NRCS Fiscal Year 2009 Business Plan
Mission: Helping People Help the Land
Customers: The people who make decisions about natural resource use and management on non-Federal lands.
Our primary customers are:
Farmers and ranchers, people who own, operate, or live on farms and ranches.
Other members of the private sector who support production agriculture and natural resource conservation.
Governments and units of government with responsibility for natural resource use and management.
Non-profit organizations whose mission aligns with aspects of natural resource management.
Overarching Strategies Management Initiatives
1. Cooperative Conservation 10. Ensuring Civil Rights
2. Watershed Approach • Equal Employment Opportunities
3. Market-based Approach • Fair and Equitable Service Delivery
11. Improving Internal Management
Mission Goals 12. Human Capital
4. High-Quality, Productive Soils 13. Electronic Government
5. Clean and Abundant Water 14. Financial Performance
6. Healthy Plan and Animal Communities 15. Budget and Performance Integration
7. Clean Air
8. An Adequate Energy Supply
9. Working Farm and Ranch Lands
NRCS Fiscal Year 2010 BUSINESS PLAN
Line Start End %
No. ID Goal Date Date
Lead
Comp
Comments
Conservation Planning and Technical Consultation - NRCS provides data, information, or 10/01/09 09/30/10 Secretary's Priority - Ensure our national forests and private working lands
enhance our water resources and are conserved, restored and made more
technical expertise that helps people collect and analyze information to identify natural
resilient to climate.
1 resource problems and opportunities, clarify their objectives, and formulate and evaluate Chief's Priority - Ensure that conservation gets on the ground (Farm Bill and
alternatives. This includes Conservation Plans, and Technical Consultations and Planning other conservation program/initiative implementation.)
Assistance.
Action - 1 - Provide watershed planning assistance to Dawson, Jenkins, and Banks counties Bramblett
1.1 10/01/09 09/30/10
as reources permit.
Action - 2 - Develop 100 year breach below Sallacoa 77 down to Sallacoa 98. Develop McFarland
1.2 10/01/09 09/30/10
alternatives and design for repair or removal. Bramblett
1.3 Action - 3 - Initiate the planning process for Sallacoa No. 77. 10/01/09 09/30/10 Bramblett
Action - 4 - Secure updates to RC&D Annual Plan of Work for all Councils Bramblett
1.4 10/01/09 09/30/10
RC&D Coordinators
1.5 Action - 5 - CNMP-written, number 10/01/09 09/30/10 ASTC[FO's]
1.6 Action - 6 - Conservation plans written, acres 10/01/09 09/30/10 ASTC[FO's]
Action - 7 - Farmland/Grazing Land protected under easement programs (FRPP, GRP), Bramblett
1.7 10/01/09 09/30/10
acres ASTC[FO's]
Action - 8 - (ARRA) Initiate construction on Marbury 22 and Little Sandy Trail #1 McFarland
1.8 10/01/09 09/30/10
Bramblett
Action - 9 - (ARRA) Complete designs for Sandy Creek #15 and #23, and South River #4 McFarland
1.9 10/01/09 09/30/10
Bramblett
Action - 10 - (ARRA) Conduct 3 Public Relations events in conjunction with each ARRA McQuinn
1.10 10/01/09 09/30/10
project
Conservation Implementation - NRCS helps customers install on their land conservation 10/01/09 09/30/10 Secretary's Priority - Ensure our national forests and private working lands
enhance our water resources and are conserved, restored and made more
practices and systems that meet established technical standards and specifications. This
resilient to climate.
2 includes Designs, Follow-up, and Checks and Reviews. Chief's Priority - Ensure that conservation gets on the ground (Farm Bill and
other conservation program/initiative implementation.)
Action - 1 - Develop agreements with TSP's to accelerate cooperative conservation efforts at Trent
2.1 10/01/09 09/30/10
the FO level Crawley
Action - 2 - Watershed or area-wide conservation plans developed for water or air quality, Bramblett
2.2
number 10/01/09 09/30/10 RC&D Coordinators
Action - 3 - Land and water resources benefitted from completed RC&D projects, acres Bramblett
2.3 10/01/09 09/30/10 RC&D Coordinators
Action - 4 - Assist Sponsors with EWP measures on (6-8) dams with eroded spillways (from Bramblett McFarland
2.4 10/01/09 09/30/10
September 2009 flood).
