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Newsroom
Some documents require Adobe Acrobat reader. USDA Revises Payment Rates for Technical Service ProvidersOct. 12, 2004—The U.S. Department of Agriculture’s Natural Resources
Conservation Service released its revised “not-to-exceed” (NTE) payment rates
for certified technical service providers. Generally, payment rates have
increased and there is greater flexibility in their use. NTE rates are used when
landowners contract with certified technical service providers for conservation
technical services.
NRCS Provides $2.1 Million to Restore and Protect Wetlands in 12 StatesOct. 5, 2004—USDA announced the availability of $2.1 million in Wetlands
Reserve Program (WRP) technical assistance funds for technical service providers
and other third parties to conduct restoration activities on WRP lands in 12
states. These funds will accelerate restoration of between 30,000 and 40,000
acres of wetlands in California, Indiana, Iowa, Louisiana, Massachusetts,
Michigan, Minnesota, Missouri, North Dakota, Oklahoma, Washington and Wisconsin. USDA Announces Conservation Effects Assessment Project Grant Recipients
Oct. 1, 2004—USDA announced four recipients of grants totaling $2.5 million
for the Conservation Effects Assessment Project (CEAP). The four projects will
study the environmental benefits of federal conservation programs on
agricultural land and will improve understanding of the effects of conservation
practices on water quality. The four awards were made through a joint
competitive grants program offered by NRCS and the Cooperative State Research,
Education, and Extension Service to Heidelberg College in Ohio, Iowa State
University, Utah State University and University of Idaho. NRCS Provides Additional $1.9 Million for Grasslands Conservation in 11 StatesSept. 30, 2004— USDA announced that an additional $1.9 million in Grassland
Reserve Program funds will be provided to farmers and ranchers in 11 states for
grassland conservation: Colorado, Florida, Iowa, Missouri, Minnesota, Montana,
Oregon, South Dakota, Virginia, Washington and Wyoming. About $450,000 of the
additional funding will help protect greater sage grouse habitat in Colorado,
Washington and Wyoming.
Links… USDA Signs Technical Service Provider Agreement with ARPASSept. 30, 2004—NRCS signed a memo of understanding with the American Registry
of Professional Animal Scientists (ARPAS) offering landowners the option to
obtain conservation technical assistance in feed management from certified
technical service providers. ARPAS-certified professionals formulate diets that
increase the animals’ production levels but also reduce manure nutrients.
NRCS Provides Additional $1 Million to Ohio for EQIP
September
21, 2004—Agriculture Secretary Ann M. Veneman today announced that an additional
$1 million in Environmental Quality Incentives Program (EQIP) funds will be
provided to Ohio livestock producers in 35 counties to improve manure and forage
management in recognition of Ohio’s high level of performance in soil and water
conservation. The following Ohio counties received additional EQIP funds: Adams,
Ashland, Athens, Belmont, Carroll, Clark, Coshocton, Crawford, Cuyahoga, Darke,
Delaware, Erie, Gallia, Geauga, Guernsey, Harrison, Highland, Hocking, Holmes,
Huron, Jefferson, Knox, Lorain, Meigs, Miami, Monroe, Morgan, Morrow, Muskingum,
Perry, Preble, Richland, Washington, Wayne and Wood. New NRCS Technology Centers and LabsSeptember 20, 2004—NRCS Chief Bruce Knight announced the establishment of
three new national technology support centers and three remote sensing
laboratories during a grand opening ceremony for the East National Technology
Support Center and East Remote Sensing Lab in Greensboro, N.C. Knight also
signed a memorandum of understanding with North Carolina Agricultural and
Technical State University (North Carolina A&T) that will strengthen and expand
a long-standing partnership to share resources. USDA Deputy Assistant Secretary
for Civil Rights Paul Gutierrez discussed the importance of maintaining a strong
relationship with 1890 land-grant colleges and universities such as North
Carolina A&T. More than 200 people attended the grand opening. Similar
ceremonies will be held in Fort Worth, Texas, on Sept. 21, 2004, and in
Portland, Ore., on Sept. 24, 2004. NRCS Provides $14.2 Million for Conservation Innovation GrantsConservation Innovation Grant (CIG) recipients include 13 universities, 10 governmental organizations, eight agribusinesses, four state governments, two resource conservation and development councils, two conservation districts and two individuals. Grants will fund the development and adoption of innovative technologies and approaches through pilot projects and conservation field trials.
USDA Provides Additional $1 Million for Hurricane Recovery Efforts in FloridaSeptember 10, 2004—Agriculture Secretary Ann M. Veneman announced that an additional $1 million will be provided to help hurricane recovery efforts in Florida. The environmental restoration funds are being made available through the NRCS Emergency Watershed Protection Program (EWP). The funds will help restore critical agricultural and community infrastructure disrupted by flooding, severe streambank erosion and debris deposits. Rehabilitation efforts will provide sound erosion control measures that are economically and environmentally defensible. This funding brings the total to $1.6 million for emergency environmental restoration work in Florida areas hit by Hurricanes Charley and Frances.
