DC Talking Points November 2007 Farm Bill Update The Senate Agriculture Committee approved its version of the farm bill by a voice vote Thursday October 25.  The Senate version may still see changes as it is currently being debated on the full Senate floor.  Senator Lugar has crafted his own version of the bill, and it is unclear if this will be brought to the Senate floor.  Even after approval by the Senate, the farm bill goes to a House-Senate conference committee, chaired by Sentator Harkin, where final language will be negotiated.  Ultimately, the President will have the final say on the changes to be seen in the 2007 Farm Bill. SWCD Assistance Opportunities In a letter dated November 6, NRCS notified SWCDs about two possible assistance opportunities.  Fact sheets on both opportunities are available, and more detailed information will be provided over the next few weeks. The first is an incentive to reduce rent costs for SWCDs that are willing to document the support they are providing for USDA conservation programs.  While SWCDs support all conservation programs, if clerical and administrative support for USDA programs is documented, SWCDs will have the option of eliminating shared space costs.  NRCS intends to continue offering this incentive every year. The second is the opportunity for SWCDs in with high Farm Bill workloads to provide additional assistance with Technical Assistance and Contract Administration through Contribution Agreements.   SWCDs that may be interested in a Contribution Agreement in FY 2008 are asked to inform their NRCS Area Conservationist by November 30 so that we can prepare for a possible increase in the number of agreements. EQIP Sign Up Sign up is under way for the Environmental Quality Incentives Program (EQIP) for Fiscal Year 2008.  EQIP applications are accepted on a continuous basis, and are being reviewed and ranked every two weeks until funds are exhausted.  So far, $1.9 million has been allocated in the first two two-week cycles.  In 2007, $10.9 million in EQIP was utilized for conservation practices in Indiana. EQIP funding for 2008 is expected to be about the same level.  Indiana is one of only two states in the NRCS Central Region to have already funded EQIP contracts with FY 2008 dollars.