USDA-NRCS Seeks Comments on Farm Bill Programs

Contact: Reina O’Beck (530) 792-5692

DAVIS, Calif., March 3, 2005– The United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS) is seeking comments from California landowners, agricultural organizations, environmental groups, commodity organizations, and others on the national priorities used to implement the 2002 Farm Bill.

The final rule for NRCS's flagship conservation cost-share program, the Environmental Quality Incentives Program (EQIP), "requires NRCS to periodically review and update the priorities utilizing input from the public and affected stakeholders to ensure the program continues to address the most important resource needs," says Dr. Helen Flach, Assistant Sate Conservationist for NRCS. "Updating the national priorities will help us to respond to emerging issues and prepare for the 2006 program year and for the next Farm Bill reauthorization in 2007."

Public listening sessions will be held in each State in coordination with the State Technical Committee. NRCS is looking for a wide array of public and stakeholder input from these sessions.  Feedback from agricultural organizations, environmental groups, commodity organizations, agencies, individuals and others is encouraged.

In California, listening sessions will be held from 1:00 p.m. until 4:00 p.m. at the following locations:

Perris, California, on March 11, 2005
Harrison Building at the Lake Perris Fairgrounds
18700 Lake Perris Drive, Perris, CA

Anderson, California, on March 16, 2005
Western Shasta Resource Conservation District building
6270 Parallel Road, Anderson, CA (former Sunset Plastic site)

Fresno, California, on March 17, 2005
In the Agriculture Building at the Fresno County Fairgrounds
1121 So. Chance Ave., Fresno, CA 

 The culmination of the State listening sessions will be a national public listening session scheduled for the spring of 2005.

"These listening sessions are not exclusive to EQIP," adds Flach. "We also invite comments on our other programs, such as the Farm and Ranchlands Protection Program, Grassland Reserve Program, Wildlife Habitat Incentives Program, Wetlands Reserve Program, and Conservation Technical Assistance Program."  NRCS will be providing updates on all Farm Bill program activities in California as a part of the listening sessions.

All comments received will be recorded and forwarded for national review and consideration in developing the 2006 EQIP and beyond.

EQIP's national priorities, which NRCS uses to guide which producers will be selected for program funding, are:

• Water Quality:  Reductions of nonpoint source pollution, such as nutrients, sediment, pesticides, or excess salinity in impaired watersheds consistent with TMDLs where available, as well as the reduction of groundwater contamination and the conservation of ground and surface water resources;
• Air Quality:  Reduction of emissions, such as particulate matter, nitrogen oxides (NOx), volatile organic compounds, and ozone precursors and depleters that contribute to air quality impairment violations of National Ambient Air Quality Standards;
• Soil Erosion:  Reduction in soil erosion and sedimentation from unacceptable levels on agricultural land; and
• Wildlife Habitat:  Promotion of at-risk species habitat conservation.

The sessions will invite responses to the following questions:

1. What emerging natural resource issues are not addressed by the current national EQIP priorities?  Input should identify the nature of the concern and its extent or significance within California.
2. What modifications, if any, are needed to the four existing national priorities?  Do these existing priorities continue to reflect national needs and concerns?

A compilation of inputs from the States will be presented at the National Listening Session tentatively scheduled for this spring. Further details on the National Listening Session will be forthcoming.

Written comments are due on March 18, 2005. Comments can e-mailed to reina.o_beck@ca.usda.gov or sent by U.S. mail to Reina O’beck, Public Affairs Assistant, USDA-NRCS, 430 G Street #4164, Davis, CA 95616.

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