@usda.gov or mail to Editor, "NRCS This Week," NRCS, P.O. Box 2890, Washington, DC 20013 or fax to Editor, "NRCS This Week," 202-690-1221.

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