Action - 5 - Ensure all LTC practices are completed for active watershed projects Bramblett
2.5 10/01/09 09/30/10
Glover Watson
2.6 Action - 6 - Initiate rehabilitation of Y-3 10/01/09 09/30/10 McFarland/Bramblett
Action - 7 - Work through RC&D Councils create/retain businesses. Bramblett
2.7 10/01/09 09/30/10
RC&D Coordinators
2.8 Action - 8 - CNMP-applied, number 10/01/09 09/30/10 ASTC[FO's]
Action - 9 - Cropland with conservation applied to improve soil quality, acres ASTC[FO's]
2.9 10/01/09 09/30/10
Dangler
2.10 Action - 10- Land with conservation applied to improve water quality, acres 10/01/09 09/30/10 ASTC[FO's]
Action - 11 - Grazing and forestland with conservation applied to protect and improve the ASTC[FO's]
2.11 10/01/09 09/30/10
resource base, acres Chessman
Action - 12 - Non-federal land with conservation applied to improve fish & wildlife habitat, ASTC[FO's]
2.12 10/01/09 09/30/10
acres
Action - 13 - Collaborate on 2007 CIG grant to establish & maintain legumes on livestock Chessman/Grazing Lands
2.13 10/01/09 09/30/10
farms in the Coastal Plain MLRA Specialists
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No. ID Goal Date Date
Lead
Comp
Comments
Action - 14 - Wetlands, Created, Restored, or Enhanced. Ac Page
2.14 10/01/09 09/30/10
ASTC[FO's]
Action - 15 - Document ACES employee assistance to deliver conservation products at the Crawley
2.15 10/01/09 09/30/10
FO level on a quarterly basis ASTC[FO's]
Action - 16 - Continue to provide technical assistance to Ft.Benning and Ft.Stewart to Watson Ferrell
2.16 10/01/09 09/30/10
protect natural resources and meet their mission needs.
Action - 17 - Provide standard drawings and specsand oversight for complex EWP sites. McFarland/Engineers
2.17 10/01/09 09/30/09
Natural Resource Inventory and Assessment - NRCS assesses, acquires, develops, 10/01/09 09/30/10 Chief's Priority - Create a climate where the Agency can succeed (enhancing
our relationships with partners, customers, and constituents, diversity and
interprets, analyzes, and delivers natural resource data and information to enable
inclusion).
3 knowledge-based natural resource planning and decision making at all landscape scales.
This includes Data Gathering Protocols, Databases and Delivery, and Assessments and
Analyses.
Action - 1 - Participate with the Georgia Forestry Commission (GFC) Forest Stewardship Wooster
3.1 10/01/09 09/30/10
Committee.
Action - 2 - Work with Georgia Prescribed Fire Council to promote the use of prescribed Wooster
3.2 10/01/09 09/30/10
burning and the development of burning plans within the state.
Action - 3 - Assist sponsors in implementing Safe Dams Program for watershed structures McFarland
3.3 10/01/09 09/30/10
Bramblett
Action - 4 - Provide breech analysis for complex sites under the Irrigation Pond Program as Bramblett McFarland
3.4 10/01/09 09/30/10
requested
3.5 Action - 5 - Use WAE's to assist with ARRA and EWP projects. 10/01/09 09/30/10 McFarland
Action - 6 - Complete and post on-line Atlantic Coast Flatwood - Longleaf Pine Ecological Chessman/ Brown/
3.6 10/01/09 09/30/10
Site Description (ESD) Hubbard
Action - 7 - Begin data collection for Coastal Plain - Longleaf Pine ESD Chessman/ Brown/
3.7 10/01/09 09/30/10
Hubbard
Action - 8 - Complete forage suitability groups for Georgia Chessman/ Brown/
3.8 10/01/09 09/30/10
Hubbard
3.9 Action - 7 - Digital Soil Surveys (SSURGO) made available for Paulding County 10/01/09 09/30/10 Ealy
3.10 Action - 8 - Complete 1 new or updated Web Soil Survey (Stewart County) 10/01/09 09/30/10 Ealy
Action - 9 - Soil Surveys, mapped or updated, 633,956 acres. (Bartow; Brantley & Ealy
3.11 Charlton; Dade & Walker; Clinch & Echols; Greene; Hancock & Taliaferro; Screven; 10/01/09 09/30/10
Stewart Soil Survey Areas)
Action - 10 - National Resources Inventory (NRI), respond to requests for local data Wallace
collection from East Remote Sensing Laboratory for crop year 2009. Responses shall be
3.12
consistent with other states in nation, high quality, scientifically defensible and delivered on 10/01/09 09/30/10
schedule.
