winter 2012 catalyst ee final - national association of...

National Catalyst2012 - 2013Winter Edition

National Association of Resource Conservation and Development Councils

Upcoming Events Inside This Issue

January 1 Happy New Year3 113th Congress Convenes20 Inauguration Day

March9-10 Board of Diectors Meeting – AL17-20 Western Association Meeting, - NE

April14-15 Southwestern Association Meeting. - OK

June 20142014 National Conference, Mobile Bay - AL

The US Department of Homeland Security has awarded the NARC&DC a prestigious FEMA Fire Prevention and Safety Grant. The award will allow the NARC&DC, in partnership with the International Code Council (ICC), to develop a national program to reduce the risks of wildfi res. This new program, Wildfi re Safe, Sound & Code Smart will fi ll an essential, but missing piece of the Wildland Urban Interface (WUI) fi re puzzle: WUI Code adoption and enforcement.

The target audience for this phase of the Wildfi re Safe, Sound & Code Smart program are nationally recognized WUI areas where currently 12 million people live and work. The people in these areas will benefi t from local WUI code adoption and enforcement, and wildfi re public education resulting from this program. The selected jurisdictions must already have building and fi re prevention codes, utilize planning and code enforcement personnel, and demonstrate a committed interest in adopting a WUI code.

NARC&DC Receives Department of Homeland Security Fire Prevention and Safety Grant

President’s Message 2At-Large Board Position Open 2Executive Director’s Message 3Logo Designed by Eighth Grader 3Nominations for Awards Due 4Website Design Draws Kudos 4Newest Staff Member Introduced 4Remember to Check Website 4Council in the Spotlight-High Country RC&D 5Accomplishments Data Base 9WUI Initiative to Reduce Fire Threat 9NRCS Names Acting Chief 9Protecting Agriculture 10Special Thanks to Dues Payers 12Outstanding Council to be Featured 12Membership Benefi ts 13NARC&DC Need Support 14Partnership Alliance Form 14RC&Ds 50th Anniversary 15

RC&D - “ 50 years of Making Things Happen Across America”

From the Top . . .

President’s Message

The National Association of RC&D Councils, Inc. Winter 2012-/2013

National CatalystPublished quarterly by the Na onal Associa on of RC&D Councils, Inc. for its member Councils for the purpose of keeping them informed about RC&D ac vites around the country. NARC&DC can be reached at:

President: Olga Walter Execu ve Director: Andrew GordonEditor: Ron Page

www.rcdnet.org

444 North Capitol Street, NW, Suite 618Washington, DC 20001Tel: 202-434-4780; Fax: 202-434-4783Email: [email protected]: h p://www.rcdnet.org

Olga Walter

The New Year is almost upon us and I am excited and ready for what is ahead and to continue to pursue opportunities that we have been given. With all of us working together, we can, and will, make a difference.

Our most exciting new opportunity we have is the Wildlife-Urban interface Initiative in cooperation with Department of Homeland Security’s Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA).

Farm energy audits have been and will continue to be popular efforts we offer, and hopefully we can get farmers and ranchers to recognize them for their value, rather than as a threat to their livelihood.

We need to continue our efforts to get conservation on the ground. It will be more diffi cult than ever as Congress attempts to balance the budget and reduce the country’s debt. But I know all you dedicated councils out there can do it.

As we more ahead into the New Year, we are working diligently with new groups, expanding our partnerships to assist us in our mission of improving the quality of life, especially in rural areas. You can do your part by partnering at the local level as well, including USDAs Rural Development Agency, Farm Security Agency, Department of the Interior, National Fish and Wildlife Foundation, International Code Commission and many others

When it comes to thank yous, I want to especially thank former NRCS Chief Dave White for his support of the RC&D program over the past years. This was especially important during the loss of funding for RC&D. We will miss him and wish him the best is in his further endeavors. I hope and encourage all councils to stay the course with our tried and true USDA friends—NRCS and FS—whom have served us well in the past.

Finally, it is my privilege, on behalf of your Board of Directors, to say a special thank you to all councils for their continued support of the NARC&DC. It makes the Board and staff proud to carry on to assist you in the important job we have been called to accomplish. We are with you all the way.

