7.3 Program Tools to Get the Job Done

Agricultural Stewardship Program

NASDA calls for a bold, new initiative to address agricultural conservation and natural resource and environmental priorities through state partnerships. A new Agricultural Stewardship Program would be a "block grant" type initiative that would give state and local governments greater flexibility, innovative tools, and resources to implement agricultural conservation priorities. The intent of the initiative is to fill in the gaps, which will only increase in the future due to changing public expectations and regulatory requirements. This new approach will provide a better "tool box" with new and appropriate tools to meet these needs. Current conservation programs have limited capacity and funding to address these situations and needs. Under the Agricultural Stewardship Program, the Secretary of Agriculture would provide block grants to state departments of agriculture.

The grants would serve as a means to provide assistance and support, cost-share payments, incentive payments, technical assistance, and education to agricultural producers and landowners for environmental enhancements, best management practices, and air and water quality improvements addressing resource concerns. Under the block grant program, states would have maximum flexibility to:

• Address threats to soil, air, water, and related natural resources, including grazing land, wetlands, and wildlife habitat;
• Comply with state and federal environmental laws;
• Make beneficial, cost-effective changes to cropping systems, grazing management, manure, nutrient, pest, or irrigation management, land uses, or other measures needed to conserve and improve soil, water, and related natural resources.
• Target state-wide conservation efforts to address environmental threats.

Resource Management Systems and Conservation Plans

Resource Management Systems and Conservation Plans address environmental quality in a comprehensive manner, including soil, water and air. They are technically, environmentally and economically feasible, and also provide the most effective basis to meet the requirements of several environmental laws and regulations, including the Clean Water Act (CWA), the Safe Drinking Water Act (SDWA), the Coastal Zone Management Act (CZMA), the Endangered Species Act (ESA), and the Federal Insecticide, Fungicide, and Rodenticide Act (FIFRA.). Resource Management Systems and Conservation Plans provide farmers and ranchers with a voluntary opportunity to enhance their resource protection and meet the requirements of the laws and regulations in a manner tailored to their operation. The purpose of Resource Management Systems and Conservation Plans are to provide technical, educational, and financial incentives to encourage the enhancement of environmental stewardship. They are designed as an integrated approach that is voluntary and site-specific in application. To be successful, these voluntary plans must be farmer and rancher owned, controlled, developed and implemented.

Components of Resource Management Systems and Conservation Plans should include, but are not limited to, as determined by the producer: residue management; soil erosion management; nutrient management; integrated pest management; manure management; cover crop management; water quality and utilization management; grazing and range management; irrigation water management, wetlands management; and species management. The planning process provides increased outreach to farmers and ranchers by providing information, technical assistance, and financial opportunities to producers for implementation of the plans.

Technical Assistance

Conservation Technical Assistance (CTA) is vital in helping farmers, ranchers and landowners to plan, design, and apply conservation practices on the land. By utilizing CTA, greater adoption of conservation practices is accomplished by landowners seeking to be good stewards of their natural resources. There remains a strong demand for technical assistance and NASDA has long believed CTA has been under-funded. NASDA supports increased funding for CTA.

Many in agriculture do not have adequate access to technical assistance unless they participate in federal conservation programs. NASDA believes it is essential for NRCS to expand the technical assistance delivery system for all farmers and ranchers who are seeking to adopt better, more environmentally sound production and management practices.

Increasing CTA is critical to allowing staff time for pro-active conservation planning. State block grants to conduct risk-based assessments with farms is critical for targeting Farm Bill program financial assistance.

Monitoring