Kansas State Technical Committee Minutes - February 2004

Kansas State Technical Committee (KTC) Meeting
Wednesday, February 25, 2004
9:30 a.m. - Kansas Highway Patrol Training Academy
2025 East Iron - Salina, Kansas

Harold L. Klaege, State Conservationist, Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS) gave the welcome and opening remarks. Introductions were made.

Conservation Security Program (CSP)

The NRCS National Bulletin 300-4-2 requires that states develop cost lists and payment information for CSP.  A step in that process involved reviewing that information with the KTC.

Troy Munsch, Soil Conservationist, reviewed the "Existing Practice List and Payments"  and "New Practice List and Payments" as developed with a subcommittee of the KTC on February 20, 2004.

The following documents require Adobe Acrobat.

Existing Practice List and Payments (139 KB)
New Practice List and Payments (109 KB)

Recommendation of KTC: Submit both of the practice lists and payments as presented to the KTC.

Troy Munsch, Soil Conservationist; Bud Davis, Conservation Agronomist; and Lyle Frees, Water Quality Specialist, reviewed the "Enhancement Practice List with Intensities" as developed with a subcommittee of the KTC on February 20, 2004.

The following document requires Adobe Acrobat.

Enhancement Practice List with Intensities (130 KB)

Recommendation of KTC: Submit the practice list as presented to the KTC.

Troy reviewed other "enhancement activities" with the KTC.  Members of the committee made a suggestion regarding "On-farm Demonstrations/Pilots."

1. Natural Processes/Treatments to implement conservation treatment (e.g. – biological brush control, crop rotation for nutrient management).
2. Establishment of a CSP Model Farm

Members of the committee made a suggestion regarding "Assessment and Evaluation Activities."

• Use existing programs to measure results (e.g. - Kansas Rural Center’s "River Friendly Farm Plan."

The KTC requested that they be kept up to date as the program grows and evolves.  Members felt this process should be revisited in the future when the program is fully funded and the program is not a "capped entitlement."

Kansas Wetlands Policy

Jim McDowell, Soil Scientist, presented NRCS policy on responsibilities for minimal effect guidance and definition of mitigation.

The following document requires Adobe Acrobat.

Responsibilities for Minimal Effect Guidance and Definition of Mitigation (79 KB)

Conservation Reserve Program (CRP)

Rod Winkler and Dennis Gaschler, Farm Service Agency (FSA), discussed the Kansas Association of Conservation Districts (KACD) Resolution No. 3 Managed Grazing of Established CRP.

KACD noted that current CRP procedure does not allow grazing of CRP during the winter months.  They encourage managed grazing of established CRP according to the NRCS practice specifications.

Rod and Dennis reviewed the FSA state policy regarding the managed grazing period.  It was mentioned the current policy was established with recommendation from the KTC.  Initially the state’s first frost date had to be considered in establishing the grazing period which could not exceed 120 consecutive days.  The current managed grazing period in Kansas is July 16 through November 12.

The FSA 2-CRP Handbook was later amended which does not mention the frost date.  Managed grazing will not be allowed year-round nor is grazing allowed during the nesting season.  Managed grazing is authorized 1 out of every 3 years after the cover is fully established.

A recommendation was made to permit managed grazing outside the Primary Nesting/Brood Rearing Season (April 15 through July 15) not to exceed 120 consecutive days or as otherwise limited based on forage conditions, stocking rates, etc., as identified in the Forage Management Plan.

This KTC recommendation will be presented to the Kansas FSA State Committee at their March 1, 2004, meeting.

Meeting adjourned at 1:30 p.m.

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