<County> Local Work Group<Date>

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Location, KansasYour.Name@ks.usda.gov

www.ks.nrcs.usda.gov

Helping People Help the Land

Attachment 3 to Bulletin KS300-13-61 dated 6/11/2013

Fiscal Year (FY) 2014 Preparation

The state conservationist (STC) is seeking local work group (LWG) recommendations for Farm Bill Programs:

Resource concerns to be addressedEligible practices to be offeredPayment rates (e.g., 50 percent or 75 percent cost share)Ranking criteria to be considered

The STC is accepting comments to be forwarded to national headquarters (NHQ) for National and Landscape Initiatives.

FY 2014 Preparation

Cutoff DatesEnvironmental Quality Incentives Program (EQIP) General―dates to be announced. (The goal is to stay consistent with the mid–November cutoff date from the previous years.)Conservation Stewardship Program (CSP) dates to be announced.Wildlife Habitat Incentives Program (WHIP) dates not yet known.EQIP and WHIP Initiative dates to be announced.

Farm Bill Programs

EQIPAgricultural Water Enhancement Program (AWEP)

Kansas has 3 approved/active AWEP Proposals.

CSPWHIP

This program may be combined with EQIP in the new Farm Bill.

EQIP

EQIP Overview

EQIP is a voluntary conservation program that provides financial and technical assistance to farmers and ranchers who face threats to soil, water, air, and related natural resources on their land. 60 percent of funds must be obligated to address livestock–related issues.Kansas currently has 11 different ranking categories under general EQIP that offer financial assistance to address various resource concerns.Conservation plans received prior to August 31 receive additional ranking points.

EQIP2013 Preliminary Accomplishments

2,432 applications received (includes all EQIP General ranking categories)542 contracts approvedApproximately $10.9 million obligated102,418 total contracted acres

EQIP Ranking Categories

Conservation Activity Plans (CAPs) contracts are available for the development of the following:

Comprehensive Nutrient Management PlanDrainage Water ManagementFish and Wildlife Habitat Management PlanForest Management PlanIntegrated Pest Management PlanIrrigation Water Management PlanNutrient Management PlanPollinator Habitat Enhancement Management PlanTransition from Irrigation to Dryland Plan

EQIP General Ranking Categories

Forestland HealthGrazing Lands HealthLivestock WasteSedimentation Above Federal ReservoirsStream System Restoration (eligible watershed is in Lyon County)

TribalSoil HealthWater Quantity/Quick Response Areas (QRA)Water QualityWater QuantityWildlife Habitat

EQIPGeneral Ranking Categories

The STC requests input for the following:Eligible PracticesResource Concerns

Primary Resource ConcernsSecondary Resource Concerns

Payment RatesRanking Criteria

AWEP

AWEP Overview

AWEP is a voluntary conservation initiative that provides financial and technical assistance to agricultural producers to implement agricultural water enhancement activities on agricultural land for the purposes of conserving surface and ground water and improving water quality.

AWEP Overview

AWEP operates through partnership agreements with state and local government organizations.Each partner determines in their proposal:

Eligible PracticesResource ConcernsPayment RatesRanking CriteriaEligible Project Area

AWEP2013 Preliminary Accomplishments

48 applications received includes: Cancelled IneligiblePending applications

25 contracts approved$2,689,143 total obligationsOver 3,442 total contracted acres

CSP

CSP Overview

The purpose of this program is for producers to address resource concerns by:

Completing new conservation practicesImproving, maintaining, and managing existing conservation activities

Annual enhancement payments are offered and vary according to the signup.

CSP Overview

CSP is a nationally managed program which means suggestions are accepted, but the following are predetermined by the agency when the program is announced:

Eligible EnhancementsResource ConcernsPayment RatesRanking Criteria

CSP 2013 Preliminary Accomplishments

The FY2013 cutoff date has not been announced; therefore no accomplishments to report thus far.

National and Landscape Initiatives

National and Landscape Initiatives

The Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS) offered nine different initiatives that Kansas took part in to address specific resource concerns in

FY2013.

National Initiatives

On-Farm Energy Initiative—EQIPOrganic Initiative—EQIPSeasonal High Tunnel Initiative—EQIPWater Quality Initiative—EQIPEdge–of–Field Monitoring Initiative —EQIP

National On-Farm Energy Initiative–EQIP

National On-Farm Energy InitiativeOverview

Designed to specifically address energy conservation and assist producers in two ways:

1. Identify ways to conserve energy on farms through an Agricultural Energy Management Plan(AgEMP) CAP, also known as an on-farm energy audit.

2. Provide assistance to implement various recommended measures through the use of conservation practices (CPs) offered through this initiative, such as CP 374, Farmstead Energy Improvement.

National On-Farm Energy Initiative2013 Preliminary Accomplishments

40 total applications received10 contracts approved in cutoff #1

All eligible applications approvedAll contracts for AgEMP CAPs

$23,116 total obligations in cutoff #1Approximately 39,718 total contracted acres

Cutoff #2 contracts have not been obligated17 applications in cutoff #2

National Organic Initiative - EQIP

National Organic InitiativeOverview

Assist eligible producers with installation of conservation practices to treat resource concerns on agricultural operations related to organic production.

