Government Agencies and Programs Chapter 20

USDA Agencies  USDA was established in 1862  To provide assistance for farmers: Soil and water managementSoil and water management Other facets of agricultureOther facets of agriculture  Many work through state or local groups  Was reorganized and streamlined in 1994 Some agencies eliminated or mergedSome agencies eliminated or merged

Agricultural Research Service (ARS)  Main research arm of USDA  Established in 1953 Basic and applied research in agricultureBasic and applied research in agriculture  Participated in the development of the Universal Soil Loss Equation (USLE)  Revised Universal Soil Loss Equation  Publish the magazine Agriculture Research Reports their current projectsReports their current projects

Cooperative State Research, Education, and Extension Service  (CSREES) Replaces old Cooperative Extension Service  Merges extension and research at Agricultural Experiment Stations Located at land-grant universitiesLocated at land-grant universities Jointly funded by state and federal dollarsJointly funded by state and federal dollars  Personnel funded by CSREES may have: Extension appointmentsExtension appointments Research assignmentsResearch assignments Teaching positions at the collegeTeaching positions at the college Combination of the threeCombination of the three

Consolidated Farm Service Agency  (CFSA)  Created by merging of ASCS and FmHA  Administers a number of funding programs and two major soil conservation programs  Many activities are administered at state and local levels Committees of local growers in Soil and Water Conservation Districts (SWCD)Committees of local growers in Soil and Water Conservation Districts (SWCD) Conservation programs utilize NRCS tech expertiseConservation programs utilize NRCS tech expertise

Natural Resources Conservation Service  (NRCS)  Replaces older Soil Conservation Service established in 1935 by Congress  Provides variety of assistance Technical support to CFSA programsTechnical support to CFSA programs Aid CFSA in establishing conservation policyAid CFSA in establishing conservation policy Conduct soil surveys jointly with Agriculture Experiment StationsConduct soil surveys jointly with Agriculture Experiment Stations Administer non-CFSA conservation programsAdminister non-CFSA conservation programs Tech assistance in resource management issues such as fish and wildlife habitat, pasture, and rangeTech assistance in resource management issues such as fish and wildlife habitat, pasture, and range Conduct National Resource Inventory every five years – status and trends of nation’s soil and waterConduct National Resource Inventory every five years – status and trends of nation’s soil and water

Soil and Water Conservation Districts  (SWCD) – Many USDA agencies operate through SWCD local authority  President Roosevelt proposed model for creating SWCD to state governors in 1937  Almost all states now have such districts  Follow county boundaries  Actual role varies state to state  Many have NRCS soil scientists assigned for technical aid

USDA Conservation Programs  Environmental Quality Incentives Program (EQIP)  Conservation and Wetland Reserve Programs  Conservation Compliance Programs  Clean Water Act  Additionally, State and Local Efforts

Environmental Quality Incentives Program  (EQIP)  Authorized by the 1996 Farm Bill  Combined several cost-sharing programs  Administered by CFSA and NRCS  Helps growers in soil and water conservation efforts  Provides money on a cost-share basis  Growers enter into five- and ten-year agreements with USDA

Conservation and Wetland Reserve Programs  (CRP)  The Food Security Act of 1985 created CRP  Purchases ten-year conservation easements from growers  Growers plant land to permanent cover  Targets highly erodable land  1996 Farm Bill shifted CRP priorities to emphasize environmentally sensitive areas

Conservation Compliance Programs  Sometimes called “Sodbuster”  Requires growers to take certain conservation measures to remain eligible for federal price-support programs Example: growers submit and execute soil erosion-control plans for highly erodable landExample: growers submit and execute soil erosion-control plans for highly erodable land  Wetlands may also be protected “Swampbuster” provisions of Farm Bill – deny eligibility for other USDA programs to growers who drain and farm certain wetlands“Swampbuster” provisions of Farm Bill – deny eligibility for other USDA programs to growers who drain and farm certain wetlands

Clean Water Act  Section 404 protects many of the nation’s wetlands by requiring permits to discharge dredged or fill materials in wetlands, streams, rivers, and other waters of the US  Most growers activities are exempt Except: conversion of wetlands to new useExcept: conversion of wetlands to new use filling for parking lots, other development  U.S. Army Corps of Engineers enforces EPA, NRCS, and U.S. Fish and Wildlife involvement and input to Section 404 as wellEPA, NRCS, and U.S. Fish and Wildlife involvement and input to Section 404 as well

State and Local Efforts  States and localities also have laws and programs, such as Soil and Water DistrictsSoil and Water Districts Agricultural Experiment StationsAgricultural Experiment Stations Extension ServicesExtension Services OthersOthers  Many local and state laws involve controlling land use, such as zoning laws.