The National Association of Resource Conservation and Development Councils is seeking a candidate for an open At-Large National Board position to refl ect diversity. The candidate will serve a three year term, is expected to attend 4 NARC&DC national board meetings a year, and be an active member of the under-represented task force.

Qualifi cations include knowledge of the RC&D program and service on a RC&D Council. To be considered for this position, the candidate should submit a resume and cover letter outlining their qualifi cations. In addition, candidates need to submit a letter of support from their local RC&D Council. Please forward cover letter outlining qualifi cations, resume, and RC&D Council letter of support by February 1, 2013 to:

Rocky Harrell, Chairman of Nominating Committee 444 North Capitol St, NW, Suite 618Washington, DC 20001Phone: (202) 434-4780 Fax: (202) 434-4783

NARC&D Councils Seeks Candidates for One At-large National Board Position

“RC&D - MakingThings Happen”

The National Association of RC&D Councils, Inc.Winter 2012/2013

Executive DirectorFrom the Desk of the . . .

Looking Back in Time . . .

Association LogoDesigned by Eighth GraderIn the early days of the NARC&DC association, company logos became popular and the board decided it was time that the association had its own logo. Several ideas were thrown out for consideration. After some discussion, Peggy McNeill of the Mid-Atlantic Region suggested that the Board hold a contest to come up with a suitable logo.

The word went out through the regional presidents and a six-month deadline was set for entries. There was some con-cern when only one entry showed up with the deadline two weeks away. Six entries where received and considered by the board. Narrowing down the possibilities, two were felt to be acceptable. One was a fi sh inside the outline of the United States. Everyone agreed it was impressive, but felt it con-veyed the wrong image of the association. We are interested in more than water and fi sh.

In a unanimous decision, the board selected our present logo as the winner. It was submitted by an eight grade student from the New England Region.

The fi nal quarter of this year has been very busy in the NARC&DC offi ce. Our activities continue to be focused on educating elected offi cials, members of the Administration, corporations and foundations about all the good things that RC&D has and is accomplishing. I have been pleased to accompany our President, Olga Walter, to meet with the key Congressional and Administrative

staff to educate them about RC&D and our FY 14 appropriations and Farm Bill priorities. President Walter and I are working to let everyone know that the RC&D Program is the best model of national priorities being addressed through local action. We have been telling your story through your own words via the success stories you have sent us as well as the information you are inputting into the NARC&DC online database. I urge you to keep the information fl owing to the NARC&DC so we may all grow stronger! Some of the folks we have been talking to about the RC&D Program include the new NRCS State Conservationists from IL, ND, SD, KY, AZ, CO, HI, UT, WY, NY, NJ and SC. I urge you to contact your State Conservationists to see how your local RC&D can help NRCS deliver conservation on the ground. We have also met with NRCS Assistant Chief James Gore and with Patrick Holmes who works for Natural Resources and Environment Under Secretary Harris Sherman. We are currently working with other agencies and departments from the Department of Homeland Security to the Department of Defense to tell your local RC&D story and work to leverage funding sources to bring you new and exciting opportunities. I would also like to thank Retiring Chief White for his years of dedicated service to conservation and the RC&D Program. We are excited to carry on Chief White’s dedication to conservation and community development and we are looking forward to working with Acting Chief Jason Weller in the time to come.

We are also happy to announce the addition of a new full-time staff member, Lisbeth Almonte. who will serve as our Program Assistant. I hope you will all join me in welcoming Lisbeth to the staff. (See also the article on Lisbeth elsewhere in this issue for more about her .) I want to reiterate to each RC&D Council member that we are all part of something big…”Making Things Happen”

across America and making a difference to those we serve. We must all remember that no one RC&D Council can do this alone, but the aggregate of all Councils working together is staggering. We can and will make a name for ourselves, but only if we stick together and keep our RC&D identity! Most of the success of RC&D Councils is due to volunteers: Over 25,000 volunteers serve on local RC&D Councils to make their communities a better place to live, work and play. I truly believe that the RC&D Program is a government investment that produces exponential returns. Funding for the RC&D Program is an investment in better government, not an expenditure on bigger government. Let’s all pull together and make 2013 a banner year for the RC&D program Finally, thanks to all the Councils who have paid dues to the National Association. Your support enables us to provide you with the valuable advocacy services local Councils need here in Washington DC to survive. Timely dues payment has been critically important to us in this year when we are dealing with both a budget battle and the Farm Bill. As always we are here to serve you. If you have any questions about NARC&DC operations give us a call.