Links... News Release: USDA Provides Additional $1 Million for Hurricane Recovery Efforts in Florida (September 10, 2004) Florida Emergency Watershed Protection Program (EWP) Emergency Watershed Protection Program NRCS Provides $500,000 for Wildfire Recovery Efforts in AlaskaSeptember 1, 2004—NRCS is providing $500,000 to help wildfire recovery efforts in Alaska that are impacting many rural communities and Alaska Native villages. The funds will provide assistance to help heal the watershed and protect the threatened water resources of Alaska Native villages. NRCS in Alaska is conducting damage assessments of fire-ravaged sites to determine the extent of damage and evaluate risks to watersheds, water supplies and communities. Emergency Watershed Protection Program (EWP) Conservation Stewards Selected—USDA Announces First Conservation Security Program Contract Signings
August
26, 2004—USDA announced that nearly 2,200 farmers and ranchers have been
selected as the first participants in the Conservation Security Program (CSP).
The contract signings with these producers will fully use the $41 million
provided for this program. NRCS has accepted all eligible CSP applications,
covering nearly 1.9 million privately-owned acres in the 18 watersheds in 22
states selected for the fiscal year 2004 program sign-up. Payments will begin
immediately under three tiers of conservation contracts. Enrollment data show
that 37% of the applicants qualify for Tier I, 40% for Tier II and 23% for Tier
III. Environmental enhancement activities offered by applicants include
improving soil quality, water quality, wildlife habitat management, nutrient and
pest management, air quality management and on-farm energy management. New! August 26-27, 2004 CSP Signing Ceremonies
These items require
RealPlayer: Conservation Security Program Quotes New!
USDA news release “USDA
Announces Priority Watersheds for 2004 Sign-up in the Conservation Security
Program (May 19, 2004) USDA Provides $2 Million for Sage Grouse Conservation and Recovery in Four Western StatesAugust 26, 2004—USDA announced that $2 million in Grassland Reserve Program (GRP)
funds is available for special projects to help protect greater sage grouse
habitat in Colorado, Idaho, Utah and Washington. Each state will receive
$500,000 to protect and enhance sage grouse habitat on GRP easement lands, with
technical assistance and additional financial assistance through state and local
partnerships. NRCS Provides Additional $600,000 to Improve Fish and Wildlife Habitat on Private Lands in 21 StatesAugust 26, 2004—NRCS announced that an additional $600,000 in Wildlife
Habitat Incentives Program (WHIP) funds will help landowners in 21 states
improve fish and wildlife habitat on their private lands. This is in addition to
the $33.3 million announced early this year. WHIP also offers farmers and
ranchers an opportunity to meet their production needs in ways that are
compatible with providing fish and wildlife habitat. States receiving the
additional funds are Alabama, California, Connecticut, Florida, Hawaii,
Illinois, Iowa, Kansas, Massachusetts, Michigan, Missouri, Montana, New
Hampshire, New York, North Carolina, Rhode Island, South Carolina, South Dakota,
Texas, Utah and Wisconsin.
NRCS Awards $1.2 Million for Bobwhite Quail Habitat Restoration
August
24, 2004—As part of the Bobwhite Quail Restoration Project with Mississippi
State University, NRCS awarded $1.2 million for 11 selected studies in nine
states. Recipients of the 2004 grants are seven universities, two state wildlife
agencies and two nongovernmental organizations. The grants program supports
studies and demonstration projects that evaluate bobwhite population response to
conservation programs and practices.
USDA Names New NRCS OfficialsAug. 13, 2004—USDA’s Natural Resources Conservation Service Chief Bruce I.
Knight today named Dana D. York, director of the Operations Management and
Oversight Division since 2001, as Associate Chief, effective Sept. 5, 2004. She
will succeed Tom A. Weber, a 32-year veteran of NRCS. His retirement takes
effect Sept. 3, 2004. The regional assistant chiefs and their territories are:
Richard I. Coombe, East; Merlin E. Bartz, Central; and Sara Braasch, West. USDA Provides $350,000 for Sage Grouse Habitat in UtahAugust 4, 2004—USDA announced that $350,000 in Wildlife Habitat Incentives
Program funds will protect habitat of sage grouse at Parker Mountain, Utah. The
sage grouse has seen a decline in population over the past
two decades. Due to this decline, NRCS and other federal agencies are supporting
voluntary habitat enhancement to reverse the decline. Landowners will use the
funds for brush management, reseeding, water development and wildlife habitat
management on approximately 104,000 acres.
