Dear Conservation Partners:
The Farm Bill is one of the most important tools for the conservation of
fish and wildlife populations. Each year billions of dollars are allocated
to conservation programs authorized through the Farm Bill such as the
Wildlife Habitat Incentives Program (WHIP), Wetlands Reserve Program (WRP),
Environmental Quality Incentives Program (EQIP), Grassland Reserve Program
(GRP), and others. The Farm Bill was reauthorized in May 2008 (which happens
every 5-6 years). It included changes to the law that are both good and bad
for wildlife. However, passage of the Farm Bill is not the end of the story.
The federal agencies responsible for implementing these important
conservation programs have to develop policy which is published in the
Federal Register so the public can comment. In January those Interim Final
Rules were published for most of the programs. You can view them by visiting
the USDA Natural Resources Conservation Service web site
(www.nrcs.usda.gov).
It is important that conservationists participate by commenting on these
rules to ensure that the best public policy possible can be achieved for the
benefit of wildlife habitat. The final rules will guide the implementation
of the programs for the next five years or longer. Small changes can ensure
a better habitat legacy.
Attached are the results of my analysis of WHIP, WRP, EQIP and GRP Interim
Final Rules and thus my opinions on some changes that can improve
implementation of these programs. As many of you know, as a career NRCS staffer, I worked on these programs for several decades and so have a vested interest in their continued success. I invite you to review the published rules and my comments, and then submit your own letters reflecting your point of view. The number of letters the NRCS receives is important to affecting policy. Comments are due as soon as March 16th for several programs. When you open the attached files it indicates whom you send comments to and by when.
Please encourage others to comment as well.
If you have questions please contact me (randygray1 at msn.com) but note I will be traveling until after the North American wildlife and Natural Resources Conference (March 16-21) which is past the deadline for comments.
I hope to check email each day.
Thanks for your support for conservation in all other endeavors.
Randy Gray
COMMENTS ON ENVIRONMENTAL QUALITY INCENTIVES PROGRAM
Docket Number NRCS-IFR-08005
COMMENTS ON GRASSLAND RESERVE PROGRAM
COMMENTS ON WILDLIFE HABITAT INCENTIVES PROGRAM
COMMENTS ON WETLANDS RESERVE PROGRAM
Docket Number NRCS-IFR-08013
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