www.rcdnet.org

The National Association of RC&D Councils, Inc. Winter 2012/2013

NARC&DC’s newes t e m p l o y e e , L i s b e t h Almonte, came on board th is pas t June as an intern after graduating from Rutgers University in Newark, NJ. Her BA degree in Public Service made her an ideal candidate to add her talents to the RC&D team. Based on her excellent work ethic, and ability to see what needs to be done and doing it, she was converted to a full time program assistant on

October 8, 2012.

A native of the Dominican Republic, Lisbeth moved with her family to Passaic, NJ in 2003 and became a US citizen in 2008. She loves dancing of any kind and has a passion for reading

Coming from an urban environment, she has learned a great deal about rural America, especially since attending the NARC&DC Madison, WI Conference. “I am amazed at how much of a difference the RC&D program makes in communities across the nation.” stated Lisbeth. “My desire to give back to the community parallels the RC&D concept, and it is very rewarding to be able to work with such dedicated people as there are in the RC&D program. I am looking forward to getting to know you and working together to meet your needs”

National Offi ces Welcomes Newest Staff Member

The deadline is quickly approaching for submitting nominations for the Association’s annual awards program. Due to the fact that the new program will be instituted this year, the deadline for nominations will be extended until March 1 with judging commencing on March 15.

Award categories include: Council of the YearCouncil Member of the YearCouncil Employee of the Year

(Chuck McCarty Award)Completed Project of the YearPresident’s AwardHall of Fame Status

Criteria and application forms for the program are listed on our website http://www.nardcd.org/awards-criteria.html

Board Issues Call forNominations for National Awards

Deadline is February 1 . . .

Based upon member RC&D Council comments, councils are pleased with the redesigned website. The effort signifi cantly upgrades the site to help provide local RC&D Councils with more tools, resources and information than ever before. Andrew Gordon, the Associations Executive Director stated that “The redesigned site represents the Association’s move toward a more aggressive marketing strategy and commitment to local member RC&D Councils.” The site, unveiled on Thursday, September 13, 2012, refl ects the new direction of the Association and will help in telling the RC&D story. Olga Walter, President of the NARC&DC stated “The site refl ects the spirit of service and volunteerism that has been a hallmark of RC&D councils, and all Americans, throughout the nation.”

This redesigned site was created through the combined efforts of NARC&DC staff and volunteers. “We would especially like to thank our volunteers, Bill Smith and Ron Page for the time they invested in this new website,” stated Andrew Gordon, NARC&DC Executive Director.

Redesigned Website Draws Kudos From Members

For the most up-to-date information about RC&D, visit our website at www.narcdc.org. If you missed the op-portunity to hear David Mirisch divulge a multitude of celebrity fundraising tips for RC&D Councils, you can listen to the seminar in our Members Only sec-tion! Use your Council’s username and password sent to you in 2012 to log into our new and improved Members Only section of our website. Contact your Council President or the person who receives your Council’s emails to get your Council’s username and password. Or, as always, you can contact us for help!

Remember to CheckOur Website Often

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Council in the Spotlight . . .

High Country RC&D, Idaho

Date Founded and Date Incorporated: A u g u s t 1979 and incorporated May 1988

Number of Counties (parishes): 9 Idaho Counties and a portion of Teton County Wyoming

Type of Sponsors: C o u n t i e s , C i t i e s , a n d S o i l Conservation districts

Make up of council: Representatives for each county appointed by our sponsors

Circle of Diamonds Status: In progress. High Country was preparing the paperwork when budgets were cut, and the process had been laid aside until recently. We are currently editing our bylaws due to the recent changes and will soon put in for our Diamond status.

