# Presentation: 549406

## Food, Conservation and Energy Act of 2008

**Food, Conservation ****and Energy Act of 2008**

## 2008 Farm Bill Highlights

**2008 Farm Bill Highlights**

- Increases funding for Conservation programs
- Focuses on Agricultural and Forestry Working Lands
- Environmental Quality Incentives Program expanded
- Continues Wildlife Habitat Incentives Program
- Agricultural Management Assistance expanded to include Hawaii

## 2008 Farm Bill Highlights (2)

- Conservation _Stewardship_ Program begins FY2009 with an acreage allocation and a ranking system.  Offers flexibility to be a nationwide program
- Wetlands Reserve Program appraisal issues resolved
- Farm and Ranch Lands Protection Program funding expanded
- Creates an Open Fields Program to encourage public access to private land for hunting and fishing

**2008 Farm Bill Highlights**** ****(2)**

## Information on NRCS Conservation Programs

**Information on NRCS Conservation Programs**

- Conservation Technical Assistance
- Environmental Quality Incentives Program
- Agricultural Water Enhancement Program
- Conservation Innovation Grants
- Wildlife Habitat Incentives Program
- Agricultural Management Assistance
- Farm and Ranch Lands Protection Program
- Grassland Reserve Program
- Healthy Forests Reserve Program

## Information on NRCS Conservation Programs (2)

**Information on NRCS Conservation Programs ****(2)**

- Conservation Reserve Program
- Wetlands Reserve Program
- Conservation Security Program
- Conservation Stewardship Program
- Chesapeake Bay Watershed Program
- Voluntary Public Access and Habitat Incentive Program
- Small Watershed Rehabilitation
- Cooperative Conservation Partnership Initiative

## Conservation Technical Assistance

**Conservation Technical Assistance**

**	****Technical Assistance Under the Soil Conservation and Domestic Allotment Act **
- Broadens the purpose to clarify authorities to preserve soil, water and related resources in addition to promoting soil and water quality
- Defines Technical assistance as technical services and technical infrastructure.

## Conservation Technical Assistance

**Conservation Technical Assistance**

- Technical Services
- Service provided directly to farmers, ranchers, and other eligible entities, such as conservation planning, technical consultation, and assistance with design and implementation of conservation practices
- Technical Infrastructure
- Activities, processes, tools, and agency functions needed to support delivery of technical services, such as technical standards, resource inventories, training, data, technology, monitoring, and effects analysis

## Conservation Programs	

**Conservation Programs****	**

- WORKING LANDS PROGRAMS
- Environmental Quality Incentives Program (EQIP)
- Agricultural Water Enhancement Program (AWEP)
- Conservation Innovation Grants (CIG)
- Wildlife Habitat Incentives Program (WHIP)
- Agricultural Management Assistance (AMA)

## Environmental Quality Incentives Program (EQIP)

**Environmental Quality Incentives Program ****(EQIP)**

- EQIP offers financial and technical assistance to agriculture and forestry producers to promote agricultural production_, forest management,_ and environmental quality as compatible goals

## EQIP Key Points

**EQIP Key Points**

- Validates NRCS forestry activities by specifically referencing  forest management
- Expanded to include energy conservation benefits associated with conservation practices
- Places a priority on reduction of water use or no new lands irrigated

## EQIP Key Points

**EQIP Key Points**

- For organic producers:
- 	Specific section on assistance with conservation practices utilized for organic production and transition
- 	Payments for practices with organic production benefits limited to not more than $20,000 per year; $80,000 in 6 years

## EQIP Key Points

**EQIP Key Points**

- For limited resource, socially disadvantaged and beginning farmers or ranchers:
- Up to 90 percent cost share or at least 25 percent above the otherwise applicable rate
- Advance payments to cover up to 30% of the cost of materials to install conservation improvements

## EQIP Payment Limitations

**EQIP Payment Limitations**

- Environmental Quality Incentives Program (EQIP) Payment Limitations
- $300,000  per person over a six-year period
- Up to $450,000 per person over a six-year period may be authorized for projects of environmental significance

## Agricultural Water Enhancement Program (AWEP)

**Agricultural Water Enhancement Program (AWEP)**

- Replaces Ground and Surface Water Conservation Program
- Offers financial and technical help to assist farmers and ranchers install or implement conservation practices  for agricultural water conservation water quality enhancement activities

## AWEP Key Points

**AWEP Key Points**

- A new activity within EQIP on agricultural lands
- Promotes ground and surface water conservation
- Promotes improved water quality
- Projects may be considered in areas experiencing drought  to:
- Impound water to capture surface water runoff on agricultural land for new irrigation projects
-  Maintain ponds

## AWEP Payment Limitations

**AWEP Payment Limitations**

- Agricultural Water Enhancement Program (AWEP)
- Payment Limitations
- $300,000 per person over a six-year period
- Up to $450,000 over a six-year period may be authorized for projects of environmental significance
- AGI waiver, if necessary to fulfill the objectives of the program

