USDA ANNOUNCES NEW VOLUNTARY PROGRAM TO DEVELOP WILDLIFE HABITAT
                                                                       

						Release No. 0325.97

					Jim Petterson (202) 720-4623
					      jim.petterson@usda.gov
					 Mary Cressel (202) 690-0547
			   		       mary.cressel@usda.gov

USDA ANNOUNCES NEW VOLUNTARY PROGRAM TO DEVELOP WILDLIFE HABITAT

     WASHINGTON, Sept. 18, 1997--Agriculture Secretary Dan Glickman today
announced a new program that will help farmers, ranchers, and other
landowners protect critically important wildlife habitat.  USDA's Wildlife
Habitat Incentives Program (WHIP) is a land management--rather than a land
retirement--program. 

     WHIP provides both technical assistance and cost-share payments to
landowners to help establish and improve fish and wildlife habitat.  In
addition, if the landowner agrees, cooperating state wildlife agencies and
nonprofit or private organizations may provide expertise or additional
funding to help landowners complete a project.

     "WHIP will help the nation's landowners voluntarily develop habitat for
wildlife on private lands that comprise over 70 percent of the land in this
country," Glickman said.  "WHIP also offers farmers and ranchers an
opportunity to meet their production needs in ways that are compatible with
providing fish and wildlife habitat."
           
      A number of habitat types are rapidly disappearing from the landscape. 
These include many of the native grasslands, savannas, and barrens, as well
as certain types of forest lands.  Other habitats such as wetlands, riparian
forests, rivers, and streams have suffered a serious decline in quality
and/or quantity.  Habitat loss is the number one reason for the decline in
fish and wildlife populations.  WHIP offers landowners the opportunity to
put back some of these precious habitats

      Under the 1996 Farm Bill, WHIP provides cost-share assistance up to 75
percent of the cost of installing wildlife habitat practices.  Cost-share
payments may be used to establish new practices or replace practices that
fail for reasons beyond the landowner's control.  The total cost-share
amount cannot exceed $10,000 per agreement.

      "Under the program," Glickman said, "landowners may restore aquatic
habitat as well as adjacent streambanks, wetlands, and uplands.  The goal is
to provide the best habitat possible for the species of fish and wildlife
the landowner is trying to help.  Beyond that," Glickman added, "WHIP is
just one component of the conservation improvements a farmer might want to
make, and we encourage them to work with us to see how all of USDA's
conservation programs can help on their operations."

     To participate in WHIP, individuals who own or control land agree to
prepare and implement a wildlife habitat development plan, with assistance
from USDA's Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS) and the local
conservation district.  The plan describes the landowner's goals for
improving wildlife habitat, includes a list of practices and a schedule for
installing them, and details the steps necessary to maintain the habitat for
the life of the agreement.  Agreements generally last from 5 to 10 years.  

     Land is ineligible for WHIP if it is currently in the Conservation
Reserve Program, Wetlands Reserve Program, or Water Bank Program, or is
subject to an Emergency Watershed Protection Program floodplain easement.  

     WHIP is currently budgeted for $50 million total through the year 2002. 
Funds will be distributed to states based on state wildlife priorities which
may include wildlife habitat areas, targeted species and their habitats, and
specific practices.  State priorities are developed through a locally led
process that identifies wildlife resource needs and finalized in
consultation with the State Technical Committee.  WHIP applications will be
ranked at the county level and those that provide the greatest wildlife
benefits will be funded.

     For more information, landowners may contact USDA Service Centers and
NRCS, which administers the program.

                                #

NOTE: USDA news releases and media advisories are available on the Internet.
Access the USDA Home Page on the World Wide Web at http://www.usda.gov