3.13 Action - 11- Complete NRI On-Site Grazing Land Study Wallace
3.14 Action - 12- Publicized 2007 NRI Data Release
Action - 13- Develop guidance document for Endangered Species Act Compliance in Wooster
3.15 10/01/09 09/30/10
Georgia - for field office use
Action - 14 - Provide training to field office employees on the use of the revised CPA-52 Wooster
10/01/09 09/30/10
3.16 form.
Natural Resource Technology Transfer - NRCS develops, documents, and distributes a 10/01/09 09/30/10 Secretary's Priority - USDA wil help Americans promote sustainable
agricultural production and biotechnology exports as America works to
wide array of technology pertaining to resource assessment, conservation planning, and
4 increase food security. Chief's Priority -
conservation system installation and evaluation. This includes Technology Tools, Training Getting our house in order (Strengthening internal controls, policy updates,
and Certification, and Plant Materials. simplification, and streamlining).
Action - 1 - GGLCC plan to establish 4 demonstration farms in GA Chessman/ Brown/
4.1 10/01/09 09/30/10
Hubbard
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Comments
Action - 2 - Provide updated Farm Bill Program information to potential participants and FO TST
4.2 10/01/09 09/30/10
staff
Action - 3 - Attend CIG field days/tours to promote program successes and encourage Harris McQuinn
4.3 10/01/09 09/30/10
additional applications
4.4 Action - 4 - Assist with new or innovative approaches to irrigation pond installation 10/01/09 09/30/10 McFarland
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No. ID Goal Date Date
Lead
Comp
Comments
Action - 5 - Continue Grazing Sytem Demo at JCPMC Chessman/Grazing Lands
4.5 10/01/09 09/30/10
Specialists
Action - 6 - Conduct four, producer-targeted Forage/Grazing Management worshops Chessman/ Brown/
4.6 10/01/09 09/30/10
Hubbard
Action - 7- Complete update of conservation practices standards following 5 year update Trent/TST
4.7 cycle. Engineers will complete 10 per year until engineering standards are back on 5-year 10/01/09 09/30/10 McFarland
update cycle.
Action - 8 - Incorporate GA soil-specific forage adaptation, yield, and growth curves into C- Chessman/Grazing Lands
4.8 10/01/09 09/30/10
Graz Specialists
Action - 9 - Work with existing mobile offices to enhance the efficiencies created. Work to
4.9 10/01/09 09/30/10
identify additional locations if budget allows. Harris Trent
Action - 10 - Use Conservation Boot Camp for new employees at FO level (5) Harris
4.10 10/01/09 09/30/10 ASTC[FO's]
Stephenson
Action - 11 - Conduct a grazing management and silvopasture field day at the Jimmy Carter Chessman/ Brown/
4.11 10/01/09 09/30/10
PMC for NRCS FO personnel Hubbard
Action - 12 - Conduct one area-wide forage/livestock training in each of the four state areas Chessman/ Brown/
4.12 10/01/09 09/30/10
Hubbard
Action - 13 - Establish about 10 acres of native grass prairie at the David H. Hardigree Chessman/ Brown/
4.13 10/01/09 09/30/10
Wildlife Sanctuary in Oconee County Hubbard
Action - 14 - Conduct two field days on producer farms focusing on improved grazing land Chessman/ Brown/
4.14 10/01/09 09/30/10
management efficiency and novel land-use in grazing systems Hubbard
Action - 12 - Provide Army Corp of Engineers Regulatory IV Training to selected Wooster
4.15 10/01/09 09/30/10
employees, training to be held jointly with Alabama
4.16 Action - 13 - Conduct STEP/SCEP student orientation 01/23/10 6/30/10 Administration
4.17 Action - 14 - Conduct New Employee Orientation 01/23/10 6/30/10 Administration
Action - 15 - Revise/Modify process for addressing design/deliery of irrigation practices
4.18 including Irrigation Water Management practice 10/01/09 09/30/10
McFarland/Engineers
4.19 Action - 16 - Provide beginning ArcGIS/Toolkit Training for designated employees 10/01/09 09/30/10 Trent
Action - 17 - Complete conservation planning certification process for assigned employees Trent/TST
4.20 10/01/09 09/30/10
ASTC[FO's]
Action - 18 - Complete recertification process for all certified planners as needed Trent
4.21 10/01/09 09/30/10
ASTC[FO's]
Action - 19 - Provide CNMP training for certification of selected FO employees Trent/Dangler
4.22 10/01/09 09/30/10
ASTC[FO's]
Action - 20 - New Plant Material Releases to Commerical Growers Trent PMC
4.23 10/01/09 09/30/10
Action - 21 - Prepare technical document for publication to customers, No. Trent PMC
4.24 10/01/09 09/30/10
Action - 22 - State PAS will provide public affairs related training to the field as requested. McQuinn
4.25 10/01/09 09/30/10
Action - 23 - State PAS will work with Public Affairs Council to provide step-by-step McQuinn
4.26 10/01/09 09/30/10
handouts on various conservation practices that farmers can do themselves.