Includes:Certified organic producersProducers transitioning to organicExempt organic producers (less than $5,000 a year in organic agricultural production)

National Organic Initiative2013 Preliminary Accomplishments

Six total applications receivedZero contracts approved in cutoff #1

No eligible applications5 cancelled applications

Cutoff #2 contracts have not been obligated1 application in cutoff #2

National Seasonal High Tunnel Initiative—EQIP

National Seasonal High Tunnel InitiativeOverview

Assist producers to extend the growing season for high value crops in an environmentally safe manner.

Potential to assist producers in addressing a resource concern by improving plant quality, improving soil quality, and reducing nutrient and pesticide transport.

National Seasonal High Tunnel Initiative2013 Preliminary Accomplishments

75 total applications received42 contracts approved in cutoff #1

All eligible applications approved$262,717 total obligations in cutoff #1

Approximately 243 total contracted acres

Cutoff #2 contracts have not been obligated20 applications in cutoff #2

National Water Quality Initiative - EQIP

National Water Quality InitiativeOverview

Assist producers with addressing high-priority water resource concerns in small watersheds.NWQI will accelerate efforts to improve water quality in hydrologic unit code (HUC) 12-digit watersheds with targeted waters emphasizing treatment of nutrient, sediment, and pathogen concerns.The following three HUC-12 watersheds were selected in Kansas:

Big Creek—Ellis CountyEmma Creek—Harvey and McPherson CountiesGrasshopper Creek—Atchison, Brown, Jefferson Counties

National Water Quality Initiative2013 Preliminary Accomplishments

Cutoff #142 applicationsOver $1.3 million requested

Cutoff #2Additional applications received

Edge–of–FieldWater Quality Monitoring

—EQIP

Edge–Of–Water Quality MonitoringOverview

Three primary purposes:1. Evaluate conservation system performance2. Validate and calibrate models3. Inform on-farm adaptive management

New Conservation Activities:201, Edge-of-Field Water Quality Monitoring—Data Collection and Evaluation202, Edge-of-Field Water Quality Monitoring—System Installation

Headwaters Grasshopper Creek , Brown CountyNational Water Quality Initiative HUC-12

Landscape Initiatives

Drought Recovery Initiative—EQIPWater Quantity and Drought Pilot—EQIPOgallala Aquifer Initiative—EQIPWorking Lands for Wildlife—Lesser Prairie-Chicken—WHIP

Drought Recovery Initiative—EQIP

Drought Recovery InitiativeOverview

Eight states nationwide including Kansas.

Support efforts that will mitigate short-term or long-term drought relief for producers.

The NRCS in Kansas will emphasize assistance to producers with grazing lands health and livestock water concerns.

Water Quantity and Drought Pilot—EQIP

Water Quantity and Drought PilotOverview

Secretary of Agriculture announced a new NRCS pilot effort in Colorado and Kansas that will address water quantity resource concerns using the conservation planning process.Identify least–cost conservation alternatives to address water quantity needs, identify existing practices to address these needs.When applicable, consider using a new interim practice that may be used to reestablish needed water–holding capacity to structures, as allowed under applicable state and local laws.

Ogallala Aquifer Initiative (OAI)—EQIP

Ogallala Aquifer InitiativeOverview

The OAI is designed to reduce the quantity of water removed from the aquifer and to improve water quality using conservation practices on cropland and rangeland.Priority areas* defined in OAI proposal:

Water QuantityGreater than 25 foot of groundwater decline

Water Quality60 percent or greater chance of nitrate levels exceeding 4 ppm in recent groundwater recharge

*based on analysis from the U.S. Geological Survey

Ogallala Aquifer Initiative2013 Preliminary Accomplishments

101 applications received—includes cancelled and ineligible applications10 contracts approved$1,388,239 total obligations

Approximately 2,157 total contracted acres

Working Lands for Wildlife (WLFW)

Lesser Prairie-Chicken (LPC)

WLFW—LPCOverview

WLFW is an effort between the NRCS and the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service that leverages capabilities and resources and targets assistance where it is most needed.

Eight species targeted nationwide.

In Kansas the Lesser Prairie-Chicken was selected and the eligible area was determined by a multi-state group (Colorado, Kansas, New Mexico, Oklahoma, and Texas).

WLFW - LPC2013 Preliminary Accomplishments

62 total applications received24 contracts approved in cutoff #1

All eligible applications approved$708,034 total obligations in cutoff #1

Approximately 23,944 total contracted acres

Cutoff #2 contracts have not been obligated

19 applications in cutoff #2

WLFW—LPCRecommendations

Comments or recommendations for resource concerns, eligible practices, payment rates, and ranking criteria that we could take forward to the multi-state group?

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USDAOffice of the Assistant Secretary for Civil Rights1400 Independence Avenue, S.W.Washington, D.C. 20250-9410

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