NRCS DC Talking PointsJuly 2009 Environmental Quality Incentives Program (EQIP) Update In the first round of EQIP selections, a little over $5 million of conservation practices has been approved for producers.  A total of $10.2 million is available for fiscal year 2009 EQIP practices, and contracts with producers must be finalized by August 15.  Indiana has received requests for $525,000 in EQIP organic funding to date, and expects to be able to utilize the full $862,000 available for organic producers or producers transitioning to organic production in Indiana. Grassland Reserve Program (GRP) GRP offers landowners the opportunity to protect, restore, and enhance grassland including pastureland, shrubland and certain other lands on their property.  Indiana has received applications for 13 rental agreements totaling $232,000, and for 6 easement agreements totaling $1.9 million.  Applications will need national approval prior to funding. Cooperative Conservation Partnership Initiative (CCPI) Indiana NRCS has approved four CCPI projects, including: 1) DNR, Division of Fish & Wildlife: Will make $31,780 in FY 09 WHIP funds available to landowners located in IDNR Division of Fish and Wildlife’s 14 Quail and Pheasant Habitat Priority Areas Geographic Areas for woody cover practices.  DNR will provide additional financial incentives 2) DNR, Division of Fish & Wildlife: Will make $12,710 in FY 09 WHIP funds available in 8 Sothern Counties (Morgan, Monroe, Brown, Lawrence, Jackson, Martin, Washington and Orange) for regeneration opening practices.  DNR will provide additional financial incentives 3) The Nature Conservancy: Will provide $200,000 in FY 09 and FY10 EQIP funds to targeted Northern Indiana counties (see attached map) to install the two-stage ditch best management practice. 4) DNR, Division of Forestry: Will provide $300,000 a year in EQIP funds for four years for to landowners enrolled in DNR’s Classified Forest & Wildlands program to implement specific forestry practices such as invasive species control, pest management, stabilizing forest trails and landings, and forest stand improvement. Conservation Stewardship Program (CSP) USDA has almost completed work rules for the 2008 Farm Bill’s new Conservation Stewardship Program (CSP).  USDA hopes signup of 12.7 million acres for fiscal ‘09 will begin in August or September, with field verification in September and contracts offered in October.  The Conservation Stewardship Program is a brand new program, sharing nothing but its CSP initials with the discontinued Conservation Security Program. Because this CSP is new, producers won’t know at signup what reimbursement rates will be. Sign up will be nationwide, and producers have to meet one resource of concern on their entire operation, such as meeting soil erosion on the entire farm, for example. In addition, producers will need to be willing to meet one additional priority resource of concern within the five-year contract.  As laid out in the new Farm Bill, the new CSP can enroll 12.7 million acres each year from 2009 to 2012 at a national average of $18 per acre. State Fair: Pathway to Water Quality Currently 120 volunteer time slots have been filled by Indiana Conservation Partnership members, and 113 slots remain vacant. The biggest need is for people to sign up for the 4-7 pm time slots on any day, especially during the first and last weekends of the fair.  All Pathway volunteers receive a ticket to the State Fair for each day they sign up, and they will also receive a free shirt. Sign up is available on-line at the IASWCD home page at http://www.iaswcd.org/, click ‘volunteer for a shift at Pathway to Water Quality’. Administrative Issues A letter will be sent soon to all SWCDs concerning the SWCD rent process, and contribution agreement opportunities.  Please also mark your calendars for the July 23 webinar, providing training to Indiana Conservation Partnership staff on Personally Identifiable Information (PII) and conservation programs.