State Office Success Stories

MOU Signed With MFS

NRCS and the Maine Forest Service (MFS) have joined in the signing of a Memo of Understanding to coordinate their respective forestry programs to the fullest extent possible.  Joyce Swartzendruber and Alec Giffen, Maine State Forester, signed the agreement at a joint meeting of the NACD and National Association of State Foresters (NASF) Forest Resources Committees held at the Holiday Inn in Bangor in August.  NRCS and MFS have its respective responsibilities, but recognize the need to coordinate as a federal-state partnership for the successful delivery of conservation programs related to soil, water, air, plant, animal, and human resources.  NRCS and MFS will cooperate to implement their respective long-range natural resources programs considering available resources, statutory authorities, and regulations.

Consultation Protocol Signed Between NRCS 

A Consultation Protocol with procedures for compliance with Section 106 of the National Historic Preservation Act was signed during the summer of 2004 between Maine NRCS and the Penobscot Indian Nation, a federally-recognized tribe in Maine.  State Conservationist Joyce Swartzendruber and members of her staff met recently at the Penobscot Indian Nation to formalize the Protocol with newly-elected Chief Jim Sappier and representatives of his staff.

The major purpose of this Protocol is to protect historic properties by outlining the procedures by which NRCS consults with the Penobscot Indian Nation for its undertakings on Penobscot lands in Maine.  Importantly, the Protocol also helps to avoid unnecessary delays in providing customers with natural resource assistance, by exempting from review certain conservation practices that are unlikely to affect historic properties.  The Protocol also specifies those parts of Maine off of Tribal lands where the Penobscot Indian Nation wishes to be consulted on NRCS projects and their effects on properties of traditional religious and cultural significance.

The Consultation Protocol is the first such historic preservation agreement NRCS has made with a Tribe in Maine .

During the meeting between the Penobscot Indian Nation and NRCS, Joyce Swartzendruber also presented Chief Sappier with a signed, framed copy of the 2004 Native American Month poster, created by a member of the Penobscot Indian Nation.

Technical Service Providers Assisting in Writing Comprehensive Nutrient Management Plans 

Environmental Management Solutions (EMS), LLC of Des Moines, Iowa, has been awarded the contract to serve as Technical Service Providers (TSP) in completing Comprehensive Nutrient Management Plans (CNMPs) in Maine.  EMS has been contracted with to work with 26 Maine livestock farmers to develop CNMPs.  Following an initial meeting with NRCS leaders in September, EMS started the process of visiting with livestock farmers.  District Conservationists are ensuring that, prior to EMS's initial visit, the landowner has current soil tests on fields that manure and residuals are spread on and on pastures, and has a current manure test.  During the initial visit, the landowner is asked to sign a consent form and a biosecuirty form before EMS begins the work.  

Due to the heavy workload of the NRCS field staff, the use of TSPs offers landowners an option to obtain a CNMP in a timelier manner.  TSPs are being, and will continue to be, used in providing assistance to landowners in carrying out other conservation practices.

Grazing Conference Held with Technical Service Provider Assistance

The First Annual Maine Grass Farmers Network Grazing Conference was held at the Pineland Farms in New Gloucester.  More than 100 livestock farmers, NRCS employees, and others gathered to listen to and speak with grazing specialists on topics such as Feeding Dairy Cows on Pasture, Fencing Basics, and Managing Plant Nutrients in a Pasture System.  The conference, an opportunity for both experienced and novice livestock producers who wanted to learn more about grazing and pasture management, was hosted by Meadowsweet Farm, MOFGA, UMCE, and NRCS.

Featured speakers included Sarah Flack and Gwyneth Harris, both from Vermont and well-known for their grazing and organization expertise.  Their keynote presentation discussed “What a Grass Farmer Is, How they Network and Why Do It!”.  Other presenters during the concurrent sessions were from UMCE, MOFGA, Meadowsweet Farm, a dairy farm in New York , and a beef farm in Maine .

NRCS contracted with UMCE as a Technical Service Provider (TSP) and used Grazing Land Conservation Initiative Program Funds to coordinate and carry out the program, which included promoting the event, taking registration, arranging for speakers, and carrying out other on-site tasks.  The conference was well received. 

As a follow up to this conference, NRCS will work with the Grass Farmers Network in promoting the recently received 2005 Grassland Reserve Program funds and making them available to interested producers.  

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