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<title>USDA Awards Funds to Improve Conservation on Agricultural Lands</title>
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<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:10.0pt;font-family:"Arial","sans-serif";color:navy">TO: Pollinator Mailing List<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:10.0pt;font-family:"Arial","sans-serif";color:navy"><o:p> </o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:10.0pt;font-family:"Arial","sans-serif";color:navy">FROM: Ray S. McAllister, PhD<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent:.5in"><span style="font-size:10.0pt;font-family:"Arial","sans-serif";color:navy">Senior Director, Regulatory Policy<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent:.5in"><span style="font-size:10.0pt;font-family:"Arial","sans-serif";color:navy">CropLife America<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent:.5in"><span style="font-size:10.0pt;font-family:"Arial","sans-serif";color:navy">202-872-3874 (office)<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent:.5in"><span style="font-size:10.0pt;font-family:"Arial","sans-serif";color:navy">202-577-6657 (cell)<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent:.5in"><span style="font-size:10.0pt;font-family:"Arial","sans-serif";color:navy"><a href="mailto:ray@croplife.us" title="mailto:ray@croplife.us"><span style="color:navy">ray@croplife.us</span></a><o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:11.0pt;font-family:"Calibri","sans-serif";color:#1F497D"><o:p> </o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:11.0pt;font-family:"Calibri","sans-serif";color:#1F497D">See the Pheasants Forever grant, highlighted below
<span style="background:yellow;mso-highlight:yellow">in yellow</span>. The full list of 33 grant recipients (linked below) includes another three pollinator related projects. See the summaries of all four projects at the bottom of this message. How many
of the remaining projects could incorporate pollinator activities into what is already planned?<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:11.0pt;font-family:"Calibri","sans-serif";color:#1F497D"><o:p> </o:p></span></p>
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<p class="MsoNormal"><b><span style="font-size:10.0pt;font-family:"Tahoma","sans-serif"">From:</span></b><span style="font-size:10.0pt;font-family:"Tahoma","sans-serif""> USDA Office of Communications [<a href="mailto:usda@public.govdelivery.com">mailto:usda@public.govdelivery.com</a>]
<br>
<b>Sent:</b> Tuesday, September 10, 2013 3:17 PM<br>
<b>To:</b> Barbara Glenn<br>
<b>Subject:</b> USDA Awards Funds to Improve Conservation on Agricultural Lands<o:p></o:p></span></p>
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<p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-line-height-alt:9.0pt">Release No. 0174.13<o:p></o:p></p>
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Contact:<o:p></o:p></p>
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Sarah Maxwell (202) 720-0693<o:p></o:p></p>
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USDA Awards Funds to Improve Conservation on Agricultural Lands<o:p></o:p></p>
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<em>Conservation Innovation Grants to help improve technologies and approaches for natural resource conservation on private lands</em><o:p></o:p></p>
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<p>WASHINGTON, Sept. 10, 2013 – Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack announced the award of 33 Conservation Innovation Grants awarded to entities across the nation to develop and demonstrate cutting-edge ideas to accelerate private lands conservation. Grant recipients
will demonstrate innovative approaches to improve soil health, conserve energy, manage nutrients and enhance wildlife habitat in balance with productive agricultural systems. USDA's Natural Resources Conservation Service administers this competitive grants
program.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p>"Conservation Innovation Grants activate creativity and problem-solving to benefit conservation-minded farmers and ranchers," Vilsack said. "These grants are critical for developing and demonstrating new ideas for conservation on America's private lands
and strengthening rural communities. Everyone relies on our nation's natural resources for food, fiber, and clean water and will benefit from these grants."<o:p></o:p></p>
<p>"The Conservation Innovation Grant program brings together the strength and innovation of the private and non-profit sectors, academia, producers, and others to develop and test cutting-edge conservation tools and technologies and work side-by-side with