Annual Budget:: Estimated Yearly General Operating Budget is $55,384.00. High Country had $600,000 in project dollars in 2012, and will run over 1.1 million project dollars in 2013.

Date of most recent area plan updated: Area plan was updated in 2010, and annual operating plans are produced and posted each year.

According to Dave Radford, council chairman, “High Country makes our communities stronger. Sitting on the board, I can see how each of our projects directly or indirectly benefi ts each of our citizens. RC&D’s can bring a unique avenue to accomplish many of the great projects our partners and sponsors couldn’t provide alone.”. The High Country RC&D area covers 125 million acres of land in Southeast Idaho, and a portion of Wyoming. With many of our council members and sponsors traveling hours to attend meetings, it may seem diffi cult to maintain a strong RC&D area. However, council members rarely miss meeting and come in with the best interest of our area at heart. Many donated hours and supplies have been given to High Country in order to sustain its success.

Over the past year, the High Country RC&D pulling together, with many extra sponsor donations, has been able to secure a few large multiyear project grants, as well as maintain current projects to preserve its small general operating funds.

A number of the council’s featured projects include: Bonneville Power Agriculture Energy Effi ciency Project ($402,000), WUI – Fire risk reduction project ($940,000), Holding the Line noxious weeds control project ($100,000), Eastern Idaho Could Seeding Project ($100,000), Henrys Lake Prevention of Aquatic Nuisance Species Project ($116,000), etc.

Chairman Radford’s advice to other RC&Ds “You can do a lot with very little. You will need to spend some money, and a lot of time, but no one ever made it through tough economic times by spending more than they can bring in.” (See accompanying article “Struggle for Survival” on the following page.)

101 N. Bridge StreetP. O. Box 501

St Anthony, ID 83445

Telephone and FAX: (208) 624-3200Website: http://www.highcountryrcd.org

Outstanding RC&D Council

Special Thanks to the High Country RC&D and Pam Herdrich, Executive Director for providing the material for inagural version of “Council in the Spotlight.”

Each future issue of the National Catalyst will fea-ture an outstanding RC&D Council from a differ-ent region. The selections will be determined by a n RC&D Council’s standing in the Association’s Outstanding Council competition.

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“It takes more than money to change the world. We need a movement.” - Sheila C. Johnson, second wealthiest black female in the United States. h p://www.biography.com/people/sheila-johnson-17112944

The RC&D’s around America were taken aback when the news fi rst hit that federal funds were being cut. Many had heard of and/or participated in previous year’s fi ghts for funding as we all begged our State Representatives to support us in congress, but we were never sure when or if the day for a complete cut would come.

High Country’s own council members had an initial response to “throw in the towel” and cease business when we received the news that the federal funding had been zeroed out. With questions like “how to pay a Coordinator,” “Who has the time to step in,” and “How do we fi nish and close out our current pro jec ts” running through our minds, it was no wonder quitting seemed the best option. However, with a great pep talk from our soon-to-be “former” NRCS Coordinator and positive council members who believed in our organization’s 5 0 1 ( c ) 3 s t a t u s , mission, and what we can do for our area, High Country decided to keep our “new” doors open.

One of our council members jumped into action asking his county to provide a small offi ce space at no cost to the RC&D. Another sponsor donated some good used offi ce furniture, desks, chairs, & fi le cabinets. The two remaining part-time, offi ce staff were really happy with the new 16’ x 20’ offi ce, as this meant that High Country would not be homeless.

Other council members went to our sponsors and explained

High County’s Struggle to SurviveBy Shawnee Orr, Project Assistant our situation, asking for larger sponsor donations. This plea

generated positive outcomes and generous sponsor donations to help maintain the RC&D for the remainder of the year.

We have since been blessed by several large projects that walked through our door in 2012; however, we still operate out of that same small, free, offi ce space, with the same used offi ce furniture. Now with six, part-time employees operating out of this small space, we “hot-bunk” (multiple people using the same desk space at different days and times), and personal homes and computers are donated to keep projects running. We’ve found willing cafés and diners throughout our area that have internet access and don’t mind if we tie up a table for a couple of hours. The local libraries are also a good spot to write grants, and free up the offi ce space for other workers.

