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Page 4-MSWCD Supplemental to the Heppner Gazette-Times. February 26.1997
fits per dollar expended. The
highest ranked applications will
be approved for a contract.
and state level know their natural
Approved applicants are re
Taken from a presentation by
resource problems and the best sponsible for developing and
Jeffery Loser of the NRCS.
approaches to solve those pro submitting a conservation plan
blems. There will be national encompassing the producer's
The Environmental Quality guidance and direction, as farming or ranching unit of
Incentives Program (EQIP) always, but most of the actual concern. The conservation plan
provides in a single volimtary decisions will be made at the will describe conservation prac
program flexible, technical, edu local and state level. For this to tices to protect the soil, water, air
cational, and financial assistance occur, people need to make or related natural resources. This
to fanners and ranchers who face decisions in a collaborative plan will use the conservation
senous threats to soil, water, air manner using a consensus treatments of the NRCS field
and related natural resources on process. NRCS, FSA, FSA state office technical guide and is
agricultural land and other land, and county committees, conser generally developed with NRCS
including grazing lands, wet vation districts and many other and other technical assistance.
lands, forest land, and wildlife agencies and people will have The plan is used to establish an
habitat.
significant roles and responsibili EQIP contract.
EQIP replaces ACP, WQIP, ties in the program.
The contract provides for cost
CRSCP and GPCP. Assistance
The program has been de sharing and incentive payments
will be provided in a manner that signed to take advantage of what to the producer for applying the
maximizes environmental bene each agency does best, and will needed conservation practices
fits per dollar expended and will primarily be available in priority and land use adjustments within
help producers comply with areas throughout the nation. The a specified time schedule. Pay
federal and state environmental priority areas will be watersheds, ments are made to the producer
laws.
regions or areas of special en when the conservation practices
Funds of the Commodity vironmental sensitivity or having specified in the contract are
Credit Corporation (CCC) will be significant soil, water, air or satisfactorily established. The
used to fund the assistance pro related natural resource concerns. contracts are 5-10 years in
vided under EQIP. For fiscal year The process for selecting these length.
1996, $130 million was made priority areas begins at the local
In summary , these are key
available to administer an interim level. EQIP will also be available differences in EQIP from prior
program; $200 million is to be outside of the priority area where programs. EQIP is primarily led
made available for each fiscal there are natural resource priority by local decision making; in
year 1997 through 2002. Fifty concerns that have been identi stead of decisions being made
percent of the funding available fied at the state level.
and handed down from the
for the program will be targeted
Program participation is national level, most decisions are
at practices relating to natural voluntary and initiated by the made at the local or state levels.
resource concerns due to producer who applies for a con Because of locally-led efforts,
livestock production.
tract. Applications will be the program will require partner
The program has been evaluated and ranked based on ing, collaboration, and coordina
designed to be locally led, under how well the producer plans on tion among agencies and organi
the belief that people at the local maximizing environmental bene- zations. EQIP is not an annual
program for the producer. Pro
ducers must submit a conserva
tion plan which becomes the
basis for a 5-10 year contract.
Agricultural jobs
'Ä
Unlike some other programs
in
the
past, EQIP is not a single
are our specialty )
purpose program. It will not only
address soil and water, but also
air, plant and animal resources.
While EQIP does not focus on
- 7y Smith -
any one natural resource concern,
587-7278 mobile 379-3739
it does focus on geographic areas
Licensed • Bonded • Insured
CC8« 10477«
for the majority of its emphasis.
EQIP Overview
TNT E xcavating
1
FARMERS!
RANCHERS!
Need that extra wrench, socket or tool?
Don't want to buy an expensive new set?
TRY US! Lots of folks do and are glad.
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There Have Been
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MSWCD Supplemental to the Heppner Gazette-Times. February 26, 1997-Page 5
These geographic areas-called
priority areas-can be watersheds,
regions, or areas with common
problems. Maximizing environ
mental benefits per dollar ex
pended is a term used frequently
in the program, and there are
numerous ways in which this will
be accomplished.
EQIP may also be used to
assist a producer in complying
with
environmental
laws.
Producers with large confined
livestock operations will not be
eligible for cost-share assistance
to construct an animal waste
storage or treatment facility, but
they may be eligible for assis
tance on other conservation
practices. Payment limitations
per person are $10,000 in a
fiscal year and $50,000 for any
multi-year contract. Congress
also indicated that no payments
may be made to a person in the
same fiscal year of entering a
contract. The first payments must
be made in the subsequent fiscal
year.
