USDA is an equal opportunity provider and employer

NRCS Report to Red River Valley AssociationTexarkana, AR

May 29, 2015

• NRCS and Conservation Partnership

• Farm Bill

• Projects/Initiatives

“Helping People help the Land”… better and faster

than ever before

Mike Sullivan, Arkansas State Conservationist

USDA is an equal opportunity provider and employer

• Established in 1933 as the Soil Erosion Service to fight soil and wind erosion, dust storms, loss of cropland.

• Technical/Scientific agency of USDA

• Field staff based in most counties throughout the Nation to serve private landowners

• Conservation delivered through local Conservation Districts

NATURAL RESOURCES CONSERVATION SERVICE (NRCS)

USDA is an equal opportunity provider and employer

• Private lands account for 70 percent of the total land in the United States

• 90 percent in Arkansas

NRCS – VOLUNTARY CONSERVATION

USDA is an equal opportunity provider and employer

NRCS – TECHNICAL ASSISTANCE

• Identify Resource Needs

• Conservation planning, design and installation of conservation systems

• Program eligibility and signup

USDA is an equal opportunity provider and employer

• Strong commitment to conservation

• Streamlining/consolidation

• Maintains programs

• Flexibility for targeting assistance to address

priority natural resource concerns

USDA is an equal opportunity provider and employer

Program Changes:

• Consolidates Wildlife Habitat Incentive Program (WHIP) into EQIP

– 5% to Wildlife

• Maintains that “at least” 60 percent of funds to go to address livestock resource concerns

• Establishes a priority for veterans who are beginning or socially disadvantaged farmers/ranchers

ENVIRONMENTAL QUALITY INCENTIVES PROGRAM

USDA is an equal opportunity provider and employer

GRAZING FACILITATING PRACTICES

USDA is an equal opportunity provider and employer

STRIKEFORCEHELPING FARMERS AND LOCAL COMMUNITIES

CHARLES BROWN

WILTON, ARK.

USDA is an equal opportunity provider and employer

Program Changes:

• Two priority resource concerns

• 10 million acre annual enrollment cap

• 5-year contracts with the option to renew subject to additional stewardship gains.

CONSERVATION STEWARDSHIP PROGRAM

USDA is an equal opportunity provider and employer

$0

$10,000,000

$20,000,000

$30,000,000

$40,000,000

$50,000,000

$60,000,000

$70,000,000

2004 2005 2006 2007 2008 2009 2010 2011 2012 2013

CSP TA

CSP FA

CStP TA

CStP FA

CONSERVATION SECURITY PROGRAM & CONSERVATION STEWARDSHIP PROGRAM

FY 14 - $70m

USDA is an equal opportunity provider and employer

AGRICULTURAL CONSERVATION EASEMENT PROGRAM

• Consolidates Wetlands Reserve Program, Farm and Ranch Land Protection Program and Grassland Reserve Program into a single program with two components

• Wetland Reserve Easements

• Agricultural Land Easements

USDA is an equal opportunity provider and employer

AGRICULTURAL CONSERVATION EASEMENT PROGRAM

• Wetland Reserve Easements in Arkansas

• Currently No. 3 in the Nation

• 240,000 Acres enrolled

• 2014 WRE Activity

• Arkansas was allocated $16.5 million dollars for WRE acquisition and restoration

• NRCS acquired 7,000 acres

• 2015 WRE Activity

• Arkansas allocation approximately $ 13 million dollars

USDA is an equal opportunity provider and employer

REGIONAL CONSERVATION PARTNERSHIP PROGRAM

• Leverages federal investment• Locally Led• Competitive• Accelerate efforts to address priority

natural resource concerns

Success measured through the following four criteria:

1. Solutions2. Contributions3. Innovation4. Participation

USDA is an equal opportunity provider and employer

Critical Conservation AreasFor projects in eight geographic areas chosen by Secretary. These receive 35 percent of funding.

NationalFor nationwide and multistate projects. These receive 40 percent of funding.

StateFor projects in a single state. These receive 25 percent of funding.