Keeping our doors open hasn’t been easy. We’ve all donated time and effort. High Country lost our coordinator for a few months and our project manager and bookkeeper shouldered

a heavy load to hold down the fort until our Coordinator could take an early retirement and come back to the RC&D program. High Country was able to enter into a p a r t n e r s h i p w i t h our, now, Executive Coordinator whose rate of pay directly refl ects the Council’s ability to pay, not the going rate for the job. This encourages fund raising, grant writing, building partnerships to get things done. As we become more

financially stable and grow, her pay will rise until it meets the norm for this area.

Many things have had to change since the budget cuts: Staff and council members have donated countless hours, supplies, and resources to our projects; sponsors have increased their yearly donations; all our employees are part-time with no benefi ts (including leave or holidays); and timing and schedules must be more fl exible to fi t our

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new offi ce and project needs. All of these things listed may sound a little harsh, and they are, but we have enjoyed some benefi ts of this change. For example, working so close to project partners and offi ce staff has brought us closer as a team. Our council members and sponsors are more actively involved and see exactly what we can do and achieve in the community, previous government-funded coordinators came with regulations and rules that stopped or slowed progress, and everyone involved with High Country RC&D is still enjoying the work that we are doing for our area.

This year our Executive Coordinator is working hard supporting council members in their search for donors, developing projects, and writing grants that can help our organization grow and become more fi nancially secure. We have continued to attend meetings with our partners and others, volunteering and continuing to develop and plan projects to the point that funding can be sought. This has made it possible for High Country to be at the table when funding becomes the next step and partners recognize that our RC&D is the most logical organization to act as the fi scal agent.

We have used our National Association of RC&D Councils membership to provide value-added to our sponsors and partners. One of our staff reviews the Grant Station weekly

newsletter to forward any grant opportunities for which our sponsors, partners or potential partners may have an interest. This helps to keep our name on people’s minds, and they think of us as a resource.

We have also tightened up and closed fi nancial holes, such as: making sure every eligible dollar is charged our projects, and increasing our indirect cost rate to the actual cost as determined by our cost allocation plan. High Country has begun work with our sponsors and partners to develop a community giving campaign to increase our general operating funds.

And last, by most importantly, we are taking credit for the work that we are providing and demanding that our partners also publicly recognize our part in a successful project. This more than anything else we have done has started to help project dollars roll through our door.

High Country is now running a lean, nimble, cost- sensitive organization that is helping us keep our doors open. We found out through the process of budget cuts that High Country can “move” like Sheila Johnson said, and we are of the opinion that with a lot of movement and a little money we can help “local people meet together to solve local challenges”.

Fair and Rodeo GroundsImprovement

Located in the mid-dle of the Arco Des-ert, the little com-munity of Mudlake with a population of 270, with less that 5,00 people living within a 50 mile radius. The fairground is one of the main centers of social activities for the area. The Fair Board came to the High Country RC&D Council and

asked for help in constructing a constructing a concession stand and handicapped rest rooms.

The community rasied over $65,000, the County contrib-uted $70,000,the Fair Board took out a $40,000 loan and

High Country has helped them to apply for about $20,000 in grants to complete the structure. Construction has start-ed with the raising of the wall, roof, doors and shutters.

Shirley Wadsworth, local point person for the project, an-nounced that $8,000, fi rst of three grants applied for has just been received allowing the installation of the plumbing fi xtures.

The Concession stand is used by community non-profi ts, high school rodeo, and other school groups for fund raisers. The groups provide food for the annual Mud Lake Fair and Rodeo and other events, using the proceeds to support the commu-nity, send kids on fi eld trips, and other community projects.

2013 LeadershipConference Cancelled

Recognizing times are tough, the Board has decided that our time and money can be bet-ter utiluized by focusing our efforts at the local level. Plan to educate your Congressional delega-tion on your ongoing efforts. Stay tuned as fur-ther information will be posted on our website.