Notes from the Chair...
By Chairman Chris Rauch
Lately, I have been hearing a
new buzz phrase-"locally-led
conservation". What does lo
cally-led conservation mean? It
means local people, with the
leadership of local conservation
districts, assessing their natural
resource conditions and needs. It
means local people setting goals,
identifying programs and other
resources to solve those needs. It
means local people developing
proposals and recommendations
to implement solutions and mea
suring their success.
Locally-led conservation is
voluntary. It means neighbors
rural and urban-working togeth
er as the foundation for effective
conservation; providing a plat
form for effective communica
tion, achieving mutual under
standing, and forging partner
ships.
Locally-led conservation al
lows local people, who know the
problems best, to deal with those
problems. It is based on shared
responsibility—neighbors, farm
ers, ranchers, rural and urban
residents taking responsibility for
their share of conservation.
Local means a county, a
portion of a county, a watershed,
or a multi-county region. The
local people are those with a
shared stake in the health of
natural resources in the local
area.
This "new" phrase isn't new at
all. In fact, the phrase is at least
60 years old. In 1935, the Soil
Erosion Service established a
25,000 acre project in south
Morrow County to help restore
eroded creek channels and de
pleted rangeland. In 1937, the
Lexington Blow Control District
was formed. The Heppner Soil
Conservation District was form
ed by local farmers, in 1941,
recognizing the importance of
local, voluntary conservation
efforts on private lands. The
Heppner Water Control District
was formed by local people to
address the problems that caused
Oregon's worst natural disaster.
Unfortunately, this commit
ment to locally led conservation
was derailed a few years ago, but
with the steadfast persistence of
conservation districts and their
partners, we are seeing a
recommitment to our roots. I
invite all private landowners,
individuals and communities in
Morrow County to join the
Morrow Soil & Water Conserva
tion District and our partnership.
If we pull together our local
resources, we can make fantastic
progress in the name of conser
vation.
in Agriculture Over the Past Few Years:
in Communication for Agriculture
ctopby our office
Prices for Cellular Phones and Pagers are lower.
laree selection of
celular phones
Cellular Phones have more features as standard
equipment.
LOTS OF TOOLS IN STOCKI
COLUMBIA OUTDOOR
& SURPLUS, INC
MAIN STREET. HERMISTON • 567-2080
The Morrow Soil & Water
Conservation District has initiat
ed an educational partnership
with county schools. The intent is
to provide an opportunity for
area youth to learn more about
natural resources. The District
will provide the necessary
information, technical, and ad
ministrative assistance. Partici
pating instructors will design a
curriculum
around
various
projects and the students will
carry out the field work. A fair
and uncontroversial data use
policy will be implemented in
order to protect the non-political
position of the educational pro
gram. When data is gathered for
a cooperating individual, busi
ness, or agency, an agreement as
to the intended use of the data
will be established before the
data collection begins.
In April, representatives from
the SWCD and county teachers
traveled to Monument for a field
day to learn about the Monument
High School's natural resources
program, Student Watershed
Enhancement Team (SWET),
which has been featured on the
Public Broadcasting Station pro
gram, "Oregon Field Guide".
In November, Morrow SWCD
sponsored Dale Holland, lone
science teacher, to attend the
Governor's Watershed Enhance
ment Board's convention in
Seaside. He will share ideas he
picked up on curriculum devel
opment with other partnership
teachers in the county.
We have also been working
with the Umatilla-Morrow Edu
cational Service District (ESD)
and the Umatilla Basin Water
shed Council (UBWC). The
Watershed Council is initiating a
similar education partnership in
Umatilla County. The Umatilla-
Morrow ESD received a $39,800
technical literacy grant and plans
to target the teachers involved
with natural resource education
projects in two counties. A
committee has been formed to
coordinate our efforts and to get
teachers together to share ideas.
We have received contri
butions from interested citizens
and various companies for
equipment purchases in the
amount of $1,175.00. We are
pleased with the response and
encouraged by the inquiries.
Following is a list of current
contributors: Jim McElligott;
West Extension Irrigation Dis
trict; Potlach Corp.; Finley
Buttes; Pacific Telecom, Inc.;
Wheatland Insurance; Bank of
The annual, post-season deer
composition counts have been
completed for the Heppner area.
The counts are conducted to
determine the post-season buck
to doe ratios and the fawn to doe
ratios. The counts are conducted
by vehicle throughout the
different management units.
