Signatures on the Land

An overview of NRCS conservation accomplishments in Washington through fiscal year 2008

The Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS) provided a wide range of programs and services to enable Washington landowners to implement various conservation practices and management activities in fiscal year 2008 (Oct. 2007-Sept. 2008).

These programs and services, according to NRCS Assistant State Conservationist Dave Brown, are providing Washington landowners with the technical and financial resources to help them protect and improve soil, water and air quality, as well as wildlife habitat.

All across the state,” Brown said, “landowners are utilizing a wide range of conservation programs and services to affect positive change on the land."

Brown said that thanks to the continued utilization of key conservation programs established in the 2002 Farm Bill, as well as NRCS’ conservation technical assistance activities (CTA), land owners improved irrigation efficiency on some 83,000 acres of land and improved soil quality on 273,000 acres.

“In 2008, individual conservation plans were written covering more than 218,000 acres of grazing land and forest land in Washington,” he said.

During the same year, the agency’s soil survey program released digital soil surveys covering 1 million acres and created or updated soil surveys released for public use covering more than 2.9 million acres.

“To assist agricultural producers address water quality and state regulatory issues,” Brown said, “NRCS developed more than 30 Comprehensive Nutrient Management Plans while another 27 plans were applied.”

FY 2008 Conservation Accomplishments as a glance

Irrigation efficiency improved: 83,000 acres
Watershed conservation plans: 15
Cropland/grazingland conservation plans: 368,000 acres
Digital soil surveys made available: 1 million acres
Created or updated soil surveys: 2.9 million acres
Comprehensive Nutrient Management Plans: 30 written, 27 applied
Wetlands created, protected or restored: 2,600 acres
Grazing land and forest land protected through conservation: 218,000 acres

2002 Farm Bill Programs

While NRCS’s technical assistance provided the resources for sound conservation planning, a portfolio of voluntary conservation programs authorized in the 2002 Farm Bill provided financial and technical assistance funding to farmers and ranchers to implement needed conservation measures.

Following is a brief overview of some of those programs.

Environmental Quality Incentives Program (EQIP)

Through EQIP farmers may receive financial and technical help with structural and management conservation practices on agricultural land.

Wildlife Habitat Incentives Program (WHIP)

WHIP provides financial incentives to develop habitat for fish and wildlife on private lands.

Conservation Security Program (CSP)

CSP provides financial and technical assistance to promote the conservation and improvement of soil, water, air, energy, plant and animal life, and other conservation purposes on Tribal and private working lands.

Farm and Ranch Land Protection Program (FRPP)
This program provides matching funds to help purchase development rights to keep productive farm and ranchland in agricultural uses. Working through existing programs, USDA partners with state, Tribal, or local governments and non-governmental organizations to acquire conservation easements or other interests in land from landowners.

Wetland Reserve Program (WRP)
WRP offers landowners the opportunity to protect, restore, and enhance wetlands on their property. Through this program, NRCS provides technical and financial support to help landowners with their wetland restoration efforts.

Conservation Innovation Grants (CIG)
This program is intended to stimulate the development and adoption of innovative conservation approaches and technologies while leveraging federal investment in environmental enhancement and protection, in conjunction with agricultural production.

FY 2008 Conservation Programs as a glance

Environmental Quality Incentives Program
New contracts: 465
Acres: 180,000
Cost share: $18 million

Wildlife Habitat Incentives Program
New contracts: 31
Acres: 1,150
Cost share funding: $627,000

Conservation Security Program
Active contracts: 335
Acres: 409,000
FY ‘08 payments: $6.1 million

Conservation Innovation Grants Program
Number awarded: 2
Funding: $100,000

Farm and Ranch Land Protection Program
Agreements: 4
Acres: 408
Funding: $1.9 million

Wetlands Reserve Program
Agreements: 2
Acres: 134
Funding: $515,000

PDF documents requires Adobe Acrobat Reader.

For printer friendly version of "Signatures on the Land". (PDF 242KB)

< Back to... News