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The Idaho-Montana-Wyoming RC&D (IMW) Ag En-ergy Effi ciency Project Area includes 2 RC&Ds and 12 public utilities in 5 states (ID, MT,NV, UT, AND WY). In 2011 High Country took on the challenge to help Bonneville Power Administration (BPA) reach their agriculture energy electric power savings goals. The projects infancy focused on planning and develop-ment of the project, with some on the ground imple-mentation. During 2012 the project’s focus was on providing free fi eld energy analysis to determine possible energy savings from fi xing old and incor-rect pumps, nozzles, lighting etc. This information aids farmers in implementation decisions. Our en-ergy savings goal for 2012 is 0.25 Megawatts saved. The benefi ts of a successfully delivered program has net positive to all partners with end users saving money, resources and ultimately becoming a more in-formed and an effective producer. The project offers the utilities a means to meet energy savings objectives, a proactive approach to serving customers, and fur-ther cultivate a positive image.

Bonneville EnergyEffi ciency Program

Many homeowners move into and near wildland areas to escape the hustle and bustle of city life and enjoy the peaceful surroundings of nature. These areas are often referred to as the wildland urban in-terface or WUI for short. Unfortunately, people don’t realize they have moved

into a natural environment that thrives on periodic wildfi re.

Of the 11 western states, Idaho has the fi fth largest area of undeveloped, forested private land bordering fi re-prone pub-lic lands. Idaho also had the most area burned by wildfi res in 2012 (1,680,311 acres).

High Country, with generous long-term funding through BLM’s Community Fire Assis-tance Program and oth-er partners, have de-veloped an educational program for homeown-ers and homeowner as-sociations (HOAs).

It includes workshops on building defensible space, demon-strations, assistance in developing HOA fuel reduction plans, technical assistance for communities to obtain “Firewise Community” status, and grant writing assistance for HOAs to complete fuels reduction. We also provide assistance to Counties and other communities to develop and adopt WUI codes and complete hazard mitigation plans.

In 2013 we will be implementing a cost-share program for land owners to complete fuels reduction. It has an incentive built in, which encourages neighbors to participate together in the project.

Idaho Wildland UrbanInterface (WUI) Initiative

Support

Your

National

Association

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Over Time NARC&DC has received some great project information and celebratory stories representing the great achievements that RC&D Councils are accomplishing and highlighting for RC&D Week. However, since the cut in Congressional funding in April 2011, USDA NRCS has not had suffi cient funds to collect critical data about the RC&D Program or activities of local RC&D Councils.

The information NRCS had gathered was invaluable to us in telling our story with measureable results. However, since USDA NRCS is no longer collecting this information; the NARC&DC needs to step in and be the data collector. We have created a simple survey to collect the facts and fi gures to best tell the RC&D Council story. We hope this survey is simple enough for all RC&D Councils to complete. The survey should take less than fi ve minutes to fi ll out, with some additional time needed to compile and summarize your project data. We thank you in advance for your help in promoting the RC&D Program and RC&D Councils Nationwide. To complete this survey please click on the following link: http://www.surveymonkey.com/s/66HLQ6M Please complete the survey by January 15, 2013, so we may use the fi gures in 2013.

Project Accomplishmentsfor 2012 Sought by Board

Forest fi res are destroying more land, homes, businesses and lives each year as urban areas continue to encroach in the forested and grassland. Studies show that rural areas lack proper building, fi re and Wildlife-Urban Interface (WUI) codes. Steps can be taken by communities to minimize the damage through the “Wildfi re Safe, Sound and Code Smart” efforts.

NARC&DC and the International Code Council (ICC) are considering 75+ areas around the country to go beyond the existing standard building and fi re prevention codes to more fully implement WUI concepts to reduce and mitigate future fi re losses. Communities will have an opportunity to upgrade existing codes, develop awareness of existing problems.

A website is being developed to make all support materials readily available as well as listing requirements for eligibility. For more information contact Andy Cordon, Executive Director, NARC&DC at 202-434-4863 or Dan Bailey Executive Director, ICC, 202-370-1800 ext. 6275.

