Veneman Announces Efforts to Enhance Ohio River Basin

Reveals 2005 Watersheds in Ohio and West Virginia Eligible for a New Conservation Program

Morgantown WV, Nov. 2, 2004-Agriculture Secretary Ann M. Veneman yesterday announced efforts to enhance the quality of the Ohio River Basin by naming the 2005 watersheds for Ohio and West Virginia that are eligible for the Conservation Security Program (CSP), CSP is an innovative program designed to improve the condition of America's working farms and ranches and protect and enhance natural resources for all Americans.

"The Bush Administration is committed to providing resources for conservation activities on America's working agricultural lands," said Veneman. "This program improves the Ohio River Basin by rewarding farmers and ranchers who have built a foundation of natural resource conservation and to maintain those benefits to the public for generations to come."

The CSP, authorized by the 2002 Farm Bill, is a voluntary conservation program that supports ongoing stewardship of private, working agricultural lands by providing payments for maintaining and enhancing natural resources.

Yesterdays announcement includes three watersheds in West Virginia: the 29,973 acres Twelvepole watershed with 200 farms, the 106,565 acre Elk watershed with 106,565 farms, and the 397,939 Middle Island watershed with 2,441 farms.

"CSP is a key component of the Adminsitration's efforts to protect the Ohio River Basin, which covers parts of six states and has 25 million residents. Preserving natural resources on just one farm, or one county or one state can have positive effects multiplied many times over and sometimes hundreds of miles away," said Veneman. "Conservation practices that are rewarded under CSP, such as nutrient management, grazing systems and integrated pest management result in cleaner water and air, and healthier land."

To help farmers and ranchers better plan their conservation efforts, Veneman last week announced the release of $1.6 billion in fiscal year 2005 funding for conservation programs on working lands, which, by knowing the initial mandatory program funding and technical assistance levels well before the next planting season begins, will help producers connect their business decisions to protecting water, air, soil and wildlife. Of those funds, $12,684,683 is available for conservation on working lands in West Virginia.
"Releasing the funds earlier in the year gives farmers and ranchers more time to make sound decisions regarding conservation practices," said Veneman. "This announcement will make conservation programs fully operational in every state and give producers the information they need to develop more effective conservation plans."

In August, the President announced an expansion of the Conservation Reserve Program (CRP), which encourages farmers and ranchers to voluntarily establish conservation practices to protect environmentally sensitive land, provide food and habitat for wildlife and protect ground and surface water from runoff and sedimentation. As part of this announcement, the President unveiled CRP initiatives to create 250,000 acres of habitat for the northern bobwhite quail, including 500 acres for West Virginia.

To implement the announcement, the Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS) will conduct a CSP sign-up this winter. A sign-up announcement will be published along with the final rule that will detail specific program requirements in the watersheds selected to participate.

      

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