4. Adjusted Gross Income (AGI)
• $900,000 for both conservation and
commodity program payments and benefits.
• NRCS Chief no longer has authority to waive
AGI limitations for projects of special
environmental significance.
4
5. Conservation Compliance
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• These new provisions apply solely to “crop
insurance only” participants:
• New Highly Erodible Land planning and compliance timelines
• 5 years to develop and comply with conservation plan
• 2 years for existing operations with violations
• Wetland Compliance
• New conversion “trigger date” is date of enactment (2/7/14)
• “Payment in lieu” option for mitigation of conversions <5 ac.
• New mitigation timelines.
.
6. 2014 Farm Bill
Increased Payments for Certain Producers – limited resource, socially disadvantaged,
beginning and veteran farmers and ranchers and tribes.
• Not more than 90 percent of the costs associated with planning, design, materials,
equipment, installation, labor, management, maintenance, or training; and
• Not less than 25 percent above the otherwise applicable rate.
.
• Advance payments – Not more than 50 percent for materials and contracting
Threshold Targets:
A. 5 % of EQIP funds and 5 % of CStP acres to assist beginning farmers and
ranchers
B. 5 % of EQIP funds and 5% of CStP acres to assist socially disadvantaged
farmers or ranchers.
Veterans farmers and ranchers are not included separately in the 5 percent set aside, but
if covered farmers are also veterans, then they receive priority consideration.
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Special Emphasis Applicants
8. Agricultural Management Assistance
& Cons. Stewardship Program
• AMA - Risk Management Agency – low participation in
Crop Insurance.
• NRCS in Nevada has been utilizing this program
primarily for “High Tunnels”
• CStP – Compensation for past conservation efforts and
incentives to apply additional conservation
practices/enhancements.
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9. EQIP Contract Changes
• Payment Limitation applied to the period of FY 2014 to
2018. (Eliminates the 6-year rolling limit)
• Single EQIP Payment Limitation ($450,000):
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• Eliminates “waiver” provisions.
• Maximum Contract Length is set at 10 years.
• Advanced Payment (up to 50%) and added a return of
funds provision for Historically Underserved participants.
10. Easement Programs
NEW Easement program consolidation is called:
Agricultural Conservation Easement Program
(ACEP)
• Agricultural Land Easement Component (ALE)
• Wetland Reserve Easement Component (WRE)
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11. Regional Conservation Partnership
Program
• To encourage partners to cooperate with producers in:
– meeting or avoiding the need for national, State, and local natural resource
regulatory requirements related to production on eligible land; and,
– implementing projects that will result in the installation and maintenance of
eligible activities that affect multiple agricultural or nonindustrial private
forest operations on a local, regional, State, or multistate basis.
• To further the regional or watershed scale conservation, restoration
and sustainable use of:
– Soil
– Water
– Wildlife
– Related natural resources 11
12. Working Lands for Wildlife
New in Fiscal Year 2014: ESA Predictability
• The Working Lands for Wildlife Initiative was developed so
that landowners could receive credit under the Endangered
Species Act (ESA) for their proactive conservation actions.
• Participants voluntarily implement proven conservation
practices designed to improve and protect habitat.
• In return for maintaining these conservation practices, the
landowners can receive ESA Predictability or Regulatory
Certainty for up to 30 years.
Sage-grouse
Southwestern
Willow
Flycatcher
Farm Bill Impacts on NRCS Program Administration
Two key words on changes to NRCS programs brought about by the 2014 Farm Bill:
Streamlining of programs and efforts brought about by consolidation of former programs, and;
Marginal changes in the operation, or “spirit” of conservation title. Future applicants will be offered much the same opportunities to improve their stewardship with greater ease and increased transparency.
USDA FB Conservation Program Facts:
USDA uses a variety of approaches for natural resource conservation. Nine USDA agencies have some conservation responsibility.
Farm Bill conservation programs protect soil, water, wildlife, and other natural resources on agricultural lands.
Conservation programs are important because they help limit environmental impacts of agriculture production activities both on and off the farm, and they can also help farmers maintain or improve production of food and fiber.
Some conservation programs center on improving or restoring resources that have been degraded, while others create conditions that will limit degradation in the future.