<br><font size=3 face="Arial">This e-mail contains information on:</font>
<br>
<br><font size=3 face="Arial">Cooperative Conservation</font>
<br><font size=3 face="Arial">***The Legal Framework for Cooperative Conservation***</font>
<br><font size=3 face="Arial">Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS)
2006 Conservation Programs </font>
<br><font size=3 face="Arial">***Conservation Security Program (CSP)***</font>
<br><font size=3 face="Arial">***Conservation Innovation Grants (CIG)***</font>
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<br>
<br><font size=3 face="Arial">Cooperative Conservation</font>
<br>
<br><font size=3 face="Arial">***The Legal Framework for Cooperative Conservation***</font>
<br>
<br><font size=3 face="Arial">The attached document, published by the Public
Policy Research Institue 9University of Montana, 2006) provides an interesting
analysis of the legal constraints and opportunities for Cooperative Conservation.</font>
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<br>
<br><font size=3 face="Arial">Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS)
2006 Conservation Programs </font>
<br>
<br><font size=3 face="Arial">***Conservation Security Program (CSP)***</font>
<br>
<br><font size=3 face="Arial">-----> DURATION Feb. 13-Mar. 31, 2006!
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<br><font size=3 face="Arial">About CSP:</font>
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<td width=100% bgcolor=white><font size=3 face="Arial">CSP is a voluntary
program that provides financial and technical assistance to promote the
conservation and improvement of soil, water, air, energy, plant and animal
life, and other conservation purposes on Tribal and private working lands.
Working lands include cropland, grassland, prairie land, improved pasture,
and range land, as well as forested land that is an incidental part of
an agriculture operation. The program is available in all 50 States, the
Caribbean Area and the Pacific Basin area. The program provides equitable
access to benefits to all producers, regardless of size of operation, crops
produced, or geographic location. The Farm Security and Rural Investment
Act of 2002 (2002 Farm Bill) (Pub. L. 107-171) amended the Food Security
Act of 1985 to authorize the program. CSP is administered by USDA's Natural
Resources Conservation Service (NRCS).</font></table>
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<br><font size=3 face="Arial">2006 Sign-Up:<br>
On Jan. 31, Ag Secretary Johanns announced that the 2006 Conservation Security
Program (CSP) sign-up will be held Feb. 13, 2006 to March 31, 2006 in 60
watersheds nationwide. <br>
<br>
USDA announced preliminary selection of 110 watersheds for fiscal year
2006 based on the President's budget request. Based on available funding,
CSP will be offered in 60 watersheds across all 50 states, the Caribbean
and Guam. The sign-up will only include those producers who do not have
an existing CSP contract. <br>
<br>
To be eligible for CSP, most of a producer's agricultural operation must
fall within the boundaries of a selected watershed. Applications which
meet CSP's minimum requirements as set forth in the amendment to the Interim
Final Rule published in the Federal Register March 25, 2005, will be placed
in enrollment categories. The CSP amendment to the Interim Final Rule is
available for viewing at: <br>
http://www.nrcs.usda.gov/programs/csp/. <br>
<br>
This is the 3rd CSP sign-up. During the 2004 and 2005 sign ups, farmers
enrolled nearly 11 million acres in the 220 eligible watersheds. <br>
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<br><font size=3 face="Arial">***Conservation Innovation Grants (CIG)***</font>
<br><font size=3 face="Arial"><br>
-----> DEADLINE March 20, 2006! <-----</font>
<br>
<br><font size=3 face="Arial">About CIG:</font>
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<td width=100% bgcolor=white><font size=3 face="Arial">Conservation Innovation
Grants (CIG) is a voluntary program intended to stimulate the development
and adoption of innovative conservation approaches and technologies while
leveraging Federal investment in environmental enhancement and protection,
in conjunction with agricultural production. Under CIG, Environmental Quality
Incentives Program funds are used to award competitive grants to non-Federal
governmental or non-governmental organizations, Tribes, or individuals.
CIG enables NRCS to work with other public and private entities to accelerate
technology transfer and adoption of promising technologies and approaches
to address some of the Nation's most pressing natural resource concerns.
</font></table>
<br>
<br><font size=3 face="Arial">2006 CIG Program:<br>
CIG has two competitions available in fiscal year 2006--National and State.
The announcement for program funding for the National competition is below.
Each State administering a CIG competition will announce funding availability
through separate requests for proposals. <br>
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<br><font size=3 face="Arial">National Component:</font>
<br><font size=3 face="Arial">The deadline for proposals for the national
competition is March 20, 2006.<br>
>>> Natural Resource Concerns component--Up to $10 million available
for proposals addressing one or more of the CIG natural resource concerns.
This component was also offered in 2004 and 2005. <br>
>>> Chesapeake Bay Watershed component--Up to $5 million
available for proposals addressing one or more of the CIG natural resource
concerns in the Chesapeake Bay watershed. This component was also
offered in 2005. <br>
>>> Technology component--Up to $5 million available for
proposals addressing one or more of the CIG technology or approach categories.
This component is new in 2006. <br>
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<br><font size=3 face="Arial">State Component:</font>
<br><font size=3 face="Arial">Each State that is administering a CIG competition
will announce funding availability through separate requests for proposals.
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For more information, visit <br>
http://www.nrcs.usda.gov/programs/cig/index.html<br>
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