producers to demonstrate how solutions work on the land," NRCS Chief Jason Weller said.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p>As climate changes, extreme weather events are becoming more common, these partnership grants drive cutting-edge conservation techniques that can make our nation's landscape more resilient to these changes.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p>The awards total $13.3 million. Six of the approved grants support conservation technologies and approaches to help farmers and ranchers who historically have not had equal access to agricultural programs because of race or ethnicity, or who have limited
resources, or who are beginning farmers and ranchers.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p>The 33 grants announced today include:<o:p></o:p></p>
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U.S. Endowment for Forestry and Communities: A grant of $700,000 to demonstrate sustainable forestry technologies and create a support system and market access for historically underserved landowners in South Carolina, North Carolina and Alabama;<o:p></o:p></li><li class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-top-alt:auto;mso-margin-bottom-alt:auto;mso-list:l1 level1 lfo3">
Wes-Mon-Ty Resource Conservation and Development Council: A grant of $49,000 to demonstrate the use of low-cost technology on a demonstration farm to expand cover crop adoption by historically underserved, small-scale specialty crop producers in West Virginia;
<o:p></o:p></li><li class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-top-alt:auto;mso-margin-bottom-alt:auto;mso-list:l1 level1 lfo3">
<span style="background:yellow;mso-highlight:yellow">Pheasants Forever: A grant of $631,218 to explore and demonstrate ways to integrate pollinator habitat into bioenergy crop production systems;</span><o:p></o:p></li><li class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-top-alt:auto;mso-margin-bottom-alt:auto;mso-list:l1 level1 lfo3">
University of Tennessee: A grant of $634,107 to quantify and demonstrate the long-term impacts of cover crops, crop rotations and no-till farming systems on soil health and crop productivity;
<o:p></o:p></li><li class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-top-alt:auto;mso-margin-bottom-alt:auto;mso-list:l1 level1 lfo3">
Conservation Technology Information Center: A grant of $482,000 to work with farmers in the Midwest to examine and share the economic, agronomic and environmental benefits of cover crops; and,<o:p></o:p></li><li class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-top-alt:auto;mso-margin-bottom-alt:auto;mso-list:l1 level1 lfo3">
National Fish and Wildlife Foundation: A grant of $821,324 to demonstrate and expand the use of manure injection technology in the Chesapeake Bay watershed, which can significantly reduce nutrient losses from animal agriculture production systems.
<o:p></o:p></li></ul>
<p><span style="background:yellow;mso-highlight:yellow">A full list of recipients is
<a href="http://links.govdelivery.com:80/track?type=click&enid=ZWFzPTEmbWFpbGluZ2lkPTIwMTMwOTEwLjIyODA3ODQxJm1lc3NhZ2VpZD1NREItUFJELUJVTC0yMDEzMDkxMC4yMjgwNzg0MSZkYXRhYmFzZWlkPTEwMDEmc2VyaWFsPTE3NzY3NTU3JmVtYWlsaWQ9YmdsZW5uQGNyb3BsaWZlYW1lcmljYS5vcmcmdXNlcmlkPWJnbGVubkBjcm9wbGlmZWFtZXJpY2Eub3JnJmZsPSZleHRyYT1NdWx0aXZhcmlhdGVJZD0mJiY=&&&101&&&http://www.nrcs.usda.gov/wps/portal/nrcs/main/national/programs/financial/cig/" target="extWindow" title="Opens in new window.">
available here</a></span>.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p>The grants are funded through the Environmental Quality Incentives Program. Grantees must work with producers and forestland owners to develop and demonstrate the new technologies and approaches.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p>At least 50 percent of the total cost of CIG projects must come from non-federal matching funds, including cash and in-kind contributions provided by the grant recipient.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p>NRCS has offered this grant program since 2004, investing in ways to demonstrate and transfer efficient and environmentally friendly farming and ranching. In the past nine years, the grants have helped develop trading markets for water quality and have shown
how farmers and ranchers may use fertilizer, water and energy more efficiently.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p>Secretary Vilsack said today's announcement is another reminder of the importance of USDA programs to rural America. A comprehensive five-year Food, Farm and Jobs Bill would further expand the rural economy, Vilsack added, saying that is just one reason
why Congress must get a comprehensive Bill done as soon as possible.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p>For more on this grant program, visit USDA's <a href="http://links.govdelivery.com:80/track?type=click&enid=ZWFzPTEmbWFpbGluZ2lkPTIwMTMwOTEwLjIyODA3ODQxJm1lc3NhZ2VpZD1NREItUFJELUJVTC0yMDEzMDkxMC4yMjgwNzg0MSZkYXRhYmFzZWlkPTEwMDEmc2VyaWFsPTE3NzY3NTU3JmVtYWlsaWQ9YmdsZW5uQGNyb3BsaWZlYW1lcmljYS5vcmcmdXNlcmlkPWJnbGVubkBjcm9wbGlmZWFtZXJpY2Eub3JnJmZsPSZleHRyYT1NdWx0aXZhcmlhdGVJZD0mJiY=&&&101&&&http://www.nrcs.usda.gov/wps/portal/nrcs/main/national/programs/financial/cig/" target="extWindow" title="Opens in new window.">
