Field Office Report Mar 09

FIELD OFFICE REPORT January 13 through March 13, 2009 2008 Farm Bill I (Deb) have been appointed to the Farm Bill Task Force. Our purpose is to review all materials in the federal Register and the new program manuals to see how best to package the information for the producers and for training of employees. We also are trying to anticipate questions that may arise based on the new rules. Floodplain Easement program (Sign-up March 9-27) Develop list of those with potential interest Mailings to above Review of program rules Environmental Quality Incentive program Deliver/review animal waste facility plans to producer (Gamble) Wetlands Reserve Program Work with contractor for spring seeding of Pokagon’s warm season grasses New application – develop application packet for ranking team Preliminary site visit (Somers) Conservation Reserve Program Develop warm season grass planting plans (2) Modify 2 contracts (mid-management practices – 2) Wildlife Habitat Incentive Program Conservation planning for trees (Namestnik) Conservation planning – Morey (Prescribed grazing, heavy use area, hay, waterlines) Lappin, Hesters, Good (soil loss) Training Rafael and Lindsay in this Wetlands – 6 determinations Flag CW for producer Review revised Corps of Engineers manual for the mid-west (Deb) Newsletter lay-out SAARS request for Maria (Deb) Meetings: Interview for MS4 position CWI Winter Meeting COE Wetland meeting (Deb) Watershed Grant (Deb, RC&D, IDEM) Teleconference –Farm Bill specialty crops/organics (Deb) State Civil Rights Review (Rafael) Supervisor’s meeting

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Tri-state Conservation Tillage Expo (Deb, Katie) State Technical committee on Farm Bill payment schedule (Deb) Tribal/NRCS meeting in Michigan (Deb) Northern Indiana Soils meeting (Katie) Tree committee Conservation planning committee Accomplishments Task Force (Deb) Food and Agriculture Council (Deb)