Transcript Conservation in the 2002 Farm Bill

Agriculture and Water Quality
Where Are We ?
And
Where Are We Going?
Dan D. Lawson
Branch Chief, Conservation and Watershed Planning, NRCS
It’s The Water Workshop
September 13-15, 2005
Hannibal, Missouri
Mission
The Natural Resources Conservation
Service provides leadership in a
partnership effort to help people
conserve, maintain, and improve our
natural resources and environment.
2
Where Are We?
3
Staffing
• 11,804 permanent full-time employees
• 93% at the state level or below
• 2,536 field offices
4
FY-2005 Funding
(Dollars in thousands)
Discretionary Funds
Mandatory Funds
NRCS Reimbursables
TOTAL
1,241,662
1,955,496
70,467
$ 3,267,625
5
FINANCIAL ASSISTANCE
PROGRAMS
6
Environmental Challenges Agriculture
• Water quality (nutrients, sediment, pathogens,
etc.)
• Water quantity (too little or too much)
• Air quality (odor, particulates, etc.), greenhouse
gas emissions and carbon sequestration
• Invasive Species
• Energy production and conservation
• Urban / rural interface
7
USDA Policy
“Food and Agricultural Policy:
Taking Stock for the New
Century” (September 2001)
• A portfolio approach:
–
–
–
–
Land retirement
Stewardship
Conservation compliance
Regulatory assistance
“…carefully designed…each where
most appropriate...”
8
Types of Conservation Programs in
the 2002 Farm Bill
“Conservation Portfolio”
– Technical Assistance
– Easement Programs
– Cost-Share Programs
– Stewardship Program
– Grants for Innovation
9
Highlights –
Implementation of the Conservation
Title through Conservation Programs
• 21 major rules completed
• National and local priorities established
• New approaches implemented
– Conservation Security Program
– Grant Programs (CIG, Biomass)
– Technical Service Providers
• Program management performance incentives
initiated (EQIP)
• Program delivery costs reduced
• NRCS reorganized for efficiency/effectiveness
10
Highlights –
Science, Technology & Management
Advancements
• Producer self-assessment tool (CSP)
• ProTracts for contract management (EQIP,
CSP, WHIP, AMA)
• Management intensity (EQIP and CSP
enhancements)
• Soil Conditioning index (CSP)
• Conservation Effects Assessment Project
• Conservation planning sign-up pilot project
11
Environmental Quality Incentives
Program (EQIP)
• The conservation costshare “work horse” in the
NRCS tool box
• Approximately $1 billion
in 2005
• Typically a 50-75% costshare rate
• Practices and rates
determined on state level
with local input
12
EQIP National Conservation
Priorities
• Reduction of non-point source pollutants,
reduction of groundwater contamination, and
conservation of ground and surface water
resources
• Reduction of emissions that contribute to air
quality impairment
• Reduction in soil erosion and sedimentation
from unacceptable levels on agricultural lands
• Promotion of at-risk species habitat
conservation
13
EQIP FY-2005 Applications &
Contracts
100,000
90,000
98,512
Applications
Received
80,000
70,000
60,000
Applications
Approved
50,000
40,000
30,000
20,000
44850
47214
Number of
Contracts
10,000
0
National Totals
14
EQIP FY-2004 Cost-Share Payments
by Natural Resource Concerns
Other
12%
Animal Waste
Management
24%
Grazing Land
16%
Soil Erosion
and
Sediment
Control
21%
Irrigation
Water
Management
27%
15
16
Stewardship Program
Conservation Security Program
17
CSP: A Three-Tiered Program
I.
Protect soil and water quality on
part of your operation
II.
Protect soil and water quality on all
of your operation
(Plus: Agree to address one other
resource concern)
III. Protect all natural resources on all
of your operation
(Plus: Agree to additional activities)
18
2004 & 2005 CSP Watersheds
19
CSP Implementation: FY-2005
• First available in 2004 in 18
watersheds, 2005 in 220
• 12,700 participants/contracts
• 9.0 million acres enrolled
• $202 million available;
$11,500/yr/average contract
• 51% in Tier I
• 28% in Tier II
• 21% in Tier III
20
CSP Implementation: FY-2006
• States provided input to Chief on watershed
priorities for 2006 on June 15, 2005
• Chief reviewed 2006 watershed selection
proposals and made a recommendation on
August 25th to USDA
• USDA announced 110 watersheds for FY
2006
• Watersheds represent 137,000 eligible farms
and ranches covering 50 million acres
• Sign-up period will take place early in FY
2006
21
CRP Contract Expiration
CRP Contract Expiration by Number
180,000
160,000
140,000
120,000
100,000
General SU Contracts
80,000
60,000
40,000
20,000
0
2000
2001
2002
2003
2004
2005
2006
2007
2008
2009
2010
2011
2012
2013
2014
2015
Years
22
Planned CRP Activities
• USDA will issue a policy on contract
extensions/re-enrollments by end of FY-2005
(General CRP)
• USDA will issue a policy on re-enrollment of
Continuous CRP and CREP by end of FY2005
• USDA may postpone this year’s Fall General
Sign-up until early in calendar year 2006
• USDA is continuing to look at tasks/activities
to streamline (all provisions of CRP)
23
CEAP Watershed Assessment
Studies 2004
24
Where Are We Going?