Action - 25 - Create a photo gallery, complete with logos and conservation practices that is McQuinn
4.27 10/01/09 09/30/10
easilly accessible to all field personnel
4.28 Action - 26 - Carry out successful Mentor Program in Georgia 10/01/09 09/30/10 Harris
4.29 Action - 27 - Assist with Quarterly Engineering Training for Field Staff 10/01/09 09/30/10 McFarland/Engineers
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Comments
10/01/09 09/30/09
4.3 Action - 28 - Provide construction support to CO-01 designs. McFarland/Engineering
Financial Assistance - NRCS provides financial assistance to encourage the adoption of 10/01/09 09/30/10 Secretary's Priority - Ensure our national forests and private working lands
enhance our water resources and are conserved, restored and made more
land treatment practices that have been proven to provide significant benefits to the public.
resilient to climate.
Financial assistance is awarded to participants who voluntarily enter into contracts, Chief's Priority - Ensure that conservation gets on the ground (Farm Bill and
5
easements, and agreements to conserve natural resources. Financial assistance is provided other conservation program/initiative implementation.)
through Cost-share/Incentives, Easements, Grants, and Stewardship Payments.
Action - 1 - Work with CIG recipients and State Technical Committee to develop process
5.1 10/01/09 09/30/10
for utililzing outcome of grant to enhance Farm Bill Program implementation. Harris/Page
5.2 Action - 2- Contact new CIG recipients as state technical contact 10/01/09 09/30/10 Harris
Action - 3 implement the new payment schedule process for all conservation programs Page
5.3 10/01/09 09/30/10
adminstered through Protracts (CSP, EQIP, WHIP)
Action - 4 - Streamline application and ranking process for FY 2009 EQIP sign-up Bramblett
5.4 10/01/09 09/30/10 Page ASTC-
FO's
Action - 5 - Provide Farm Bill training to field staff at multiple locations across the state. Bramblett
5.5 10/01/09 09/30/10 Page ASTC-
FO's
Action - 6 - State PAS will create comprehensive strategy and campaign to inform potential McQuinn
5.6 applicants and partners about the conservation provisions of the Food, Conservation, and 10/01/09 09/30/10
Energy Act of 2008
Action - 7 - CCPI proposals received, reviewed and ranked. Determine proposals to fund Harris
5.7 10/01/09 09/30/10
and work with awardee to get project underway.
Action 8 - Provide training to Field staff to ensure understanding of WRP State Action Plan Bramblett
5.8 10/01/09 09/30/10
Ensuring Civil Rights: Equal Employment Opportunity and Fair and Equitable Service 10/01/09 09/30/10 Chief's Priority - Create a climate where the Agency can succeed (enhancing
our relationships with partners, customers, and constituents, diversity and
6 Delivery - Achieve a culturally diverse workforce and provide equitable service to all
inclusion).
customers.
Action - 1 - Participate in Team Conservation Field Day & Exhibit at Sunbelt Ag Expo Dangler Trent
6.1 (Moultrie) with GA Conservation Tillage Alliances, USDA-ARS, UGA, NRCS-AL and 10/01/09 09/30/10
others
Action - 2 - Evaluate program delivery assistance to females, all minorities, and Small ASTC - Programs
6.2 Farmers on all programs and servicing activities to increase participation in carrying out 10/01/09 09/30/10 ASTC[FO's]
conservation systems CRAC
Harris/Stephenson
6.3 10/01/09 09/30/10
Action - 3 - Assure that annual mandatory Civil Rights training is completed by employees
6.4 Action - 4 - Provide electronic dissemination of Civil Rights information 10/01/09 09/30/10 SEPM's
McQuinn and web authors
6.5 10/01/09 09/30/10
Action - 5 - Maintain Section 508 compliance for Georgia website
Action - 6 - Submit at least one award nomination per Area for individuals or groups for
6.6 10/01/09 09/30/10 CRAC
their Civil Rights efforts.
