Transcript Slide 1

Technical Service Provider Training
National Association of Independent Crop Consultants
January 20-23, 2010
“Conservation Activity Plans – An Opportunity for IPM”
Presented by: USDA Natural Resources Conservation Service
Mark Parson
National AWEP Program Specialist
[email protected]
(202) 720-1840
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Farm Bill Programs - NRCS
• 1985 & 2002 Farm Bills
– Conservation Programs:
EQIP, CSP, WHIP, WRP, & others
– Authority for Technical Service Providers (TSP)
or third party providers using TA funds
• 2008 Farm Bill
– New authorities for EQIP
– Authority to support development of
conservation plans using FA funds
– Conservation Activity Plans or CAPs
8:30-9:00am
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NRCS Programs
• Environmental Quality Incentives Program (EQIP)
– FA payments to implement practices
– FOTG approved conservation practices
– Payments: Incurred Costs & Income Foregone
• Payment Schedules – 75% & 90% incurred costs
– Producer EQIP contracts
– Producers & certified TSPs – Agreements?
– NRCS certifies practice = payment
– Assignment of payment?
8:30-9:00am
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Technical Service Provider Training
• Conservation Activity Plan (CAP)
– FOTG approved practices for CAPS:
102 CNMP
106 Forest Management
110 Grazing Management
114 Integrated Pest Management
118 Irrigation Water Management
122 Agricultural Energy Management
126 Comprehensive Air Quality Management
130 Drainage Water Management
8:30-9:00am
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Technical Service Provider Training
Conservation Activity Plan (CAP), continued
134 Transition from Irrigated to Dryland Farming
138 Plan Supporting Organic Transition
142 Fish and Wildlife Habitat
144 Pollinator Habitat
•
More CAP Details:
– One plan per land unit per contract
– Multiple CAPs per participant is okay
– Plans completed within 12 months
– Plans meet FOTG design standards
8:30-9:00am
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• Agenda Section:
Criteria for CAP Certification
9:00 – 10:15 am
Conservation Planning
• The conservation plan is the basis for
determining the work needed to be done.
Photo from
Florida Stewardship
Foundation
9:00-10:15 am
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Conservation Planning
• The development of the conservation plan
is guided by: •Planning process
•Planning policy
•Supporting Technical information (FOTG)
9:00-10:15 am
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Conservation Planning
9:00-10:15 am
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Conservation Planning
•
Certified Conservation Planner:
–
–
•
•
NRCS Policy & Requirements
Complete Modules 1-9 & other requirements
TSP Planner Requirements – CAPs
Modules 1-5 – AgLearn
• Part 1 (Modules 1 - 5) provides the background and
framework for conservation planning.
•
General Manual - Title 180, Part 409 Provides
NRCS policy and requirements for a conservation planner.
– PDF copy of policy on the CD and also available at:
http://directives.sc.egov.usda.gov/
9:00-10:15am
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Conservation Planning
Module Descriptions:
• Module 1 - How NRCS Will Do Business • Module 2 - Planning Policy and Guidance • Module 3 - Key Elements of Conservation Planning –
• Module 4 - Conservation Planning Environment -.
• Module 5 - Resource Management Systems –
Other Module Descriptions:
• Modules 6, 7, 8: Three Phases of Planning
• Module 9: Actual Conservation Planning
9:00-10:15 am
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Planning Procedures Handbook
• Handbooks - Title 180, Part 600 – NPPH:
– Provides NRCS policy and technical requirements for the
development and contents of a conservation plan.
– PDF copy of Handbook on the CD and available at:
http://directives.sc.egov.usda.gov/
9:00-10:15am
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Environmental Compliance
• NRCS must comply with all Federal, State
and local environmental requirements:
– NRCS compliance policy: GM190, Part 410
PDF on your CD or eDirectives website
– NRCS Environmental Compliance Handbook
PDF on your CD or eDirectives website
• TSPs are required to complete AgLearn
EC Level 1- Environmental Compliance for
Conservation Assistance:
9:00-10:15am
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Environmental Compliance
• EC Level 1 is an introduction to how NRCS
meets its responsibilities to comply with
environmental requirements in conservation
planning and for practice implementation.
• TSPs developing CAPs are responsible for
completion of a NRCS-CPA-52 form which
documents potential impacts to natural
resources, endangered species, cultural
resources and other regulated resources.
9:00-10:15am
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Environmental Assessment
NRCS-CPA-Form 52
Environmental Evaluation
• Examples of completed form-52s included on the training CD.
9:00-10:15am
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• Break: 10:15 – 10:30 am
Cultural Resources
• NRCS must comply with all requirements
regarding protection of Cultural Resources:
– NRCS compliance policy: GM420, Part 401
PDF on your CD or eDirectives website
– NRCS Cultural Resources Procedures
Handbook 190, Part 601 PDF on your CD or
eDirectives website
• TSPs are required to complete AgLearn
Cultural Resources Training Modules 1-6:
10:30-11:30 am
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Cultural Resources
• Cultural Resources Training, Part 1
(000141) Modules 1-6; Introduction to policy
and compliance responsibilities for
conservation planning activities.
• TSPs developing CAPs are responsible for
completion of a NRCS-CPA-52 form which
documents potential impacts to cultural
resources.
10:30-11:00am
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Field Office Technical Guide (FOTG)
• eFOTG:
www.nrcs.usda.gov/technical/efotg/
• The Field Office Technical
Guide is the primary scientific reference
for NRCS. It contains the information
about the conservation of soil, water, air,
plant, animal natural resources and other
information about the human environment.
(SWAPA + H)
10:30-11:00am
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Field Office Technical Guide (FOTG)
10:30-11:30 am
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Field Office Technical Guide (FOTG)
• Section 1: General References
• Section 2: Ecological, soil, environmental,
site information, and other guidance
• Section 3: Conservation Management
Systems – Quality Criteria
• Section 4: Practice Standards
• Section 5: Conservation Effects
Section 3 of the FOTG will have most of the
information needed by TSPs to support
development of conservation activity plans:
10:30-11:30 am
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Field Office Technical Guide (FOTG)
10:30-11:30 am
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eFOTG & SmarTech Provides Interactive Conservation
Technology Services
Look for Resource
Information
Use a Decision Support
Tool like VegSpec,
Manure Manager
Online
Conservation
Planning
Answer a Resource Question
10:30-11:30 am
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Field Office Technical Guide (FOTG)
• Introduction to the FOTG (000149) is an
AgLearn course recommended for TSPs.
Short course only about 4 hours long.
Additional information about the course is
available on the training CD.
10:30-11:30 am
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Questions?
For more information contact:
Mark Parson
National EQIP Program Specialist
[email protected]
(202) 720-1840
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