New Relationships–New Ways of Thinking

Remarks by Bruce I. Knight, Chief, Natural Resources Conservation Service,
at the National 2002 Farm Bill Implementation Workshop
Washington, DC
March 15, 2003

Thank you, Tom, and good morning. I want to thank Rollie Sparrowe and the Wildlife Management Institute for inviting all of us to be here this week to talk about how we can work together to get more conservation done. The wide range of interests here today is a reflection of the broad partnership needed to help America’s farmers and ranchers meet their conservation goals.

The latest figures show an increase of $18-1/2 billion in Federal spending for conservation on non-federal lands over the next ten years. Putting that investment to work will take a concerted effort by NRCS, conservation districts, RC&D councils, conservation and environmental groups, Federal and State natural resources agencies, tribal governments, agribusinesses, commodity groups, water utilities, and others. This meeting is a good chance to discuss the challenges and opportunities we will be facing together over the years to come.

Before I get into the substance of this discussion, I would like to make a couple of announcements. I want to ensure that NRCS has the right relationship with groups like those that are gathered here today. To help with this, I have appointed two people to serve as liaisons for agriculture and wildlife groups. Diane Hawks is our liaison with agriculture groups. Dave Gagner will be joining NRCS soon to be our liaison with wildlife groups. Dave is departing his current position with Ducks Unlimited. Between the two of them, Diane and Dave should provide the access you need to NRCS to build the kinds of partnerships we will be talking about this weekend.

On Thursday, I testified before a House Appropriations Subcommittee on the resources NRCS needs to implement the President’s vision for private lands conservation. I stressed in my testimony that the future of conservation on private lands requires not only a continued commitment of resources, but new approaches to getting the job done.

If Congress approves the conservation spending proposed by the President, we will have the resources needed to take private land conservation to a new level. In anticipation of receiving these resources, we are already working to adjust our traditional ways of thinking and developing new approaches to get the job done. It is not just NRCS that needs to change its thinking and develop new approaches, it is everyone involved in conservation, including our traditional partners and many new partners – in fact, everyone here today.

We need to adjust to the increased emphasis placed on conservation on working lands. We need to adjust to the increased emphasis on decision making at the local level. We need to become more efficient – to streamline the delivery of conservation technology and programs. We need to make conservation programs and conservation decision making more accessible. And, we need to learn to work together in more diverse groups to be more effective.

Let’s look at what these five kinds of adjustments mean to how we will work together in the future.

First, adjusting to the increased emphasis placed on conservation on working lands. Until now, conservation programs for private lands have focused mainly on taking marginal lands out of production. Now, with major investments in EQIP and the new Conservation Security Program, we will be able to help many more farmers and ranchers implement conservation practices on working lands.

Increased funding and new programs give landowners and operators new opportunities and more flexibility in reaching their conservation goals. The challenge is for all of us, from landowners to government agencies to nongovernmental organizations to focus on conservation goals and not on program dollars. For wildlife groups, that means looking beyond the Wildlife Habitat Incentives Program. For NRCS and district employees, it means not treating a landowner as “an EQIP customer,” or a “WRP customer,” but looking at overall conservation needs and objectives. The national and state priorities for EQIP -- by far the largest conservation program administered by NRCS -- as well as the tier structure for CSP, will help all of us focus on conservation goals, rather than on specific programs.

Second, adjusting to the increased emphasis on decision making at the local level. NRCS and the Department of Agriculture are serious about keeping decision making at the local level. The way we are writing the rules for conservation programs reflects this emphasis. Deputy Secretary Jim Moseley calls our approach “lean and local” rule making. “Lean and local” means keeping the rules simple and leaving as much authority as possible to local offices, with input from local conservation partners.

Out in the States and districts, local decision making involves State Conservationists and Designated Conservationists, working with State Technical Committees and local working groups. State agencies, tribes, non-governmental organizations, and others need to work with – or on – these committees and working groups to be sure your interests are included in the decision making process.

Third, becoming more efficient. One way we are becoming more efficient is by making procedural changes that eliminate or reduce the red tape. Most of you have heard that NRCS and FSA worked together to eliminate the dual concurrence required under EQIP and CRP. Today, we still consult with each other, but NRCS makes EQIP decisions and FSA makes CRP decisions. The new process provides faster service for the landowner. We are looking for other ways to reduce red tape – and we are writing the new rules for conservation programs to avoid creating new red tape.

