Help Needed in Washington DCHelp Needed in Washington DC

Proposal for ICCA Board Consideration

Proposal for ICCA Board Consideration

Activity Involving U.S. AgricultureActivity Involving U.S. Agriculture

• Climate Change: Cap and Trade• USDA-NRCS: TSP Program• Revision of Clean Water Act• 2013 Farm Bill• Mississippi River Basin Healthy Watersheds

Initiative• Hypoxia in the Gulf

• Climate Change: Cap and Trade• USDA-NRCS: TSP Program• Revision of Clean Water Act• 2013 Farm Bill• Mississippi River Basin Healthy Watersheds

Initiative• Hypoxia in the Gulf

Involvement of CCA ProgramInvolvement of CCA Program

• Cap and Trade– Verifiers: Hired by aggregators for compliance– Planners: Determine farmer credits available

• USDA-NRCS – Need for TSPs– EQIP: Environmental Quality Incentive Program– CSP: Conservation Stewardship Program

• Cap and Trade– Verifiers: Hired by aggregators for compliance– Planners: Determine farmer credits available

• USDA-NRCS – Need for TSPs– EQIP: Environmental Quality Incentive Program– CSP: Conservation Stewardship Program

Involvement of CCA ProgramInvolvement of CCA Program

• Revision of Clean Water Act– Involvement of non-point sources of pollution– NPDES permits– TMDLs

• 2013 Farm Bill– Nutrient Management?– May be the “Green Bill” that has been anticipated

• Revision of Clean Water Act– Involvement of non-point sources of pollution– NPDES permits– TMDLs

• 2013 Farm Bill– Nutrient Management?– May be the “Green Bill” that has been anticipated

Involvement of CCA ProgramInvolvement of CCA Program

• Mississippi River Basin Healthy Watershed Initiative– 320 Mil over 4 years– Focused at the farm gate for participation– Preferred farmer involvement

• Mississippi River Basin Healthy Watershed Initiative– 320 Mil over 4 years– Focused at the farm gate for participation– Preferred farmer involvement

As Written in MRBIAs Written in MRBI

• Providing information, education, and conducting outreach activities.

• Forming agreements to provide staffing for technical assistance and education.

• Assisting with monitoring, evaluation, and assessment.

• Providing information, education, and conducting outreach activities.

• Forming agreements to provide staffing for technical assistance and education.

• Assisting with monitoring, evaluation, and assessment.

As Written in MRBIAs Written in MRBI

• Joining the State Technical Committee to help provide input for focus area and watershed selection.

• Submitting proposals for CCPI, CIG and WREP or partnering with a group submitting a proposal.

• Targeting your agency’s or organization’s programs toward the Initiative’s watersheds.

• Joining the State Technical Committee to help provide input for focus area and watershed selection.

• Submitting proposals for CCPI, CIG and WREP or partnering with a group submitting a proposal.

• Targeting your agency’s or organization’s programs toward the Initiative’s watersheds.

Where Does the CCA Currently Stand?Where Does the CCA Currently Stand?

• CCA known within Ag groups• CCA well respected• Numbers speak• Current efforts have been “Table Stakes”• Need more time devoted to:– Issue tracking– Briefings and language contribution– Search for grant, gift, or other funding

• CCA known within Ag groups• CCA well respected• Numbers speak• Current efforts have been “Table Stakes”• Need more time devoted to:– Issue tracking– Briefings and language contribution– Search for grant, gift, or other funding

Option #1-Professional ConsultantOption #1-Professional Consultant

• Hire on an hourly basis• Hire only when needed• Connections to Hill already established• Costly “learning curve”• Sporadic Hill activity makes budgeting difficult

• Hire on an hourly basis• Hire only when needed• Connections to Hill already established• Costly “learning curve”• Sporadic Hill activity makes budgeting difficult

Option #2 – Full-time StaffOption #2 – Full-time Staff

• Attention to programs continuous• Develop as a source of agronomic information• Make sure Certification program is included in

legislation/regulation/voluntary program language

• Good chance to find current connected staffer• Cost of full-time employee (benefits)

• Attention to programs continuous• Develop as a source of agronomic information• Make sure Certification program is included in

legislation/regulation/voluntary program language

• Good chance to find current connected staffer• Cost of full-time employee (benefits)

How would we pay for DC help?How would we pay for DC help?

• Refer to discussion about finance report• Move to a line-item in budget in 2011 by

increasing International certification fee• Check with ASA to see if there can be a joint-

effort to support the position.

• Refer to discussion about finance report• Move to a line-item in budget in 2011 by

increasing International certification fee• Check with ASA to see if there can be a joint-

effort to support the position.

Who would manage the positionWho would manage the position

• Under the guidance of Science Policy Director (Karl)

• Major input from director of certification• Re-evaluate position in 2013 for effectiveness

(3-year minimum trial period)

• Under the guidance of Science Policy Director (Karl)

• Major input from director of certification• Re-evaluate position in 2013 for effectiveness

(3-year minimum trial period)

Crystal Ball View of Next Five YearsCrystal Ball View of Next Five Years

• Continued push for environmental accountability

• Mandated, voluntary programs that are considered “incentive based”

• Governmental agencies capturing field ag data and making management decisions for the ag industry

• Close to the 7 Plagues?

• Continued push for environmental accountability

• Mandated, voluntary programs that are considered “incentive based”

• Governmental agencies capturing field ag data and making management decisions for the ag industry

• Close to the 7 Plagues?

"Do not go where the path may lead, go instead where there is no path and leave a trail."

Ralph Waldo Emerson

"Do not go where the path may lead, go instead where there is no path and leave a trail."

Ralph Waldo Emerson