Help Needed in Washington DCHelp Needed in Washington DC
Proposal for ICCA Board Consideration
Proposal for ICCA Board Consideration
Activity Involving U.S. AgricultureActivity Involving U.S. Agriculture
• Climate Change: Cap and Trade• USDA-NRCS: TSP Program• Revision of Clean Water Act• 2013 Farm Bill• Mississippi River Basin Healthy Watersheds
Initiative• Hypoxia in the Gulf
• Climate Change: Cap and Trade• USDA-NRCS: TSP Program• Revision of Clean Water Act• 2013 Farm Bill• Mississippi River Basin Healthy Watersheds
Initiative• Hypoxia in the Gulf
Involvement of CCA ProgramInvolvement of CCA Program
• Cap and Trade– Verifiers: Hired by aggregators for compliance– Planners: Determine farmer credits available
• USDA-NRCS – Need for TSPs– EQIP: Environmental Quality Incentive Program– CSP: Conservation Stewardship Program
• Cap and Trade– Verifiers: Hired by aggregators for compliance– Planners: Determine farmer credits available
• USDA-NRCS – Need for TSPs– EQIP: Environmental Quality Incentive Program– CSP: Conservation Stewardship Program
Involvement of CCA ProgramInvolvement of CCA Program
• Revision of Clean Water Act– Involvement of non-point sources of pollution– NPDES permits– TMDLs
• 2013 Farm Bill– Nutrient Management?– May be the “Green Bill” that has been anticipated
• Revision of Clean Water Act– Involvement of non-point sources of pollution– NPDES permits– TMDLs
• 2013 Farm Bill– Nutrient Management?– May be the “Green Bill” that has been anticipated
Involvement of CCA ProgramInvolvement of CCA Program
• Mississippi River Basin Healthy Watershed Initiative– 320 Mil over 4 years– Focused at the farm gate for participation– Preferred farmer involvement
• Mississippi River Basin Healthy Watershed Initiative– 320 Mil over 4 years– Focused at the farm gate for participation– Preferred farmer involvement
As Written in MRBIAs Written in MRBI
• Providing information, education, and conducting outreach activities.
• Forming agreements to provide staffing for technical assistance and education.
• Assisting with monitoring, evaluation, and assessment.
• Providing information, education, and conducting outreach activities.
• Forming agreements to provide staffing for technical assistance and education.
• Assisting with monitoring, evaluation, and assessment.
As Written in MRBIAs Written in MRBI
• Joining the State Technical Committee to help provide input for focus area and watershed selection.
• Submitting proposals for CCPI, CIG and WREP or partnering with a group submitting a proposal.
• Targeting your agency’s or organization’s programs toward the Initiative’s watersheds.
• Joining the State Technical Committee to help provide input for focus area and watershed selection.
• Submitting proposals for CCPI, CIG and WREP or partnering with a group submitting a proposal.
• Targeting your agency’s or organization’s programs toward the Initiative’s watersheds.
Where Does the CCA Currently Stand?Where Does the CCA Currently Stand?
• CCA known within Ag groups• CCA well respected• Numbers speak• Current efforts have been “Table Stakes”• Need more time devoted to:– Issue tracking– Briefings and language contribution– Search for grant, gift, or other funding
• CCA known within Ag groups• CCA well respected• Numbers speak• Current efforts have been “Table Stakes”• Need more time devoted to:– Issue tracking– Briefings and language contribution– Search for grant, gift, or other funding
Option #1-Professional ConsultantOption #1-Professional Consultant
• Hire on an hourly basis• Hire only when needed• Connections to Hill already established• Costly “learning curve”• Sporadic Hill activity makes budgeting difficult
• Hire on an hourly basis• Hire only when needed• Connections to Hill already established• Costly “learning curve”• Sporadic Hill activity makes budgeting difficult
Option #2 – Full-time StaffOption #2 – Full-time Staff
• Attention to programs continuous• Develop as a source of agronomic information• Make sure Certification program is included in
legislation/regulation/voluntary program language
• Good chance to find current connected staffer• Cost of full-time employee (benefits)
• Attention to programs continuous• Develop as a source of agronomic information• Make sure Certification program is included in
legislation/regulation/voluntary program language
• Good chance to find current connected staffer• Cost of full-time employee (benefits)
How would we pay for DC help?How would we pay for DC help?
• Refer to discussion about finance report• Move to a line-item in budget in 2011 by
increasing International certification fee• Check with ASA to see if there can be a joint-
effort to support the position.
• Refer to discussion about finance report• Move to a line-item in budget in 2011 by
increasing International certification fee• Check with ASA to see if there can be a joint-
effort to support the position.
Who would manage the positionWho would manage the position
• Under the guidance of Science Policy Director (Karl)
• Major input from director of certification• Re-evaluate position in 2013 for effectiveness
(3-year minimum trial period)
• Under the guidance of Science Policy Director (Karl)
• Major input from director of certification• Re-evaluate position in 2013 for effectiveness
(3-year minimum trial period)
Crystal Ball View of Next Five YearsCrystal Ball View of Next Five Years
• Continued push for environmental accountability
• Mandated, voluntary programs that are considered “incentive based”
• Governmental agencies capturing field ag data and making management decisions for the ag industry
• Close to the 7 Plagues?
• Continued push for environmental accountability
• Mandated, voluntary programs that are considered “incentive based”
• Governmental agencies capturing field ag data and making management decisions for the ag industry
• Close to the 7 Plagues?
"Do not go where the path may lead, go instead where there is no path and leave a trail."
Ralph Waldo Emerson
"Do not go where the path may lead, go instead where there is no path and leave a trail."
Ralph Waldo Emerson