Each group of deer observed is
classified by sex and age and all
bucks are separated by antler
class. All counts in the Heppner,
Fossil, Columbia Basin and East
Biggs BGMUs were completed
by Thanksgiving.
In total, 2,229 deer were
classified in the Heppner area.
The following table lists the
number and classification of deer
observed in their respective Big
Game Management Units.
BGMU
Doe 8
Bucks
Heppner
357
Fawns
234
567-7655
1-800-808-7655
256 E. Hurlburt Ave.. #116 • Hermiston
Our Two-yeor fYofessionol/Technicol Programs Include:
♦ Rdto Body Repair Technology
O Rutomotive Technology
O Business Rgnculture
O Civil engineering Technology
O Diesel ond Heavy equipment
P Drafting Technology
O electronic engineering Technology
P Industrial Maintenance Technology
♦ Industrial Technology
P Production Rgnculture — Crops ond Livestock
409
232
53 (9-sp, 24-2pt, 12-3pt, 8-4pt)
Col Basin
317
173
41 (9-8P, 21-2pt, 8-3pt, 3-4pt)
106
221
These ond our other professronottechnxol programs ore generoHy noatronsfer
able However. students interested m transferring to o four geor college or
ureverstv mone of these oreos con uiortr closely uxth the« ocodemc odvrsor to
ensure their courses uiill transfer
For the 'full-time' farm or ranch manager we also hove the
Form Business Monogement Bagram. This program features the
newest finonciol management techniques, on-the-form/ranch
conferences ond consultations, and much morel
♦ UJe offer the 'Oregon Block Transfer Degree'for students
interested the Liberol Rrts or Sciences mho wish to transfer
to o four yeor school m Oregon
47 (8-Bp, 19-2pt, 9-3pt, ll-4pt)
Fossil
E Biggs
computer dedicated to project.
The Morrow SWCD is very
excited about the Ed Partnership
program and we welcome any
suggestions or donations.
Blue Mountain
Community College
ODFW fall deer counts listed
Blue Mountain
Community College
or write: P.O. Boa 100
Pendleton. OR «TOO I
39 (6-sp, 18-2pt, 6-3pt, 9-4pt)
H9RRQHCOVNIX SOIL AMP.HATER
CONSERVATION. DISTRICT
Combined Btateaent of Revenu»«. Expenditure». _and
Chnngoa_ln fund Balancea — All Governmental Fund Tvpan
(Ariainq trow Caah Tramactlom 1
Governmental
Serving area Farms and Ranches
for more than 37 years.
Special
REVENUES :
Grant revenue
Morrow County funds
Interest income
Contract services
Miscellaneous
General__
Soil and
Hater_ ___
Revenue__
Weed
Control..
$
$
Total revenues
15,454
39,179
550
3,000
1.794
-
-
-
-
51x521
EXPENDITURES:
Personal services
Materials and services
47,673
11.641
633
23.1B5
Total expenditures
59.314
23.81B
FJJNP BALANCE, DEGINNINGOF_XEAR
__ 22JU2
__21,.810
EUBP. BALANCE, ENP OF XEAR
$
23,506
• Aviation Oils
• Diesel Fuel
• Off Road
• On Road
• Lubricating Oils
• Bulk Gas
• Heating Oils
• Solvents & Kero
• Lube Oils in
Bulk Quantities
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I
PHILLIPS • CHEVRON
SHELL • TEXACO
MOBILE
Heller & Sons
Distributing, Inc.
615 N
S
1st Hermiston
1-800-698-6582
in Heppner
Contact us about Health Insurance
and Medicare Supplements
DVANCED MOBILE
OMMUNICATIONS
stream flow velocity meter;
waders (various sizes); eight
Hobo water temperature gauges;
one data collection device for
Hobos; weather station; and a
PLOYHAR INSURANCE
Cellular service Is even more convenient to use.
LAYAWAY • VISA/MC • OPEN 7DAYS A WEEK
Eastern Oregon; Morrow County
Grain Growers; and Cascade
Specialties.
The Willow Creek Watershed
monitoring project which has
been headed up by Dale Holland
will be our first project in
Morrow County because it will
furnish students in Heppner, lone
and Boardman with an oppor
tunity to evaluate the same
stream at varying points while
developing valuable skills.
Following
is
equipment
needed for the project in lone:
100 ft. cloth measuring tape;
Morrow SWCD Education Partnership
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