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Kansas Technical Committee Minutes - March 2008
Kansas Technical Committee (KTC) Teleconference
Troy J. Munsch, Assistant State Conservationist for Programs, (NRCS opened the teleconference and introduced Astor F. Boozer, Acting State Conservationist, NRCS. Astor gave some opening remarks and other introductions were made. Wetlands Reserve Program (WRP)Lynn E. Thurlow, Soil Conservationist, NRCS, Salina, Kansas, reviewed the requirements for establishing Geographic Area Rate Caps (GARC) for the WRP. Documents on this page require
Adobe Acrobat. The GARC is to encourage enrollment while keeping acquisition costs at reasonable levels. The WRP easement offers to landowners are the lesser of the difference between the before and after appraised values, the GARC, or a landowner offer. The caps should be set at a level to encourage enrollment near historic rates, but does not encourage 100 percent acceptance of offers. The WRP subcommittee met in 2006 and made a recommendation to the NRCS state conservationist to establish GARC on a county basis. Continuing with that previous recommendation, the 2008 GARC was developed using the Kansas State University agricultural economics information paper on Kansas land values and cash rents at the county level. This paper has been updated for the past six years to provide information on land values. Only a couple of comments were shared during the discussion for establishing 2008 GARC. The recommendation to the NRCS state conservationist is to continue the county level GARC utilizing the Kansas State University information for the 2008 GARC. Conservation Reserve Program (CRP)The issue of burning on CP25, Rare and Declining Habitat, acres in Kansas was discussed. Prior to the teleconference Kansas Technical Committee (KTC) members were provided a state map illustrating the number of CP25 acres in each county. Kansas currently has 512,492 acres enrolled in practice CP25.
Also, members were provided copies of correspondence from Bill Briggs, Gove County Conservation District Chairman; Robert Kuntz, Park, Kansas; Harvey and Louise Wildeman, Quinter, Kansas; and Rex Albin and Verda Albin, Quinter, Kansas. All of the correspondence reflected concern about the burning of CRP acres.
Bill R. Fuller, State Executive Director, Farm Service Agency (FSA), Manhattan, Kansas, explained that in some instances a burn is not appropriate. The FSA does not want to force producers to burn under dangerous conditions and would like to come up with some possible exemptions and alternatives, possibly light disking. Rod J. Winkler, Agricultural Programs Specialist, FSA, Manhattan, Kansas, explained the background of practice CP25 which began in the late 1990's. Practice specifications were developed individually by each state under the framework of the KTC. As acreage is enrolled, the required maintenance burns are incorporated into applicable conservation plans as contract support documents become part of a binding agreement. Lack of compliance with the conservation plan can result in contract violations and possible contract termination. Dana Peterson, Kansas Association of Wheat Growers, stated their board members have the opinion that contracts were entered into by two willing parties, and they need to live up to those responsibilities. Make no changes to the current procedure. Ron Klataske, Audubon of Kansas, expressed the importance of education and even suggested producers burn earlier at the end of the winter instead of April. Wally Leander, Bureau of Indian Affairs, also stated that education is the key. He suggested that CRP participants who do not want to burn themselves use their contract maintenance payment to hire a burn contractor. There was discussion that disking will not remove enough thatch to defray the fire hazard. The benefits of burning were mentioned, that being, to remove thatch and invigorate plant growth. It was also suggested that mowing be done in place of burning. Meeting participants were encouraged to submit written suggestions and thoughts on burning CP25 acres to Bill R. Fuller, State Executive Director, FSA, Manhattan, Kansas, by the close of business April 2, 2008. The item will be discussed with the Kansas State FSA Committee in the near future. The KTC also reviewed managed haying and grazing provisions under the Kansas State Acres for Wildlife Enhancement (SAFE), CP38E. Recently, the Kansas proposal was approved which included mid-contract management options of haying and grazing. This was incorporated according to current CRP frequency policy of one of five years for grazing and one of ten years for haying. The FSA national office wants to ensure this is the intent of the KTC. The KTC concurred with the SAFE proposal including managed haying and grazing using National Wildlife Federation settlement terms based upon their recommendation and adoption of the SAFE proposal. The meeting adjourned at 2:28 p.m. ParticipantsThose participating in teleconference:
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