RCPP - FUNDING POOLS

Applicants must identify one specific funding pool under which the application will be evaluated.

USDA is an equal opportunity provider and employer

RCPP Funding

2015 RCPP

• $370 Million Federal Funds

• 600+ Pre-proposals submitted

• 115 Projects Proposals Funded

• Leveraged $400 Million in Partner Contributions

2016 RCPP

• $235 Million Federal Funds

• Application Deadline July 8th

• Maximum Federal Funds Requested -$10Mil/proposal

• Partner Contribution 1:1 match

USDA is an equal opportunity provider and employer

REGIONAL CONSERVATION PARTNERSHIP PROGRAM

Arkansas conservation partners were approved for four RCPP projects:

• 2 State• 1 National• Critical

Conservation Area (CCA)

USDA is an equal opportunity provider and employer

• Sponsor: SW Arkansas RC&D

• 12 Partners: (4) Conservation Districts, UAPB, Arkansas Game and Fish Commission, Silas Hunt, Wilson Farms, USFWS, Red River Valley Association, CD Board Members.

• Project acres: 776,202

• Resource concern: water quality

• Secondary resource concerns: soil erosion, irrigation water quality and quantity and wildlife habitat benefits.

RED RIVER RCPP

USDA is an equal opportunity provider and employer

RED RIVER RCPP FUNDING

• Total project funding $956,000

• NRCS funding: $800,000

• $608,000 financial assistance

• $192,000 technical assistance

• Partner contribution: $156,000

• For outreach activities

• In-kind services from U.S. Fish and Wildlife and Arkansas Game and Fish Commission

$608,000 $192,000

$156,000 NRCS FinancialAssistance

NRCS TechnicalAssistance

Partner Contribution

USDA is an equal opportunity provider and employer

RED RIVER RCPP PRACTICES

USDA is an equal opportunity provider and employer

RED BAYOU WATERSHED

USDA is an equal opportunity provider and employer

FERAL SWINE MANAGEMENT PILOT PROGRAM

USDA is an equal opportunity provider and employer

FERAL SWINE DISTRIBUTION1982-2015

USDA is an equal opportunity provider and employer

FERAL SWINE MANAGEMENT PILOT PROGRAM

USDA is an equal opportunity provider and employer

FERAL SWINE MAPS FROM LA AND AR

Pope

Yell

Searcy

Drew

Desha

Arkansas

Feral

Swine

Pilot

Area

Sevier

USDA is an equal opportunity provider and employer

TARGETED STRATEGIES FOR WATER QUALITY

• Identify areas to target NRCS efforts

– NWQI, IRWI

– Work with partners to evaluate and select watersheds base on pollutants and potential for success

USDA is an equal opportunity provider and employer

NATIONAL WATER QUALITY INITIATIVE

• 2015 - 2020 - 5 watersheds

– Estimated $750,000 annually

• Planning emphasis on removal of livestock from streams, grazing systems, soil health, buffers and animal waste management

USDA is an equal opportunity provider and employer

IMPROVED WATER QUALITY THROUGH IMPROVING SOIL HEALTH

• Improved technical assistance capability

– Foster Systems Approach

– Commitment to adaptive management

• Increased Emphasis on Soil Health

– Good soil health can provide multiple benefits

USDA is an equal opportunity provider and employer

IMPROVING SOIL HEALTH CAN BE SIMPLE – KEEP SOIL COVERED!

• Can increase water holding capacity• Can decrease flooding

USDA is an equal opportunity provider and employer

EMERGENCY WATERSHED PROGRAM

USDA is an equal opportunity provider and employer

PL 566 Watershed Protection and Flood

Prevention Program

Food Damage Reduction

Sediment Reduction

TX $145m Annual Benefits

OK $85m

AR $36m

USDA is an equal opportunity provider and employer

• Opportunities for FA/TA• Great progress in recent years • Conservation Districts are key partners• Locally led voluntary conservation works• Targeted technical/financial assistance

needed to address most pressing concerns

SUMMARY

“Helping People help the Land”…better and

faster than ever before