DC Talking
Points
March/April
2008
Farm Bill Update
On Wednesday, December
26, 2007, the President signed into law H.R. 2764, the State, Foreign
Operations and Related Programs Appropriations Act, 2008 (Consolidated
Appropriations Act, 2008). The bill provides
funding for NRCS programs and extends the 2002 Farm Bill until March 15,
2008. Everyone is working hard to pass a
new Farm Bill prior to the March 15 deadline.
The Senate
Agriculture Committee posted the Section-by-Section Comparison of the House Bill,
Senate Amendment, and Current Law on their website at: http://agriculture.senate.gov/
and click on “2007 Farm Bill Conference.”
Fiscal Year
2009 Budget
The
President’s fiscal year 2009 budget was released on Monday, February 4,
2008. The NRCS budget proposes a
reduction of over $130 million in discretionary funding, including elimination
of funding for Watershed Surveys and Planning, Watershed and Flood Prevention Operations,
and the Resource Conservation and Development Program. Funding for many of the mandatory programs
was not proposed pending passage of a new Farm Bill.
2008 NRCS Contribution Agreements
NRCS
has received 36 requests for Contribution Agreements, and is reviewing,
evaluating and prioritizing the proposals.
USDA Computer Security
Training
For
district employees utilizing a USDA Common Computing Environment (CCE), please
remember that the annual Aglearn Computer Security Training must be completed
by March 31.
Cooperative
Working Agreements
Updated Cooperative
Working Agreements have been mailed to all SWCDs for review and
signature. The Indiana Conservation Partnership Leaders have all signed
off on the updated agreements.
Environmental
Stewardship Award
Nominations
are being accepted for the 18th Annual Environmental Stewardship
Award Program (ESAP). The award recognizes outstanding stewardship practices
and conservation achievements of
Nominations
can be submitted by any organization, group, or individual on behalf of a