Conservation Innovation Grants webpage</a> or contact your <a href="http://links.govdelivery.com:80/track?type=click&enid=ZWFzPTEmbWFpbGluZ2lkPTIwMTMwOTEwLjIyODA3ODQxJm1lc3NhZ2VpZD1NREItUFJELUJVTC0yMDEzMDkxMC4yMjgwNzg0MSZkYXRhYmFzZWlkPTEwMDEmc2VyaWFsPTE3NzY3NTU3JmVtYWlsaWQ9YmdsZW5uQGNyb3BsaWZlYW1lcmljYS5vcmcmdXNlcmlkPWJnbGVubkBjcm9wbGlmZWFtZXJpY2Eub3JnJmZsPSZleHRyYT1NdWx0aXZhcmlhdGVJZD0mJiY=&&&102&&&http://www.nrcs.usda.gov/wps/portal/nrcs/main/national/contact/" target="extWindow" title="Opens in new window.">
local NRCS office</a>.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p>#<o:p></o:p></p>
<p style="mso-line-height-alt:9.0pt">USDA is an equal opportunity provider and employer. To file a complaint of discrimination, write: USDA, Office of the Assistant Secretary for Civil Rights, Office of Adjudication, 1400 Independence Ave., SW, Washington,
DC 20250-9410 or call (866) 632-9992 (Toll-free Customer Service), (800) 877-8339 (Local or Federal relay), (866) 377-8642 (Relay voice users).<o:p></o:p></p>
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#<o:p></o:p></p>
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<p class="MsoNormal"><b><span style="font-size:11.0pt;font-family:"Calibri","sans-serif";color:#1F497D">Bat Conservation International, Inc (CA, NV, CO, AZ, NM, TX, OK, AR) $139,495</span></b><span style="font-size:11.0pt;font-family:"Calibri","sans-serif";color:#1F497D"><o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><i><span style="font-size:11.0pt;font-family:"Calibri","sans-serif";color:#1F497D">Connecting Farmers & Ranchers to Innovative Technology in Bat Conservation</span></i><span style="font-size:11.0pt;font-family:"Calibri","sans-serif";color:#1F497D"><o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:11.0pt;font-family:"Calibri","sans-serif";color:#1F497D">Bats are one of the most ecologically and economically important wildlife taxa worldwide, and also one of the most threatened. Bats are primary predators of
night-flying insects, consuming countless agricultural and forest pests nightly and directly reducing pesticide use, while preventing North American agricultural losses estimated at more than $3.7 billion per year. Project activities will bring bat conservation
technologies, skills, and knowledge to partners and producers, simultaneously improving outcomes for
<span style="background:yellow;mso-highlight:yellow">pollinating</span> and pest-consuming bat species in the United States with specific benefits to agricultural production. Comprehensive outreach will be conducted in eight targeted states with a collection
of sound, tested, innovative bat conservation best practices for wind energy development, biofuel crop production, mine/well closures, wildlife habitat monitoring, water for wildlife, and integrated pest management.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><b><span style="font-size:11.0pt;font-family:"Calibri","sans-serif";color:#1F497D"><o:p> </o:p></span></b></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><b><span style="font-size:11.0pt;font-family:"Calibri","sans-serif";color:#1F497D">Cape Atlantic Soil Conservation District (NJ) $91,705</span></b><span style="font-size:11.0pt;font-family:"Calibri","sans-serif";color:#1F497D"><o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><i><span style="font-size:11.0pt;font-family:"Calibri","sans-serif";color:#1F497D">Expanding
<span style="background:yellow;mso-highlight:yellow">Pollinator</span> Species Habitat Sites Utilizing Compost Filter Socks</span></i><span style="font-size:11.0pt;font-family:"Calibri","sans-serif";color:#1F497D"><o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:11.0pt;font-family:"Calibri","sans-serif";color:#1F497D">Decline of
<span style="background:yellow;mso-highlight:yellow">pollinator</span> species such as the honeybee can have far reaching impacts on plant
<span style="background:yellow;mso-highlight:yellow">pollination</span> and crop production. Often, farmers have a difficult time finding a plot of land on their farm suitable for creation of
<span style="background:yellow;mso-highlight:yellow">pollinator</span> habitat without losing valuable agricultural production land. The time and energy cost it takes to prepare a field to plant a wildflower seed mix can also be prohibitive. The Cape Atlantic
Soil Conservation District will expand or enhance <span style="background:yellow;mso-highlight:yellow">
pollinator</span> species habitat areas by taking the technology of establishing a grass cover with vegetated compost filter socks and adapting it to establish on-farm
