Thorpson (202) 447-6787 NEWS U. S. DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE USDA ANNOUNCES 1974 RURAL ENVIRONMENTAL CONSERVATION PROGRAM (RECP): WASHINGTON, Jan.14 -The U.S. Department of Agriculture today announced primary details of a 1974 Rural Environmental Conservation Program (RECP) to strengthen conservation and environmental protection measures on American farms and to courage tha devalopment, management, and protection of nonindustrial private forest lada. In Dacezber the Department announced the initial RECP funding level for calander 1974 at $20 million, of which $10 million was initially earmarked for the Forestry incentivas effort. The RECP which carries forward come features of the old Rural Environmental Assistance Program (REAP) is designed to share with farmers and forest landowners from 0 to 75 parcent of the cost of carrying out approved forestry and conservatien practices. Participation in this program is open to all eligible farmers regardless of race, religion, color, sex or national origin. The program is authorized by the Soil Conservation and Domestic Allotment Act and the Agriculture and Consumer Protection Act of 1973. The 1973 Act was signed into law by Fresident Richard M. Nixon on August 10, 1973. The program providen for both annual and long-term cost-sharing agreements. Under long-tarn zgraements, essential practices and practice cost-sharing will be scheduled over a period of 3 to 10 years. These agreements with farmers vill be based on whole fare conservation plans which have been approved by appropriate officials. Requests for long-term agreements will be accepted only in cases where the farmer has an approved plan and has indicated he is ready to carry out a scheduled practice during the current program year. The special Forestry Inœativas Program phase of RECP will apply only in counties to be specifically desigested for this phase of the program. The counties will be designated by the State ASC Committee after consulting with the State Forester. Cost-sharing in these counties will be available to owners of nonindustrial private forest lands for planting trees for timber production and for improving a stand of forast trees for timber pro juction. Forest manage ment plans developed by forestera in consultation with the landowners will be required as the besis for cost-sharing agreements for all forestry practices in the designated counties. Cost-sharing for regular forestry practices will also be offered in counties that are not designated for the special Forestry Incentives Program. In these counties forestry practices must alno provide izproved protection against wind or water arosion as wall is provida for the production of forest products. Practices to be offered under the 1974 RECP for annual or long-term agreements, Include: establishing permanant vegatative cover; improving permanent vegetative cover; planting treea: inproving a stand of forest trees; water impoundment reservoirs, stripcropping; constructing terrace systems; diversions; streambank stabilization; permanent wildlife habitat; sediment retention; erosion or water control structures; sediment, chemical or water runoff control measures; windbreaks or shelterbelts; and reorganizing irrigation systems. All are designed to provide anduring protection to soil and water resources. In addition, state and county committees will have the opportunity to develop, with appropriate justification, other practices needed to solve critical local conservation problems. A draft environmental statebent has been filed with the Council on Environmental Quality and circulated for agency and public comment. Program modifications will be considered based on comments received during the review period. Several USDA agencies are involved in the operation of the RECP. The program will be administered by the Agricultural Stabilization and Conservation Service through ite farmer-elected committee rystem. The Soil Conservation Service will provide technical assistance and civice and recommendations on policies for soil and water conservation practices including conservation planning needed for longtorn agreements. The Forest Service will provide advice and recommendations on policies for all aspects of forestry practices and technical service, including planning BARistance to the applicant. The Extension Service will provide educational support and assistance for increasing the effectiveness of the program. Thompson (202) 447-6787 McDavid (202) 447-402 NEWS U. S. DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE USDA ANNOUNCES INITIAL STATE FUNDING FOR 1974 RECP: WASHINGTON, Jan. 22 --The U.S. Department of Agriculture today announced an initial state allocation of funds totaling $78 million for the 1974 Rural Environmental Conservation Program (RECP). The Department announced in January a RECP funding level of $90 million for calendar 1974, of which $10 million was earmarked for the Forestry Incentives effort. The initial allocation was determined by the Secretary of Agriculture according to the conservation needs of the states. Held in reserve will be $4 million to satisfy the law requirement that increases be made in payment to farmers who earn less than $200 of cost-share assistance on approved practices during the year, and $8 million that will be available to the states on justification of need for Forestry Incentives and other high priority use. RECP practices and primary details were announced in a Jan. 14 press release (USDA 101-74). Participation in this program is open to all eligible farmers regardless of race, religion, color, sex or national origin. State initial allocations for RECP in 1974 are as follows: |