Another way of becoming more efficient is to rely more on e-government for our customers who prefer that option. Last summer, we put our Field Office Technical Guide on-line. This service, called e-FOTG, is available not just to NRCS employees, but to conservation districts, States and Tribes, nongovernmental organizations, landowners, and anyone else who has use for the latest technical information. The Department of Agriculture’s e-forms service allows landowners to submit applications for conservation programs on-line. Our new TechReg service allows technical service providers to register on-line.

We realize that e-government is not for everyone, so we are also working hard to make it easier for our customers and partners to do business with us face-to-face or through the mail.

Fourth, making conservation programs and conservation decision making more accessible. I think we’ve all done a pretty good job of getting the latest information on conservation programs into the hands of our traditional customers. NRCS and various partners have created web sites, issued press releases, conducted workshops, and accepted speaking invitations at national, regional, and State meetings of all kinds. But we need to do a better job of bringing in minority farmers, women, beginning farmers, and limited resource farmers.

Beyond making every farmer aware of our conservation programs, we are also making our technical and program information more accessible. I mentioned the electronic Field Office Technical Guide as a tool for efficient program delivery. But it is also a tool for accessibility. In the old days, landowners and partners alike had to go to the USDA Service Center to look at practice standards and other technical information. Now, that information is a mouse click away.

Our TechReg system is already providing an efficient way for technical service providers to apply for certification. But it will also be a tool for accessibility. Landowners won’t have to come to the service center to look at a list of technical service providers. Instead, they will be able to find a provider on-line.

We are also asking every State to post its ranking criteria for EQIP on the web -- before making decisions on which contracts to award. Having access to the ranking criteria will help landowners structure their applications to directly address the criteria, and avoid the wasted effort of preparing an applications that will clearly score low on the criteria.

The last new approach I want to mention today is working in more diverse groups to be more effective. America’s investment in conservation over the next ten years is monumental. There is simply too much work for NRCS, conservation districts, RC&D councils, and States to get the job done.

We need many other groups to take an active role in making conservation happen. Those groups include everyone here today.

One way we are bringing more participants into the conservation effort is through the Technical Service Provider process. Many of you who are here today work with organizations that have been involved in developing the technical service provider process and that will have employees or members who will be technical service providers. Thank you for your participation in developing the process and for your comments on the interim final rule.

Technical Service Providers will play an important role in planning and implementing conservation on private lands, and NRCS is committed to making the system work and work well. One of our guiding principles was to open up technical service provider certification to the widest possible range of potential providers. We are also reaching out to make sure the technical service provider community reflects the diversity of America’s agricultural community.

Essentially, we are creating an entire new industry of conservation providers. With that industry comes the opportunity to accomplish more conservation. But, as with any new industry, we also have the challenge of making the system work. We must address issues such as quality control, liability, and payments in such a way as to maintain and build confidence in the technical service provider process.

Another way we are bringing more participants into the conservation process is through meetings such as this. Although the Administration is making an unprecedented investment in conservation on private lands, we need to do more. Last summer, we approved contracts totaling nearly 700 million dollars for conservation on private lands. We were able to award contracts for thousands of existing applications in several programs. At the same time, we received thousands of additional applications.

Today, we again have a backlog in most programs. EQIP alone now has a backlog of $1.4 billion nationwide. WRP has 2,800 pending applications, amounting to 475,000 acres. FPP has more than $100 million in pending offers for easements.

If we are to help every landowner reach his or her conservation goals, we will need more resources than the Federal government can provide. We will need to combine the resources of the Federal government with those of State agencies, Tribes, conservation and environmental organizations, foundations, corporations, and others in innovative ways.

To bring all these resources into play, we will need to broaden the conservation partnership to ensure every voice is heard. This meeting is part of building that broader partnership.

Conclusion

This workshop will give us a chance to hear the perspectives of landowners, State officials, and others. The discussion groups will explore ways of working together at the State and local levels to make conservation happen.

I look forward to hearing your ideas about how to eliminate barriers and work more closely together. And, I look forward to working with all of you to make the next golden age of conservation a reality.

Thank you.