Food, Conservation and Energy Act of 2008

1. Food, Conservation and Energy Act of 2008 1

2. The path to the 2008 Farm Bill 1985 Food Security Act • Highly Erodible Land protection (HEL) • Reduction of wetland conversion (Swampbuster) • Conservation Reserve Program 1990 Food Agricultural Conservation & Trade Act • Continues HEL & Swampbuster provisions • Continues CRP • Wetland Reserve Program Authorized 1996 Federal Agriculture Improvement & Reform Act • Environmental Quality Incentives Program begins • Wildlife Habitat Quality Incentives Program begins • WRP, CRP continued 2002 Farm Security & Rural Investment Act • Conservation Security Program 2

3. 2008 Farm Bill: Food, Conservation and Energy Act The Food, Conservation, and Energy Act of 2008 (2008 Farm Bill) became law on May 22, 2008 The legislation includes fifteen diverse titles, including broad provisions for conservation, energy and tax policy Enactment of the bill followed a multiple year process of deliberation and debate yielding a final product with some but not all of the policy recommendations offered by the United States Department of Agriculture 3

4. 2008 Farm Bill Highlights Increases funding for Conservation programs Focuses on Agricultural and Forestry Working Lands Environmental Quality Incentives Program expanded Continues Wildlife Habitat Incentives Program Agricultural Management Assistance expanded to include Hawaii 4

5. Conservation Technical Assistance Technical Services Service provided directly to farmers, ranchers, and other eligible entities, such as conservation planning, technical consultation, and assistance with design and implementation of conservation practices 10

6. Environmental Quality Incentives Program (EQIP) EQIP offers financial and technical assistance to agriculture and forestry producers to promote agricultural production, forest management, and environmental quality as compatible goals 15

7. Conservation Opportunities INCREASES SUPPORT OF WORKING LAND CONSERVATION Environmental Quality Incentives Program is a critical element of USDA conservation programs • Increases funding above the current law by $3.4 billion in budget authority over the next ten years 16

8. EQIP Key Points Reauthorized until 2012 Validates NRCS forestry activities by specifically referencing forest management Expanded to include energy conservation benefits associated with conservation practices Places a priority on reduction of water use or no new lands irrigated 17

9. EQIP Key Points(4) For limited resource, socially disadvantaged and beginning farmers or ranchers: • Up to 90 percent cost share or at least 25 percent above the otherwise applicable rate • Advance payments to cover up to 30% of the cost of materials to install conservation improvements 20

10. EQIP Funding 21

11. Wildlife Habitat Incentives Program (WHIP) Assists landowners to develop and improve wildlife habitat on private or Tribal land 29

12. Conservation Opportunities PROTECTS WILDLIFE HABITAT The Wildlife Habitat Incentives Program • Will continue to assist in conservation of habitat on agricultural, forest and tribal land • Provides cost-share assistance to participants seeking to improve and protect wildlife habitat 30

13. WHIP Key Points Reauthorizes WHIP through 2012 Limits contracts to private agricultural land, non-industrial private forestland, and tribal lands Increases the percentage of long-term agreements from 15 to 25 percent Allows a priority for projects that further national, state, or regional habitat goals Establishes annual payment limits to a person or legal entity of not more than $50,000 31

14. WHIP Funding 32

15. Conservation Stewardship Program (CSP) CSP pays farmers who are improving conservation treatment on their working lands to encourage the continuation of farming and ranching practices that benefit soil, water, and air resources 70

16. Conservation Opportunities PROMOTES NEW CONSERVATION AND REWARDS STEWARDSHIP The renamed Conservation Stewardship Program (CSP) will focus on: • Incentivizing new conservation • Rewarding producers for high levels of additional stewardship • Addressing local priority resource concerns 71

17. CSP Key Points Authorized 2009 through 2017 12,769,000 acres may be enrolled each year Average $18/acre nationally (FA and TA) Acres will be allocated based on eligible acres in a state Applicants must account for stewardship activities covering their entire agricultural operation 72

18. CSP Key Points(2) Applications will be competitively ranked based on: • Present and proposed conservation activities • Number and extent of resource concerns addressed • Cost effectiveness of the expected environmental benefits The program shall be managed to achieve a national average rate of $18 per acre, which shall include the costs of all financial assistance and technical assistance 73

19. CSP Key Points(4) Eligible producers must initially meet the stewardship threshold for one resource concern and be willing to achieve the threshold for at least one additional priority resource concern by the end of their five-year contract CSP payments will change to be paid retrospectively in the fiscal year after the improvements and activities are completed 75

20. CSP Funding 76

21. Cooperative Conservation Partnership Initiative Directs 6 percent of funds and acres from Farm Bill Conservation Title programs, except CRP, WRP, FRPP, and GRP, be used for targeted conservation activities and areas Projects will be selected through a competitive process of applications submitted by partners Projects will be implemented through existing program authorities and procedures Funds and acres are directed at the State level (90 percent) and nationally (10 percent) 83

22. Rule Making for FY2009 Most rules to be completed in 90 days 111

23. United States Department of Agriculture Natural Resources Conservation Service • For More Information, visit: • Your local USDA Service Center • Your local conservation district • http://www.nrcs.usda.gov 112