## Conservation Innovation Grants

**Conservation Innovation Grants**

- 	Emphasis on efficient and effective transfer of innovative technologies and approaches and increased participation of specialty crop producers

## Wildlife Habitat Incentives Program (WHIP)

**Wildlife Habitat Incentives Program (WHIP)**

- Assists landowners to develop and improve wildlife habitat on private or Tribal land
- The Wildlife Habitat Incentives Program
- Will continue to assist in conservation of habitat on agricultural, forest and tribal land
- Provides cost-share assistance to participants seeking to improve and protect wildlife habitat

## WHIP Key Points

**WHIP Key Points**

- Limits contracts to private agricultural land, non-industrial private forestland, and tribal lands
- Increases the percentage of long-term agreements from 15 to 25 percent
- Allows a priority for projects that further national, state, or regional habitat goals
- Establishes annual payment limits to a person or legal entity of not more than $50,000

## Conservation Programs	

**Conservation Programs****	**

- PRIVATE LANDS PROTECTION PROGRAMS
- Farm and Ranch Lands Protection Program (FRPP)
- Grassland Reserve Program (GRP)
- Healthy Forests Reserve Program (HFRP)

## Farm and Ranch Lands Protection Program (FRPP)

**Farm and Ranch Lands Protection Program (FRPP)**

- 	Provides matching funds to help State, tribal, or local governments and non-governmental organizations purchase development rights to keep productive farm and ranchland in agricultural uses
- 	Creates new conservation opportunities through increased funding
- 	Changes program purposes from topsoil protection to protecting agricultural use and related conservation values by limiting nonagricultural uses
- 	Changes the Secretary’s role in the purchase of easements from acquisition of an interest to providing cost-share to eligible entities

## FRPP Conservation Opportunities

- Protects farm and ranch land from conversion to non-agricultural uses.
- Helps limit the impervious area in watersheds thereby protecting water quality.
- Maintains wildlife habitat in areas where urbanization has significantly reduced habitat.

## FRPP Key Points

**FRPP Key Points**

- Removes any present or future interest in easements from the Secretary
- Changes the minimum entity contribution to 25 percent of the easement acquisition price rather than 25 percent of the appraised fair market value
- Allows the entity to designate the terms and conditions of its deed and to choose the appraisal methodology, subject to approval by the Secretary
- Allows the Secretary to certify eligible entities
- Specifies a minimum agreement length of 5 years for certified entities
- Non-certified entities shall have agreement lengths of 3-5 years

## Grassland Reserve Program (GRP)

**Grassland Reserve Program (GRP)**

- Assists landowners to restore and protect grassland, rangeland, pastureland, shrub land and certain other lands and provides assistance for restoration.

## GRP Conservation Opportunities

**GRP Conservation Opportunities**

**PROTECTS GRAZING LAND**
- 1.22 million acres of grazing land to be enrolled and protected from conversion to other uses
- Limits rental agreement options to 10-, 15-, and 20-years
- Uses an easement valuation requirement similar to Wetlands Reserve Program
- Requires a grazing management plan
- Includes contingent right language that would limit Federal rights in entity-secured easements

## GRP Payment Limitations

**GRP Payment Limitations**

- Grassland Reserve Program (GRP) Payment Limitations
- Establishes an annual $50,000 payment limitation per person for rental agreements and an annual $50,000 payment limitation per person for restoration agreement payments
- No statutory limit for easements

## Healthy Forest Reserve Program (HFRP)

**Healthy Forest Reserve Program (HFRP)**

- 	Assists landowners to restore and protect forest land resources and protects at risk species
- Creates new conservation opportunities through increased funding
- Enrollment options:
- Permanent easements
- 30-year easements
- 30-year contracts rather than agreements for Indian tribes
- Limits funding to
- 40 percent for 10-year cost-share agreements
- 60 percent for easements

## Conservation Programs	

**Conservation Programs****	**

- LAND RETIREMENT PROGRAMS
- Conservation Reserve Program (CRP)
- Wetlands Reserve Program (WRP)

## Conservation Reserve Program (CRP)

**Conservation Reserve Program (CRP)**

- 	Removes marginal croplands from production and encourages environmental enhancement on those lands
- 	Provides new Wildlife Habitat program initiative
- 	Reauthorizes and expands the flooded farmlands component of CRP

## Wetlands Reserve Program (WRP)

**Wetlands Reserve Program (WRP)**

- 	A voluntary, non-regulatory, incentive-based program that helps private landowners, farmers and ranchers protect and restore wetlands on their property

