Presentation by Nevada's NRCS state conservationist, Bruce Petersen.

2. 2008 Farm Bill Accomplishments
Nevada
2
AMA - 66 Contracts 1,775 Acres $ 1,395,520
CSP - 60 Contracts 159,450 Acres $ 3,136,078
EQIP -541 Contracts 1,163,892 Acres $35,660,062
WHIP- 56 Contracts 26,909 Acres $ 2,101,777
1 FRPP Easement 45 Acres $ 570,000
4 GRP Easements 6,437 Acres $10,777,599
8 WRP Easements 10,709 Acres $13,833,166

3. 2014 FARM BILL
3

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
5
• 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.
6
Special Emphasis Applicants

7. Financial Assistance Programs
7
.

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.
8

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):
9
• 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)
10

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

13. NRCS Drought Activities
13

14. Eligible Practices
• Stockwater Wells
• Pipelines
• Troughs
• Prescribed Grazing (planned or deferred)
• Seeding
• Residue Management on Croplands
14