25
NEXT FARM BILL
(Per Chief Bruce Knight)
Even more emphasis on:
• Working lands (conservation and economic
sustainability)
• Incentives
• Voluntary efforts to negate need for additional
regulation
• Efficient program administration
• Measurable results
• Meeting water quality/quantity, wetlands, and forest
health objectives
26
Preparation for Next Farm Bill
• Programmatic streamlining and
efficiency/effectiveness improvements
• Conservation planning and technical
assistance streamlining
• Conservation program reform and
assessment
• Maximizing performance of existing programs
and contracts
27
Preparation for Next Farm Bill
Programmatic Streamlining and
Efficiency/Effectiveness Improvements
• 1 policy manual, 1 set of procedures, 1 set of forms,
etc. for cost-share and easement programs,
respectively
• ProTracts Phase II – easement programs
• Technical assistance efficiency measures for each
program
• National priorities for all programs to create greater
programmatic synergy/eliminate duplication
• Program management performance incentive for
each program
• Automated application evaluation and ranking
template for EQIP and WHIP
28
Preparation for Next Farm Bill
Conservation Planning and Technical
Assistance Streamlining
• Improvement/expansion of CSP producer selfassessment model for all conservation planning
• Standard template in Customer Service Toolkit (CST)
for development of CNMPs
• Full use of FSA’s digitized common land units for
conservation planning in CST
• FSA’s adoption of NRCS’s recommendations on
streamlining NRCS technical assistance with CRP
29
Preparation for Next Farm Bill
Conservation Program Reform and
Assessment
• Completing “Reform and Assessment of
Conservation Programs” provision of
2002 Farm Bill
• Considering and evaluating
improvements to discretionary programs
(Small Watershed Program; RC&D
Program)
30
Preparation for Next Farm Bill
Maximizing Performance of Existing
Programs and Contracts
• Complete unfinished work in prior year
contracts
• Benefit as many producers as possible
• Buy as much conservation as we can
• Help livestock sector comply with regulations
• Demonstrate accountability for funding (OMB
PART)
31
Program Assessment Rating Tool
Scores for NRCS Programs
Program
Score
Rating
Year
CTA
59
Results Not Demonstrated
2003
Soil Survey
71
Moderately Effective
2003
WHIP
60
Results Not Demonstrated
2002
Snow Survey - RePART
82
Moderately Effective
2004
FRPP
66
Results Not Demonstrated
2002
Plant Materials
63
Results Not Demonstrated
2003
NRI
69
Results Not Demonstrated
2003
Watershed and Flood
Prevention
65
Adequate
2004
EWP
56
Results Not Demonstrated
2004
EQIP
72
Moderately Effective
2004
RC&D
41
Results Not Demonstrated
2004
32
“Stewardship is the daily work of
America’s farmers and ranchers.”
- Chuck Connor, USDA Deputy Secretary, May 26, 2005
• Secretary Johanns will take the Farm Bill
debate to farmers and ranchers throughout
the U.S. (Farm Bill Listening Sessions)
• By late fall 2005, USDA will be able to
articulate a common vision for 2007 Farm Bill
• Bush Administration Farm Bill proposal is a
priority – building off input from the ground up
33
2007 Farm Bill Forums
• The Secretary will hold Farm Bill Forums to seek input
from America’s farmers, ranchers and rural residents
regarding the development of the 2007 Farm Bill
• The first Farm Bill Forum was held July 7, 2005, in
Nashville, Tennessee
• USDA plans to announce additional sessions as
arrangements are confirmed throughout the year
• There probably will be specialized forums on specific
issues, such as food assistance and research
34
35
36
37
38
39
FY 04 Progress by NRCS
40
Nutrient Management Applied
FY 04
41
Tillage and Cropping
Residue Management Applied
FY 04
42
Water Management – Terraces Applied
FY 04
43
Land Treatment – Vegetative Stabilization
Conservation Cover Applied
FY 04
44
Riparian Forest Buffers Applied
FY 04
45
Wetland Wildlife Habitat Management Applied
FY 04
46
Principal Goals for the Next Four
Years
• Increase breadth and enhance quality of
cooperative conservation as a driving force in
NRCS programs
• Restructure NRCS program delivery at the
watershed level to better integrate a wide
range of programs and better coordinate with
non-NRCS conservation efforts
• Realize full implementation and full
participation in the 2002 Farm Bill
47
Agriculture and Water Quality
Where Are We ?
And
Where Are We Going?
Dan D. Lawson
Branch Chief, Conservation and Watershed Planning, NRCS
It’s The Water Workshop
September 13-15, 2005
Hannibal, Missouri