Rhode Island State Technical Team (STT) Meeting notes

January 11, 2007
USDA Conference Room
Warwick, RI

Attending: Rob Swanson, FSA; Roylene Rides at the Door, Joe Bachand, Reena Shaw, J. Eric Scherer, RI NRCS; Kris Stuart, Southern RI Conservation District; Gene Pepper, RI DEM Division of Agriculture; Michael Pezza, State Committee, USDA, FSA; Rick Pace, EcoAssets; Loren Thurn, RI Ag Council; Tom Abbott, RI DEM, DFE; Brian Tefft, RI  DEM Division of Fish and Wildlife; Gregg Cassidy, RI DEM, Office of Sustainable Watersheds; Eric Panciera, RI DEM Water Resources; Whitney Langone, URI, CES; Stu Nunnery, RICAPE.

Introductions, Review Agenda, and Opening Comments

Roylene Rides at the Door, NRCS-RI State Conservationist, welcomed everyone, asked that attendees introduce themselves and thanked them for attending.

Fiscal Year 07 Budget and Farm Bill Updates

Roylene provided a brief update on the USDA, NRCS FY 07 budget and the 07 Farm Bill.  We are in our third continuing resolution since the beginning of the fiscal year (October 1, 2006).   This continuing resolution will end on February 15, 2007.  At this point there has been some discussion on extending the continuing resolution until the end of the fiscal year in preparation for the 07 Farm Bill and to allow states to continue to operate and enter into agreements (currently the agency has a freeze on new agreements). 

The discussion on the 07 Farm Bill has been very quiet.  Several of the members of the STT asked for information on the current program and funding levels and what had been prior year funding levels in each of the programs. 

Several questions came from the STT membership on how the new Farm Bill might effect wildlife conservation efforts and how would the STT members be able to comment on the new Farm Bill.  It was mentioned that USDA held 2007 Farm Bill Listening Sessions (Fourms) and one was held in April 2006 in Rhode Island.  It was suggested by STT members that they contact their congressional offices with their concerns.

The STT asked for information on what has been accomplished by NRCS Rhode Island with the past Farm Bill.  Roylene mentioned that she provides a Partnership Report on a bi monthly basis with this information and summarizes the fiscal year efforts in a report.  Roylene passed out copies of the FY 2006 Rhode Island NRCS Conservation Highlights and indicated that she would provide program funding levels to the STT for current and prior year’s budgets (see tables below).

Roylene also suggested that the STT members go to the national NRCS website to see conservation accomplishments for the agency for the last 2002 Farm Bill.  The Accomplishment Reports and Agency Business Plan can be found at: http://www.nrcs.usda.gov/ABOUT/spa/accountabilityindex.html

Environmental Quality Incentives Program (EQIP)

Reena Shaw, acting EQIP program Manager presented an update on EQIP 2007 efforts:

• 71 applictions have been received and will be ranked this year;
  
• There area 14 EQIP/WHIP applications;
  
• The national Conservation Innovation Grants have been issued through an RFP (the national RFP website and language will be sent to all STT members)
  
• Rhode Island is considering offering a state level CIG and a copy of th FY 2006 State CIG RFP will be sent to the STT members.

Roylene asked for input from the STT members on the development of the resource concerns that they felt should be in the State CIG RFP and asked them to review the national CIG RFP and the FY 2006 State CIG RFP. She is considering looking to the RI Partnership in providing assistance in the development and administration of the State CIG for 2007.

Wildlife Habitat Incentives Program (WHIP)

Joe Bachand, WHIP Program Manager, presented the results for the FY 2007 WHIP application signup, In addition to the 14 EQIP/WHIP applications there were 48 SHIP applications for FY 2007 for ranking.

Rhode Island NRCS has been very successful in implementing WHIP practices and has one of the best rates of implementation of practices on time in the country.

Joe described some of the on-going projects of the WHIP program and offered to set up a STT tour this spring to see some of the work being done (suggested Mussachuck Creek and Rising Sun Mills as possible tour sites).

Wetland Reserve Program (WRP)

There are some large projects in the works using WRP funds and due to a “new” interpretation of the policy for WRP, additional riparian areas in the state can be considered eligible for easements and restoration funds. This new interpretation of policy allows for those existing and potential wetland areas that are connected by riparian corridors to now consider the corridor as eligible lands. Joe will be working with staff and partners on getting this information out.

Farm and Ranchland Protection Program (FRPP)

Reena Shaw, acting Program Manager for FRPP a quick update on the program, highlighting the change in national policy required those agreements using FRPP funds be closed within 18 months of commitment of funds. This new policy will need to be looked at by the entities and a strategy and NRCS RI administration policy established to ensure that we and the entities will be able to meet the new time deadlines. NRCS will be working on details and holding a meeting on this issue in the near future.

Farm Viability

Gene Pepper presented a Farm Viability update for Ken Ayars, Chief of the Division of Ag, RI DEM. Gene handed out the Risk Management Agency for the January 23 meeting on Weed Management for Corn and Vegetable Producers. This session is being sponsored with URI.

Gene discussed that the Farm Viability Grants are out and are due back by 31st of January. The Northeast Farmers Market meeting will be Sturbridge, MA this year.

There will be a all day pesticide training on new rules and regulations in March this year. Gene announced the that new State Vet has been hired.

Rhode Island Center for Agriculture Promotion and Education (RICAPE)

Stu Nunnery, Executive Director, RICAPE, thanked the STT for being able to attend and provide an update on RICAPE activities. RICAPE is in its 4th year of existence, and Stu is pleased with the work that has been accomplished to date and the support of the agencies and other partners he has been working with these past four years, especially URI and RI DEM. Through RICAPE efforts over ½ million dollars have been brought into the state during this time. Major activities of RICAPE include efforts in Agric. Tourism, Historic Preservation (working with Farm Bureau and legislators on preservation of historic farm buildings) and more. He mentioned the Risk Management workshops to be held with URI and RI DEM on Crop Insurance and Disaster Relief. He described the Campaign 2010 launched to plant a garden in every school in RI, starting with seven pilot schools during the firs five years of the project.

Stu talked about support from RICAPE to help Rhode Island to retain its rural space and the work with FARM QUEST, a school program started in North Smithfield school system in the 4th grade. The intent of the program is to link school children with farms.

Stu mentioned that the National Ag Statistics agency is coming to RI to look at an Ag Toursim impact study. One study done in VT in 2002 has shown a remarkable increase in farm income when a farm participates in Ag Tourism. He invited others to attend the meetings which will be January 22, 26 and 29th. Call Stu for more details.

A national franchise is coming to RI, Edible Communities, with a new publication called Edible Rhode Island.. This new publication will focus on farms and food productions and consumption.

Ecco Assets national CIG Update

Rick Pace, of Ecco Assets, is working with the URI on a national CIG, looking at the willingness of local communities to support local conservation practices through financial means. The study is looking particularly at how much support for bobolink habitat conservation practices (delayed mowing) there was in a community. The study is on Jamestown and a survey of local residents attitudes is being conducted. For more information on the project, please contact Rick.

URI, Cooperative Extension Service update

Whitney introduced herself again to the STT as the first field agricultural agent with CES in 10 years. She has been actively working with local farmers in the state and in her first year has been able to work with approximately 70 commercial producers. The assistance provided by Whitney is the ‘traditional extension service’ working one on one with farmers and connecting them to specialists at the University.

She is developing a website for use by producers and hopes to use this site and her position as a clearing house for questions and dissemination of information.

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