## WRP Key Points

**WRP Key Points**

- Overall Program Acreage Cap 3,041,200 acres (adds 766,200 acres)
- Removed annual acreage cap
- Limits enrollment to private or Tribal lands
- Enrollment Options:
- Permanent easements
- 30-year easements
- 30-year contract option for Tribes
- Restoration cost-share agreements
- 	Prohibits enrollment of land in easements where ownership has changed during the previous 7 years for the purposes of enrolling in the WRP
- 	Specifies cost-assistance for maintenance activities

## WRP Key Points 

**WRP Key Points**** **

- Changes easement compensation to the lowest of the following:
- 	Fair market value of the land enrolled based on a
- 	 	Uniform Standards of Professional
-          	Appraisal Practices appraisal, or a
- 		Market survey
- Geographic cap established by the Secretary, or
- Landowner offer
- These changes will be implemented on the date of enactment

## WRP Key Points

**WRP Key Points**

- Sets an annual payment limit on restoration cost-share agreement payments of $50,000 per person
- Easements of less than $500,000 may be made in up to 30 payments
- Easements greater than $500,000 may be made in at least 5 and no more than 30 payments
- A waiver may be allowed for special circumstances

## WRP Payment Limitations

**WRP Payment Limitations**

- Wetlands Reserve Program (WRP)
- Payment Limitations
- Restoration Agreements
- $50,000 per person annually
- Easements
- No statutory limitation

## Conservation Programs	

**Conservation Programs****	**

- STEWARDSHIP PROGRAMS
- Conservation _Security_ Program (CSP)
- Conservation _Stewardship_ Program (CSP)

## Conservation Security Program

**Conservation Security Program**

- Conservation Security Program–
- Continues funding for current contract holders for signups conducted during fiscal years 2004 through 2008
- No new enrollments
- No new modifications

## Conservation Stewardship Program (CSP)

**Conservation Stewardship Program (CSP)**

- CSP pays farmers who are improving conservation treatment on their working lands to encourage the continuation of farming and ranching practices that benefit soil, water, and air resources

## Conservation Opportunities

**Conservation Opportunities**

**PROMOTES NEW CONSERVATION AND REWARDS STEWARDSHIP**
- The renamed **Conservation Stewardship Program (CSP**) will focus on:
- Incentivizing new conservation
- Rewarding producers for high levels of additional stewardship
- Addressing local priority resource concerns

## CSP Key Points 

**CSP Key Points**** **

- Applications will be competitively ranked based on:
- Present and proposed conservation activities
- Number and extent of resource concerns addressed
- Cost effectiveness of the expected environmental benefits
-  The program shall be managed to achieve a national average rate of $18 per acre, which shall include the costs of all financial assistance and technical assistance
- A person or legal entity cannot receive CSP payments exceeding $200,000 during any five-year period

## CSP Key Points

**CSP Key Points**

- Eligible producers must initially meet the stewardship threshold for one resource concern and be willing to achieve the threshold for at least one additional priority resource concern by the end of their five-year contract
- CSP payments will change to be paid retrospectively in the fiscal year after the improvements and activities are completed

## Conservation Programs	

**Conservation Programs****	**

- NEW INITIATIVES
- Voluntary Public Access and Habitat Program (Open Fields)
- Cooperative Conservation Partnership Initiative

## Voluntary Public Access and Habitat Incentive Program (Open Fields)

- Voluntary Public Access and Habitat Incentive Program (Open Fields)

**	****Provides incentives to state governments and Indian tribes to provide public access to private land for hunting and fishing **

## Open Fields Key Points

**Open Fields Key Points**

- Establishes a voluntary public access program 2009 - 2012
- States and Tribes may apply for grants to encourage owners and operators of privately held farm, ranch, and forest land to make that land available for wildlife-dependent recreation
- The program does not preempt State or tribal government laws, including liability laws
- Provides $50,000,000 in mandatory funds for this program
- Includes a 25 percent reduction for the total grant amount to an entity if the opening dates for migratory bird hunting in the State are not consistent for residents and non-residents

## Cooperative Conservation Partnership Initiative

**Cooperative Conservation Partnership Initiative**

- Directs 6 percent of funds and acres from Farm Bill Conservation Title programs, except CRP, WRP, FRPP, and GRP, be used for targeted conservation activities and areas
- Projects will be selected through a competitive process of applications submitted by partners
- Projects will be implemented through existing program authorities and procedures
- Funds and acres are directed at the State level (90 percent) and nationally (10 percent)

**Assistance to Certain Farmers and Ranchers to Improve Their Access to Conservation Programs:**
**Ten percent funding set aside for Beginning and socially disadvantaged farmers or ranchers**
**5% funding set-aside for each group in EQIP**
**A 5% acreage set-aside for each group in CSP**
**Funds or acreage not obligated during a fiscal year would be returned to the general EQIP and CSP programs**

**Conservation Access**

**United States Department of Agriculture**
**Natural Resources Conservation Service**

- For More Information, visit:
-   Your local USDA Service Center
-   Your local conservation district
-  http://www.nrcs.usda.gov