In a June 12 News release USDA Secretary announced process are being developed to streamline applications for CRP and EQIP. The News Release (http://www.usda.gov/news/releases/2002/06/0245.htm) in part states;

"USDA’s Farm Service Agency (FSA) and Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS), which administer CRP and EQIP respectively, worked together to streamline concurrence and will soon be issuing administrative guidance. The streamlined concurrence processes, which will save valuable time at the county level and reduce duplicative efforts, allow NRCS or FSA the flexibility to proceed without the formal approval of the other agency. This removes a time-consuming step in the implementation process and will allow the agencies to operate more efficiently. "

In the transcript of a news conference on this effort Jim Little, FSA administrator, and Bruce Knight, NRCS Chief, at http://www.usda.gov/news/releases/2002/06/0247.htm reiterated their commitment to streamline the process and make the programs more effective. They also emphasized going to the http://www.usda.gov/farmbill/ for

information.

A WRP final rule has been issued implementing the only change in law. It specifies that a landowner must have owned the land for at least 12 months before it can be enrolled in the program unless it can be demonstrated that the land was not acquired for the purpose of entering it into the WRP.

Signups can now be held for both WRP and WHIP as soon as the final funding allocations are approved by the Department and the Office of Management and Budget (OMB).

Minor rule and procedures changes are being made so an EQIP signup can be held this summer. More detailed rule and procedure changes will be made before the 2003 signup. 

FSA has issued Notice CRP-402

(ftp://ftp.fsa.usda.gov/public/notices/CRP_402.pdf) listing the changes in the law that they will be developing and issuing rule and procedure changes for in the near future.

FSA has also issued Notice CRP 401

(ftp://ftp.fsa.usda.gov/public/notices/CRP_401.PDF) specifying the procedures for extending CRP contracts with hardwood trees scheduled to expire on September 30, 2002 for 1 year beyond the 15-year contract period. Contracts with the practices CP3A (Hardwood Tree Planting) CP4B (Permanent Wildlife Habitat) CP5A (Field Windbreak Establishment) and CP16A (Shelterbelt) may be extended only if they have not been previously extended.

NACD has a very good table summarizing implementation status of the conservation programs at http://www.nacdnet.org/govtaff/FB/ImpStatus.htm