Wildlife-Urban Initiative to Work to Reduce Fire Threats

Jason Weller has served as Acting Chief of NRCS since December 2012. As Acting Chief, he oversees programs that help protect the environment, preserve our natural resources and improve agricultural sus-tainability through volun-tary, private-lands conser-vation. He leads a staff of 11,500 employees across the country and manages a budget of about $4 billion.

Before assuming this role, Jason served as NRCS’s

NRCS Names Weller Acting Chief

Acting Associate Chief for Conservation and as Chief of Staff where he worked alongside Chief Dave White and the agency’s national and state leaders to plan and implement strategic conservation initiatives and conduct the annual busi-ness operations of the agency.

Prior to joining NRCS, Jason served as a staff member for the U.S. House Appropriations Subcommittee on Agriculture where he provided oversight and crafted bills to fund USDA programs and activities. He also served on the U.S. House Budget Committee where he helped construct the annual congressional budget for agriculture, environment and energy programs. Before that, Jason worked with the White House Offi ce of Management and Budget where he assisted with the development and implementation of the budget for USDA conservation programs.

Before coming to Washington, DC, Jason worked for several years with the California State Legislature where he provided fi scal and policy recommendations on a variety of natural resource conservation and environmental protection issues.

Jason is a native of northern California. He earned his un-dergraduate degree from Carleton College in Northfi eld, Minnesota, and a graduate degree in public policy from the University of Michigan.

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R.D. Meckes, Title”

In 2004, Homeland Security Presidential Directive-9 (HSPD-9) established a national policy to defend the agriculture and food system against terrorist attacks, major disasters and other emergencies. The policy acknowledged the vulnerability of the agriculture and food systems to disease, pest or poisonous agents that occur naturally, are unintentionally introduced or are intentionally delivered by acts of terrorism. The very nature of the agriculture and food system, extensive, open, interconnected, diverse and complex in structure, provides ample targets for terrorist attack with potentially catastrophic health and economic consequences.

The tenets for the Defense of United States Agriculture and Food, direct appropriate Federal departments and agencies to: identify and prioritize sector-critical infrastructure and key resources; develop awareness and early warning capabilities to recognize threats; mitigate vulnerabilities at critical production and processing nodes; enhance screening procedures for domestic and imported products; and enhance response and recovery activities.

The Department of Homeland Security’s (DHS) roles and responsibilities detailed in HSPD-9 are signifi cant and, are complemented by the Secretary’s responsibilities described in HSPD-7 Critical Infrastructure Identifi cation, Prioritization, and Protection through which the Secretary leads, integrates, and coordinates the efforts of Federal departments and agencies, State and local governments and the private sector to protect critical infrastructure and key resources.

HSPD-9 is comprised of 18 topics in fi ve distinct areas: Awareness and Warning, Vulnerability Assessments, Mitigation Strategies, Response Planning and Recovery, Outreach and Professional Development, and Research and Development; the Secretary of DHS is designated the lead or co-lead in 13 of the HSPD-9 topics.

While much remains to be done, the efforts undertaken by DHS and its partner departments in the practical implementation of issues addressed in these topics has resulted in a more secure Food and Agriculture Sector. Principle among those efforts, under the Awareness and Warning area, topic 10, is the creation of a biological threat awareness capacity that has become manifest in the National Biosurveillance Integration Center which seeks to ensure that human, plant, animal, and

Protecting the Agriculture and Food Sector –A Department of Homeland Security Priority

environmental health surveillance information is shared with U. S. government partners, analyzed, and used to make sound risk management decisions that save lives, ensure civil order and preserve government, mitigate socioeconomic impacts, and reduce the likelihood of future reoccurring events.