NRCS Celebrates 50 Years of Saving Lives and Property and Enhancing the Environment
State Watershed Web Pages and State Proclamations USDA and the Russian Academy of Agricultural Sciences Release Bilingual Conservation PublicationJuly 30, 2004—Agriculture Secretary Ann M. Veneman today announced the release of Protection of Soil and Water Resources, a book that promotes the understanding of conservation in the U.S. and Russia. The 250-page publication, a 14-year project between USDA and the Russian Academy of Agricultural Sciences, contains 20 articles written by American and Russian scientists on soil protection and fertility, water conservation and other natural resource issues.Links… News Release: USDA and the Russian Academy of Agricultural Sciences Release Bilingual Conservation Publication NRCS Soil Survey Programs This document requires Adobe Acrobat
USDA Provides $8.5 Million to 13 States for
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July 22, 2004—Agriculture Secretary Ann M. Veneman today announced a five-year effort to study the collective environmental benefits of governmental programs on agricultural land. Through the Conservation Effects Assessment Project, the Department of Agriculture will study the environmental benefits of conservation practices implemented through 2002 Farm Bill programs: the Environmental Quality Incentives Program, Wetlands Reserve Program, Wildlife Habitat Incentives Program, Conservation Reserve Program, Conservation Security Program and Conservation Technical Assistance. In-depth studies will be conducted in 20 watersheds. Natural Resources Conservation Service will conduct in-depth studies in eight of those watersheds nationwide.
Links…
USDA News Release: USDA to Assess
Environmental Benefits of Conservation Programs
CEAP web site
July
16, 2004- The
Department of Energy (DOE) and the Department of Agriculture (USDA) today
announced the selection of 22 projects that will receive $25,480,628 for the
Biomass Research and Development Initiative. The funds will be used for biomass
research, development and demonstration projects.
The joint grant program is part of an effort to increase America’s energy
independence through the development of additional renewable energy resources
from the agricultural and agroforestry sectors.
USDA’s Natural Resources Conservation Service and DOE’s Office of Energy
Efficiency and Renewable Energy coordinated efforts to issue a joint
solicitation that is awarding over $13 million in USDA funding and over $12
million from DOE appropriations to more than 400 applicants.
Links:
USDA News Release: DOE and USDA Award $25 Million in Joint Biomass Research and Development
Initiative
Biomass Research and Development Solicitation
USDA Biobased Products and Bioenergy
Coordination Council
Biomass Research and
Development Initiative
The
USDA's Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS) announced that $12 million
in Environmental Quality Incentives Program (EQIP) funds will be provided to 14
states for their high levels of performance in implementing the program. The
states receiving the incentive are Alabama, Arizona, Georgia, Iowa, Louisiana,
Maine, Montana, Nebraska, New Mexico, Oklahoma, South Dakota, Texas, Utah and
Wyoming.
“These funds will help additional farmers and ranchers achieve more efficient
agricultural production and improve soil, air and water resources on private
working lands,” NRCS Chief Bruce Knight said. “For the second consecutive fiscal
year, NRCS held back a portion of the initial EQIP funding at the national level
to reward those states that showed a high level of performance across a number
of key areas.”
Links…
News
Release: USDA Awards $12 Million of Environmental Quality Incentives Program
Funds to 14 States
EQIP Program Web Site
NRCS Farm Bill Web Site
June 9, 2004—USDA announced a July 2004 CSP sign-up and released the interim final rule with request for public comments. Sign-up for CSP will be available to eligible farmers and ranchers in 18 watersheds identified in a USDA news release issued May 19th. NRCS will consider all comments received during a 90-day public comment period in developing a final CSP rule. CSP is a voluntary program that supports ongoing conservation stewardship of agricultural working lands and enhances the condition of America's natural resources.
Links...
Press
Release: "Veneman Announces Interim Final Rule for Conservation Security
Program" (June 9, 2004)
News
Release "USDA Announces Watersheds for 2004 Sign-Up in the Conservation Security
Program" (May 19, 2004)
May 11, 2004—USDA released an interim final rule to implement the Grassland Reserve Program (GRP). It states that GRP rental agreements and easements are designed for working agricultural lands and describes multiple enrollment duration options. GRP helps landowners restore and protect grassland, rangeland, pastureland, shrubland and certain other lands and provides assistance for rehabilitating grasslands. The rule will be published in the Federal Register with a 60-day public comment period.
Links…
USDA
news release "USDA Announces Interim Final Rule and Public
Comment Period for
the Grassland Reserve Program" (May 11, 2004)
Links…
USDA news release (April
29, 2004)
Small, Limited Resource and Beginning Farmers
On-Line Limited Resource
Self-Determination Tool
Environmental Quality Incentives Program
On Jan. 28, 2004, USDA issued a news release announcing the release of nearly
$1.5 billion in funding for conservation programs on working lands this fiscal
year. The FY 2004 allocations to states include $1.2 billion in financial
assistance and $305 million for technical assistance for NRCS Farm Bill programs
and other activities. At least $30 million of the technical assistance funds
will be used for technical service providers. A table of the funding by
conservation program is in the news release.
Links…
USDA
news release, "USDA Announces Release of $1.5 Billion for Voluntary Conservation
Programs in FY 2004" (Jan. 28, 2004)
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