November 25, 2003

The Natural Resources Conservation Service provides leadership in a partnership effort to help people conserve, maintain, and improve our natural resources and environment.
 

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Focus on the Field

Conservation Partners Protect Farmland to Honor September 11 Pilot John Ogonowski
Federal and State agricultural officials and the Dracut Land Trust announced plans to protect 33 acres of farmland in Dracut as a living memorial to former American Airlines pilot John Ogonowski. Ogonowski died on September 11, 2001, when terrorists commandeered his plane and crashed it into the World Trade Center’s North Tower.  FULL STORY

“Urgent and Compelling Work”--NRCS California Technician Aids Accident Victims
NRCS civil engineering technician, Jim Middleton (at left) of the Chino, California, field office has given new dimension to the EWP term, “urgent and compelling work.” On his way back to the office from a work site recently, Jim stopped to lend assistance to a mother and her two children who were involved in an auto accident on I-215 north of San Bernardino.  FULL STORY

NRCS Protects Ohio Family Farm from Development
Shady Maple Farms has been in the Phillips-Bope family for almost 170 years. Thanks to the Farm and Ranch Lands Protection Program, the family will be assured future generations continue working the land.  FULL STORY

NRCS California, Partners Plan to Protect Land Near Power Plant in Burn Area
NRCS and State and city officials are trying to make sure the side of a mountain doesn't slide down onto a power plant below the Lake Wohlford dam this winter. NRCS district conservationist Jason Jackson, is working with the city on erosion problems.  FULL STORY

Conservation Practices Help to Keep Colorado Herds Together
A long-time adherence to holistic resource management and taking advantage of federal dollars for good range management through the Environmental Quality Incentives Program have allowed the Winford family to hang on to most of their cow herd, despite drought.  FULL STORY

EQIP Hard at Work in Vermont
Bill and Kathy Moulton and Cornelius and Ginette Hogan, who board between 25 and 35 horses at East Hill, can point with pride to an impressive array of conservation practices they installed during the 5-year EQIP contract period which began in 1999.  FULL STORY

Team to Focus on Minnesota River Basin Conservation
NRCS and other Federal and private sector natural resource agencies and organizations recently formed the Minnesota River Focus Area Team to improve conservation coordination and cooperation in the area that encompasses roughly 15,000 square miles in the southern part of the State as well as portions of South Dakota, Iowa, and North Dakota.  FULL STORY

NRCS Helps Celebrate Coffee Summit
NRCS staff recently participated in the Puerto Rico Coffee Summit. In Puerto Rico, coffee production employs about 200,000 individuals of whom 35,000 are considered limited resource farmers.  FULL STORY

Word from Washington

Emergency Watershed Protection Program Proposed Rule Now in Federal Register
NRCS proposes several changes to the implementation of the Emergency Watershed Protection program to improve the effectiveness of its response to natural disasters.  REGISTER NOTICE (PDF format)

Honor Awards Nomination Deadline Nears
Nominations for USDA’s 58th Secretary’s Annual Honor Awards Ceremony are due by December 15, 2003.  Your human resources manager has instructions on how to prepare and submit a nomination package.  FULL STORY

NRCS Proposed Reorganization Web Page FAQs updated!
Get the latest official information about the proposed reorganization of NRCS. PROPOSED REORG WEB PAGE

NRCS Legislative Summaries, Testimony, and Reports
Timely and accurate information from NRCS Legislative Affairs.

Tech Tip

SCAN Stations Grow by 11
The Soil Climate Analysis Network increased by 11 stations in Fiscal Year 2003 to 85 stations in 41 States and Puerto Rico. The new stations are in South Dakota, Oregon, Alabama, Tennessee, and Kentucky. FULL STORY
 

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