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Pork
Producer Testimony
Natural Resource Conservation Service
U.S.
Department of Agriculture
Farm Bill 2002 National Technical
Service Provider Summit
"Expanding the Capabilities of
Conservation Service on Private Lands"
November 7,
2002
Washington, D.C.
State
Representative Sharon Schwartz - Pork Chop Acres, Washington,
KS
Comments on behalf of the National Pork Producers
Council
As
pork producers and diversified grain farmers, our family
operation has been a recipient of Technical Services provided
by NRCS for many years. With the passage of the 2002 Farm
Bill, we are entering a new era for conservation programs.
While earlier programs focused on soil conservation, the new
legislation works to address the entire soil nutrient profile.
As we head
down this new path, we must remember that the new programs
need to be flexible to address variations in cropping
practices from region to region. As you've heard before,
weather patterns can be the farmer's best friend or our
greatest foe. Farm programs must include provisions to allow
individual farmers to deviate from their plans when Mother
Nature makes it impossible to comply. Federal programs must
also be compatible with present state and local regulations so
that duplicate records are not required. No one wants to do
work twice.
One of the
strong points of the new Farm Bill is that it provides a great
opportunity to share ideas and concerns as we progress to
implementing the programs. That's one of the reasons I
accepted the invitation to participate in this summit. I
strongly believe in the goals of the conservation programs of
the new farm bill, but I also have concerns that some farmers
may opt out of the program if it becomes too complicated or
burdensome.
As I'm
sure most of you understand, Comprehensive Nutrient Management
Plans (CNMP) are mandated for livestock producers who are
interested in receiving cost-share dollars through EQIP. In
the near future, many livestock producers may be required to
develop a CNMP with or without cost-share.
Our farm
is currently participating in a CNMP pilot program sponsored
by pork producers. The pilot is using the team approach by
including an engineer, an agronomist and an information
specialist through a private technical provider called
Environmental Management Solutions. Our team also includes our
farm's crop consultant and our County NRCS soil
conservationists. The program is time-intensive with detailed
recordkeeping being required.
I fear
that very few farmers or farm businesses will have these
resources available or even be willing to participate when
mandated. In fact, I believe that if the requirements are too
complex or costly that it will be impossible to implement and
quite possibly will promote the exodus of many small and
medium-sized farmers from the business. Unless there is a
substantial incentive, these farmers do not have the time or
expertise to comply without trained personnel to fulfill the
mandates. EQIP dollars must be made available for small to mid
size farmers to acquire the best possible expertise and
assistance to develop, implement, and document the CNMP. This
is not an easy course, but farmers are willing to move to a
new level of environmental accountability if the proper
incentives and expertise is available.
CNMP's are
very important to livestock producers. The pork industry has
been moving towards a total environmental plan for many years.
CNMP's will be a major tool that allows us to complete this
plan. This is the first opportunity for producers to develop a
plan that meets our goals and objectives, have a positive
effect on water quality and also be in compliance with
environmental regulations. This is the first time farmers have
the opportunity to develop a plan that will meet the
regulations set forth by regulators and have a positive, long
term affect on their operation, and water quality. Regulations
by themselves have done little to clean up the environment,
however regulations accompanied by an action plan, i.e. a
CNMP, have the opportunity to help farmers make great strides
in environmental stewardship.
While NRCS
has very good personnel trained in soil conservation, there is
a shortage of personnel with experience in livestock
production and its interaction with crop production. This is
one area where Technical Service Providers (vendors) could
provide the necessary assistance.
As I was
preparing for this summit, I realized I have mixed emotions
about the Technical Service Provider issue. In order to sort
these out, I made a list of the reasons I would support this
program and a list of the concerns that came to my
mind.
Technical Service Providers - Tech Pros
Positives
1. The
increased available cost-share for livestock waste systems has
sharply increased the need for engineers. Currently, in many
states, NRCS has a shortage of engineers so having private
engineers becoming Tech Pros will be a help.
2.
Nutrient and Pest Management plans are going to be needed for
EQIP plans and many of the crop consultants are already
trained to do this so they will be good Tech Pros.
3. NRCS
field offices are understaffed for the current and projected
workload. If Tech Pros are available in each county then it
will help get the work done.
4. Some
producers will welcome the opportunity to choose their own
Tech Pros for a variety of reasons.
Concerns
1. What
happens if not every county has Tech Pros available? It is
important that NRCS make Tech Pros available to all producers.
2. The
Tech Pros will do the fieldwork part, but there will still be
a lot of paperwork generated from what they do. Their
fieldwork will have to be added to the producer's conservation
plan, cost-share payments will need to be processed, status
reviews done, etc. This will further tie down the current
office staff to their computers, and in turn, reduce their
available time to do their fieldwork.
3. NRCS
field office staff continually receives new training and their
work is spot-checked. They are monitored to make sure the
producer is receiving the best possible product. Who will
oversee the work of the Tech Pros? Is the field office staff
expected to give up their time on other projects to do
this?
4. NRCS,
in combination with the Conservation Districts, has spent many
years developing a good working relationship with producers.
This has been accomplished through giving sound technical
advice and demonstrating a willingness to come out to the
producer's farm. Producers have developed a trust with NRCS
and Conservation District personnel and are more willing to
listen to changes and try new programs. By privatizing work
that has traditionally been completed by NRCS, the new Farm
Bill may erode this working relationship unless proper
planning is done to make a seamless partnership of public and
private providers.
It will be
important that the new farm bill's conservation programs are
farmer-friendly and delivered in a manner that will be
convenient to farmers. It is also imperative that farmers have
a choice of their providers. Once again, we are in a new era.
Let's make it work for everyone.
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