DC Talking Points April 2008 Farm Bill Update On Friday March 14 the President signed another extension of the 2002 Farm Bill, continuing current farm legislation until April 18.  The President made it clear in a press release that this is the last short-term extension he will sign, stating, “If a final agreement is not reached by April 18, I call on Congress to extend current law for at least one year”.  NRCS is now able to administer the conservation programs they are responsible for through April 18. Hiring and Contribution Agreements On Hold Because of the short term Farm Bill extensions, and its impact on our Indiana NRCS budget, we are in a holding pattern on filling new positions or entering into Contribution Agreements at this time.  Once either a new Farm Bill or a long-term extension is signed, NRCS will be able to re-evaluate hiring and Contribution Agreement decisions. Producer BMP Survey Building on a successful national conservation BMP survey, the Conservation Technology Information Center (CTIC) in cooperation with the Indiana Soybean Alliance is conducting a BMP survey specific to Indiana BMP adoption.  CTIC will be collecting information until April 15.   The Indiana survey will help identify conservation practices that are being adopted, and ways to increase adoption rates.  For more information about the national survey results, visit http://www.conservationinformation.org/ and click on "BMP Survey Results".  Producers can take the Indiana survey at: http://www.surveymonkey.com/s.aspx?sm=QgePleWFy1uErGqKGzbHAg_3d_3d. Our Purpose, Our Passion NRCS has a new national campaign designed to highlight success stories made possible through a shared purpose, a shared passion, and a shared commitment to conservation.  Visit our website to read more about national and Indiana successes at www.in.nrcs.usda.gov.  Posters and other campaign materials will be coming out soon. Conservation Security Program (CSP) Agriculture Secretary Ed Schafer announced a 2008 sign-up for the Conservation Security Program.  Sign-up will be available starting on April 18 through May 16.  CSP is a voluntary program that supports ongoing stewardship of private, agricultural working lands and rewards those producers who are meeting the highest standards of conservation and environmental management on their operations.  Indiana’s Upper East Fork White Watershed is included in the sign-up, which encompasses parts of Bartholomew, Brown, Decatur, Jackson, Jennings, Shelby and Rush counties.