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Bits and Pieces

Farm Bill Summary

The current farm bill expires at the end of this fiscal year. Based on 52 USDA forums, including one in Elkins last fall, the proposed 2007 Farm Bill simplifies and streamlines programs and increases funding by $7.8 billion over 10 years. A few of the proposed changes to make programs more user friendly for us and those we serve include:

  • Consolidating existing cost-share programs into a newly designed Environmental Quality Incentives Program (EQIP)
  • Simplifying the Conservation Security Program (CSP) by creating two tiers of conservation achievement instead of three. CSP would also be offered nationwide on an annual basis, instead of in select watersheds.
  • Streamlining working lands easement programs into one Private Lands Protection Program
  • Broadening conservation compliance provisions to discourage the conversion of grassland to crop production.
  • Combining the Wetlands Reserve Program (WRP) and the easement function of the Emergency Watershed Program.

Main goals of the 2007 Farm Bill is making conservation more efficient and available to more landowners including specialty crops farmers, beginning farmers and ranchers, and socially disadvantaged producers. For more information, go to  the Secretary’s proposals for the Conservation Title of the 2007 Farm Bill.

photo of backyard conservation cover
Backyard Conservation booklet is again available from LANDCARE

 

And for the first time, a Spanish version is available in hard copy.

Backyard Conservation available in English and Spanish
The 28-page, 8½ x 11-inch publication shows how scaled-down versions of 10 conservation practices that farmers and ranchers use to improve agricultural land can be used by homeowners in urban and suburban yards and communities.

NRCS, the National Association of Conservation Districts, and the Wildlife Habitat Council first published Backyard Conservation in 1998. The National Audubon Society joined the partnership in 2003. Through an agreement with NRCS this year, Audubon helped revise the publication, reprinted the English version, and printed the first Spanish edition.

You may order copies of Backyard Conservation or Conservacíon en su jardín through http://landcare.sc.egov.usda.gov/, by e-mailing landcare@usda.gov, or by calling 1-888-526-3227. Both booklets continue to be available on the NRCS Web site at: http://www.nrcs.usda.gov/backyard (the updated versions will be posted soon).

LANDCARE

Looking for a NRCS brochure? Need to order a display? Have a question about the Earth Team? Then you need to contact LANDCARE. The LANDCARE office keeps inventory and processes orders for NRCS publications, forms and displays for NRCS employees and the general public. Orders may be placed by calling 1-888-LANDCARE (1-888-526-3227), or by visiting http://landcare.nrcs.usda.gov/

photo of LANDCARE staff

LANDCARE staff includes (L-R) Michele Eginoire-National Earth Team Volunteer Coordinator, Alan Benge-Program Assistant, Venessa Alvarado-Office Assistant, Bonnie Allely-Volunteer Liaison.

APHIS Publications, the Take the First Step series is now available at LANDCARE. To view the publications, visit the APHIS Web site at http://animalid.aphis.usda.gov/nais/contact_us/order_materials. 

NRCS Logo and Information Use and Crediting
  • NRCS technical and other information, including photographs, are considered “public domain” and, while credit to NRCS is always appreciated, it is not required if being used for non –commercial purposes that provide a public service.
  • For requests of a commercial nature, NRCS cannot endorse a product or service, or give the appearance of doing so.
  • National Instruction 260-307 “Cooperative Ventures and Non-Government Entities” covers this topic, and prescribes the required language for commercial promotional requests.
Official Font

The Conservation Correspondence Branch has stated that “Times New Roman 12” is the official font used for all correspondence.

COMET-VR

A tri-fold brochure on COMET-VR, a web-based tool for estimating changes in soil carbon sequestration, fuel, and fertilizer use as a result of changes in land management. COMET-VR is listed on the LandCare website (landcare@usda.gov): PRINT ON DEMAND ONLY (500 LIMIT)- Email landcare@usda.gov to order Hard Copies.

The brochure is directed to farmers and ranchers but will also provide information to field conservation professionals and partners on how the tool works, where to find it, resource benefits, and some conservation activities that can help sequester carbon.

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