<span style="background:yellow;mso-highlight:yellow">pollinator</span> habitat areas with native wildflowers.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span lang="EN" style="font-size:11.0pt;font-family:"Calibri","sans-serif";color:#1F497D"><o:p> </o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><b><span style="font-size:11.0pt;font-family:"Calibri","sans-serif";color:#1F497D">Conservation Technology Information Center (IA, IL, IN, MI, OH, MN, SD) $482,000</span></b><span style="font-size:11.0pt;font-family:"Calibri","sans-serif";color:#1F497D"><o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><i><span style="font-size:11.0pt;font-family:"Calibri","sans-serif";color:#1F497D">Economic, agronomic and environmental benefits of cover crops for new and established users</span></i><span style="font-size:11.0pt;font-family:"Calibri","sans-serif";color:#1F497D"><o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:11.0pt;font-family:"Calibri","sans-serif";color:#1F497D">Producers plant grasses, legumes, brassicas and/or small grains between regular primary crop production periods to gain multiple conservation and sustainability
benefits, including the protection and improvement of soil and water quality and improvement of wildlife and
<span style="background:yellow;mso-highlight:yellow">pollinator</span> habitat. These cover crops offer many potential benefits to farming operations and the communities that surround them. Incorporating cover crops into farming systems incurs economic and
management costs that may discourage some producers from adopting the conservation practice. Farmers must evaluate any practice for its contributions to the productivity, profitability and sustainability of their operations. This project will draw on data
from a wide variety of cover crops planted in seven Midwest states – Iowa, Illinois, Indiana, Michigan, Ohio, southern Minnesota and South Dakota – and draw upon the insight of growers with a range of experience with cover crop management. The costs and benefits
of cover crops will be assessed with proven tools, from mathematical models and cost/benefit assessments to nitrogen rate strip trials, documentation of
<span style="background:yellow;mso-highlight:yellow">pollinators</span> in project fields, and extensive communications with participating producers on their choices and decision-making processes. At least 1,000 acres of cover crops will be planted on farms
with no previous cover crops. Results and insight from the project will be shared throughout the Midwest via an annual workshop, detailed articles in leading farm magazines reaching more than 350,000 Midwest producers, and printed and online resources, including
a Best Practices booklet and fact sheets.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span lang="EN" style="font-size:11.0pt;font-family:"Calibri","sans-serif";color:#1F497D"><o:p> </o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><b><span style="font-size:11.0pt;font-family:"Calibri","sans-serif";color:#1F497D">Pheasants Forever, Inc. (VA) $631,218</span></b><span style="font-size:11.0pt;font-family:"Calibri","sans-serif";color:#1F497D"><o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><i><span style="font-size:11.0pt;font-family:"Calibri","sans-serif";color:#1F497D">Integrating
<span style="background:yellow;mso-highlight:yellow">Pollinators</span> into Bioenergy Crops</span></i><span style="font-size:11.0pt;font-family:"Calibri","sans-serif";color:#1F497D"><o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:11.0pt;font-family:"Calibri","sans-serif";color:#1F497D">The dramatic decline of native and managed
<span style="background:yellow;mso-highlight:yellow">pollinator</span> populations has been well documented in the past decade. Population declines are attributed to several factors, but chief among them is the continued loss of specific
<span style="background:yellow;mso-highlight:yellow">pollinator</span> habitat needs. The establishment of
<span style="background:yellow;mso-highlight:yellow">pollinator</span> field borders associated with dedicated energy crops is not a common practice that is currently used or promoted. This project will help determine the
<span style="background:yellow;mso-highlight:yellow">pollinator</span> habitat value differences between placing the habitat on unharvested field edges vs. incorporating throughout a field that will be harvested for dedicated energy crops. This project will
begin to address the critical <span style="background:yellow;mso-highlight:yellow">
pollinator</span> habitat needs by integrating <span style="background:yellow;mso-highlight:yellow">
pollinator</span> habitat into bioenergy production fields. <span style="background:yellow;mso-highlight:yellow">
Pollinator</span> habitat will be designed and established using seeding mixtures designed to produce: 1) A diversity of flowering species throughout the entire growing season; 2) Species with different size, shape and color of flowering parts; 3) Habitat structures
that provide access to bare ground for native pollinator nesting sites.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
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