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March 24, 2009
Dave White Named NRCS Chief
Today Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack named Dave White as
chief of USDA’s Natural Resources Conservation Service
(NRCS). Chief White has experience at the local, state and
national levels, including time as a State Conservationist
and on detail to the Senate Agriculture Committee during
development of the 2002 and 2008 Farm Bills. White has
extensive knowledge of conservation districts and their
work and has shown commitment to working with partners at
all levels to ensure protection of America’s natural
resources.
NACD is happy to have someone with White’s knowledge and
experience as Chief during this critical time for
conservation. Conservation districts continue to work with
both USDA and their customers to implement important Farm
Bill conservation programs. We will also continue to
address budget demands, climate change and other issues of
importance to the locally-led conservation process.
NACD congratulates Chief White on this appointment and we
look forward to continuing our strong partnership with NRCS
to deliver technical assistance to landowners and
communities across the country.
The Conservation Partnership Meets in D.C.
Leaders of the National Conservation Partnership met in
Washington, D.C. last Thursday for the group’s quarterly
meeting. The Conservation Partnership consists of NACD, the
Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS), the National
Conservation District Employees Association (NCDEA), the
National Association of State Conservation Agencies (NASCA),
and the National Association of Resource Conservation and
Development Councils (NARC&D). Leaders from each of the
agencies and organizations work together to address issues
of importance to all members and to ensure effective,
efficient conservation program delivery.
NACD President Steve Robinson attended the Partnership
meeting to represent conservation districts. Partnership
leaders addressed a number of current topics relevant to
the member organizations, including but not limited to
implementation of economic stimulus efforts, planning for a
2010 Leadership Training Conference, status of Farm Bill
conservation program rules, an update on the NRCS audit,
organization updates, an update on the Resources
Conservation Act (RCA) implementation plans and computer
security training.
Honor Your District Board Members during 2009 Volunteer
Week
Each year, thousands of volunteers in the U.S. donate their
time and energy to make their communities a better place to
live. Among those volunteers are the 17,000 men and women
who serve on the governing boards of local conservation
districts, state conservation associations and the National
Association of Conservation Districts.
NACD applauds the individuals that are committed to the
mission of conserving our natural resources. Every day
volunteers across the country are lending helping hands to
make conservation programs and practices beneficial to the
residents and citizens of this country and their local
communities. NACD thanks all members and staff who
volunteer to the vision of conservation.
National Volunteer Week began in 1974, when President
Richard Nixon signed an executive order establishing the
Week as an annual celebration of volunteerism. Every
President since has signed a Proclamation promoting the
Week.
National Volunteer Week is a time to celebrate the efforts
of volunteers at the local, state and national levels. We
invite you to honor these volunteers, including area
landowners and community members, during 2009 National
Volunteer Week, April 19-25, 2009. If you would like to
recognize a member, board member or individual for their
volunteerism, a customizable press release is available
for your use. Go to the NACD website at
http://nacdnet.org/resources/sample_releases/ to download
and customize the Volunteer Week 2009 press release.
USDA Announces Joint Effort with IRS
Late last week, Agriculture Secretary Vilsack announced an
effort to ensure that USDA payments only reach eligible
individuals and entities. A recent Government Accountability
Office (GAO) report found that USDA paid more than $49
million to ineligible recipients who exceeded adjusted
gross income (AGI) limits. Beginning with the 2009 crop
year, USDA will now require all recipients to sign a form
to grant Internal Revenue Service (IRS) the authority to
provide income information to USDA. To be eligible for Farm
Bill programs for both direct payments and conservation
payments, participants must meet AGI limits. The 2008 Farm
Bill lowered the AGI levels for non-farm and farm income
for direct payments and conservation payments.
This announcement is consistent with the Obama
Administration’s efforts to focus assistance to ensure
that program participants do not exceed income eligibility
limits set in the Farm Bill. Click here for additional information from the USDA website.
Wildfire Funding Legislation Introduced
The Federal Land Assistance, Management and Enhancement
(FLAME) Act (S561 and HR1404) was introduced in both houses
of Congress on March 12. The bill addresses the issues of
wildfire suppression funding for large, complex wildfires.
Currently, when wildfire suppression costs exceed the
anticipated, budgeted costs, the USDA Forest Service moves
funds from other program areas to cover the costs. This
reprogramming of funds often leaves other forestry
conservation areas under funded.
The newly introduced legislation provides for a separate
fire suppression budget so that fire-fighting expenditures
would not impact non-fire programs. The bill also changes
the formula used to project anticipated fire suppression
costs. It proposes that climate, weather and other relevant
data be analyzed to project the fire season and funding
needed to suppress wildfire rather than using average past
costs.
As a member of the Partner Caucus on Fire Suppression
Funding Solutions, NACD recently joined 64 other
organizations in a letter to members of Congress in support of
the FLAME Act legislation. To read more about NACD’s
participation in the Partner Caucus (referred to as the
Fire Suppression Funding Solutions Coalition in previous
reports), click here.
The House of Representatives is scheduled to vote on the
FLAME Act tomorrow, Wednesday, March 25.
Conservation District/NRCS Operational Highlights Updated
Over the past several months, NACD has been working with
the Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS) on a
number of operational issues involving conservation
districts, including:
• Suspension of Outlook Web-Access;
• HSPD-12 LincPass personal identity cards;
• Common Computing Environment (CCE);
• Farm Bill Section 1619 (Information Sharing);
• Seat management for computer support;
• Security training for district employees; and
• ESRI GIS software including for districts not located
in USDA service centers.
The Computers for Districts page on NACD’s website
provides information on these topics and more. While many
of the questions on the FAQ page have remained the same,
the answers have been updated to reflect the latest
information available. Of particular note in these updates
are some significant changes regarding the NRCS procedures
related to computer management. Please also see the Update
on Conservation District/NRCS Operational Highlights
document for additional information regarding each of the
above operations issues.
NACD will continue to keep you posted on these topics as
they develop. If you have any questions on these matters,
please contact Brad Ross or Rich
Duesterhaus with NACD or
Steve Webber with NRCS.
Training Courses Available on Green Infrastructure
Approach
The Conservation Fund will offer a green infrastructure
training course in Shepherdstown, W. Va., May 18-22, 2009.
This introductory course, titled “Strategic Conservation
Using a Green Infrastructure Approach,” will provide
participants with a strategic approach for prioritizing
conservation opportunities and a planning framework for
conservation and development that integrates “the green and
the grey.”
Another course titled, “GIS Tools for Strategic Conservation
Planning” will be held June 23-26, 2009 in Charleston, S.C.
This course will teach how to apply GIS tools, methodologies
and analyses to strategic conservation planning using a
"Green Infrastructure" approach.
Registration deadlines for these courses are April 17 and
May 22, respectively. Click here for details for these and other training
offered by the Conservation Fund.
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