Regional Conservation Partnership Program (RCPP)

Carlos Suarez, California State Conservationist

USDA Natural Resources Conservation Service,

RCPP-Partnership tool in Farm Bill Toolbox-

ACEP

RCPP offers new opportunities for NRCS to work with partners to:

• Provide locally driven opportunities to address resource concerns –not necessarily large scale or statewide.

• Leverage funding—goal is to double federal investment • Assure funding from EQIP/CSP/ACEP for up to 5 years. • Accelerate conservation –demonstrate success quickly • Build effective partnerships

3

Unique to RCPP Adjustments of Terms Statutory Flexibility Most commonly used to waive Adjusted Gross

Income provision

Direct Technical Assistance Funds to Partners Partners can provide and be paid for technical

assistance

Summary of California RCPP Projects

Selected from 2015 through 2017—will continue for up to five years or 2018-2022

Totals: 16 Projects $64,676,684

3 Fund Pools: 43% CCA— 4 Projects; $28,097,400 40% National— 6 projects; $25,657,020 17% State— 6 projects; $10,922,264

Marin Agricultural Land Trust Selected in 2015 Funded at $2,000,000 State Fund Pool KEY GOALS:

Sequester carbon while planning for other farmland conservation benefits. METHODS:

Use plantings, compost and more to increase soil carbon.

PARTNERS: • Marin Agricultural

Land Trust (Lead) • Local Resource

Conservation Districts (RCDs)

• Local Land Trusts

Audubon California • Selected in 2015 • Funded at $1,100,000 KEY GOAL:

Protect imperiled Tricolored Blackbirds on farmland METHODS:

• Incentivize farmers to delay harvest in fields used for nesting

• Create habitat away from ag land using wetland easements

PARTNERS: • Audubon

California (Lead) • Western United

Dairymen

• Dairy Cares • California Farm

Bureau

Sierra Valley Partnership Selected in 2016 Funded at $9,997,400 Critical Conservation Area (Bay Delta Watershed)

KEY GOALS:

Conserve land for ranching, habitat and groundwater recharge in mountain meadow ecosystems METHODS:

Easements (Agricultural) Exclusion fencing Habitat restoration Grazing management

PARTNERS: • Feather River Land

Trust (Lead) • Northern Sierra

Partnership • Nature Conservancy

Salton Sea Authority Selected in 2016 Funded at $7,528,760 National Fund Pool KEY GOALS:

Water quality Air quality Habitat

METHODS: Wetland easements Incentives to

transition to organic agriculture

Air quality buffers

PARTNERS: Salton Sea

Authority (Lead) Imperial

Irrigation District

UC Extension Imperial Valley

Vegetable Growers

Imperial Valley Farm Bureau

Next Step:

• One year remaining in 2014 Farm Bill

• RCPP preproposals were due April 21

• Final decisions to be announced Nov-Dec. 2017