6.7 Action - 7 - Conduct Annual Civil Rights Compliance Reviews 10/01/09 09/30/10 CRAC
Action - 8 - Monitor, recommend and update web pages with pertinent Civil Rights McQuinn
6.8 10/01/09 09/30/10
information.
Action - 9 - Work with 2 small farmer groups to promote the utilization of agronomic job Dangler
6.9 10/01/09 09/30/10
sheets
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No. ID Goal Date Date
Lead
Comp
Comments
6.10 Action - 10 - Develop Georgia GIS web page 10/01/09 09/30/10
Trent
Action - 11 - Continue Outreach Efforts for CIG proposals McQuinn
6.11 10/01/09 09/30/10
Harris
Action - 12 - Continue to work with Team Agriculture Georgia (TAG) group to coordinate
6.12 10/01/09 09/30/10
at least one producer meeting during the fiscal year. McQuinn
Action - 13 - Utilizing the SCEP/STEP program, work to recruit students attending the
6.13 Natural Resource Conservation Workshop (NRCW), who excell and show a genuine interest 10/01/09 09/30/10 CRAC
in natural resource conservation.
Action - 14 - Special Emphasis Program Managers (SEPM) will attend career fairs for the
6.14 purpose of improving diversity of NRCS-Georgia, through the SCEP/STEP programs 10/01/09 09/30/10 SEPMs
6.15 Action 15 - Report on Civil Rights activities at Leadership Team meetings 10/01/09 09/30/10 CRAC Chairperson
Improving Internal Management - Use good management business processes and resources 10/01/09 09/30/10 Chief's Priority - Getting our house in order (Strengthening internal controls,
7 policy updates, simplification, and streamlining).
to effectively and efficiently implement operations.
Action - 1- Conduct Quality Assurance Review -- Area 4 - Statesboro, Sylvania, Brunswick Harris
7.1 10/01/09 09/30/10
Review Team
Action - 2 - Conduct Quality Assurance Reviews at FO Level -- Area 1 - Barnesville, Watson
7.2 10/01/09 09/30/10
Marietta
Action - 3 - Conduct Quality Assurance Reviews at FO Level -- Area 2 - Toccoa, Louisville Lewis
7.3 10/01/09 09/30/10
(FY 2010)
Action - 4 - Conduct Quality Assurance Reviews at FO Level -- Area 3 at Dawson, Brown
7.4 10/01/09 09/30/10
Cordele, Tifton
Action - 5- Conduct Quality Assurance Reviews at FO Level -- Area 4 - Completed as part Ferrell
7.5 10/01/09 09/30/10
of Area 4 Review (Statesboro, Sylvania, Brunswick)
Action - 6 - Conduct Internal control management audits during Reviews at AO/FO Level Gipson/ Budget Team
7.6 10/01/09 09/30/10
7.7 Conduct GovTrip Lunch-n-Learn @ State Office 11/09/09 01/30/10 Gipson/Budget Team
Conduct US Bank reviews for Travel and Procurement Gipson, Budget,
7.8 11/09/09 09/30/10
Procurement
7.9 Conduct EmpowHR Lunch-n-Learn @ State Office 11/09/09 09/30/10 Gipson/HR Team
7.10 Action - 10 - Provide Fleet Card and US Bank reviews 10/01/09 09/30/10 Gipson
7.11 Action - 11 - Monitor prior year funds as well as current year funds 10/01/09 09/30/10 Gipson
7.12 Action - 12 - Conduct a comphrehensive review of reimburseable agreements 10/01/09 09/30/10 Gipson
Action - 13 - Review and update the Quality Assurance Review Guide to incorporate more
7.13 10/01/09 09/30/10
indepth review of Farm Bill Contracts Harris/Page
Action - 14 - Provide Crisis Communication Plan information and training to leadership McQuinn
7.14 10/01/09 09/30/10
team
Action - 15 - Design, write & produce annual summary of conservation program successes McQuinn
7.15 10/01/09 09/30/10
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