Under the Response Planning and Recovery area, topic 14, DHS and partner departments have undertaken considerable effort to ensure that the combined Federal, State and local response capabilities are adequate to respond quickly and effectively to terrorist attack, major disease outbreak, or other disaster affecting the national food and agriculture infrastructure. Several programs within the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) have been utilized to address this topic: Training and education sponsored by DHS for the Food and Agriculture Sector has been managed and funded through the National Preparedness Directorate’s National Training and Education Division (NTED). This training and education has been provided, under NTED’s guidance, through universities, community colleges and FEMA’s Center for Domestic Preparedness in Anniston, Alabama. FEMA’s Grant Programs Directorate (GPD) has provided funding to State and local government entities to enable the food and agriculture sector to enhance levels of preparedness and the public’s ability to prevent, protect and mitigate against, and respond to and recover from all hazards. FEMA’s Lessons Learned Information Sharing (LLIS) web site, which includes a Food, Agriculture and Veterinary Defense Partner Page, is the national network of lessons learned, best practices, innovative ideas, and preparedness information for homeland security and emergency response professionals. DHS’ National Protection and Programs Directorate Offi ce of Infrastructure Protection has conducted Regional Resiliency Assessment Programs (RRAP) to evaluate the beef industry in the Texas panhandle and the dairy industry in California. These interagency assessments of specifi c cri cal infrastructure and key resources (CIKR)are combined with a regional analysis of the surrounding infrastructure, including key interdependencies to reduce the nation’s vulnerability to all-hazard threats.

Topic 15, under Response Planning and Recovery, directs the Secretary of DHS, in coordination with department partners to develop a coordinated agriculture and food-specifi c standardized response plan. In 2006, the National Association of State Departments of Agriculture (NASDA), in cooperation with USDA’s Food Safety Inspection Service

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(FSIS), the Food and Drug Administration (FDA), and the Department of Homeland Security (DHS), developed a model Food Emergency Response Plan Template (FERP). The template contributes to the protection of the United States’ agricultural and food infrastructure through increased prevention, detection, response, and recovery planning. In 2011, the DHS’ Offi ce of Health Affairs in cooperation with NASDA, revised the template to refl ect the changes in federal guidance and response structure to ensure consistency with the following documents: National Response Framework (NRF), Comprehensive Preparedness Guide (CPG) 101, National Infrastructure Protection Plan, Homeland Security Presidential Directive-9 (HSPD 9), Agriculture and Food Critical Infrastructure and Key Resources (CI/KR) Sector Specifi c Plan, and the National Incident Management System (NIMS). This revised template was reviewed and approved by federal, state and private sector subject matter experts and NASDA released version 4.0 in August, 2011. A new initiative within OHA will begin the development of an agriculture-specifi c standardized response plan in 2012.

Under the Outreach and Professional Development area, topic 19, the Secretary of DHS in coordination with partner departments is directed to work with appropriated private sector entities to establish an effective information sharing and analysis mechanism for the food and agriculture infrastructure. DHS’s Offi ce of Infrastructure Protec on (IP), the Sector Specifi c Agencies the United States Department of Agriculture and Department of Health and Human Services Food and Drug Administration [Government Coordinating Council (GCC)], in close coordination with public- and private-sector critical infrastructure partners [Sector Coordinating Council (SCC)], lead the coordinated national effort to mitigate risk to the nation’s food and agriculture critical infrastructure through the development and implementation of an effective critical infrastructure protection program. Partnership between the public and private sectors is essential, in part, because the private sector owns and operates approximately 85% of the nation’s food and agriculture critical infrastructure, government agencies have access to critical threat information, and each controls security programs, research and development, and other resources that may be more effective if discussed and shared, as appropriate, in a partnership setting.

Within the Research and Development area, topic 25 directs the Secretary of DHS in consultation with partner departments to establish university-based centers of excellence (COEs) in food and agriculture security. The Science and Technology Directorate’s (S&T) Offi ce of University Programs (OUP) has been an unequivocal success, not only in the Food and

Agriculture Sector, but also in other critical infrastructure disciplines – the twelve Homeland Security Centers of Excellence aligned with six S&T divisions have affi liations with over 200 U. S. colleges and universities, have more than 180 partners from laboratories, private industry and think tanks and have trained 550 scholars and Fellows since 2003. In the defense of food and agriculture infrastructure, three COEs are acknowledged as consistent providers in the development of cost-effective technologies and methodologies: the National Center for Food Protection and Defense at the University of Minnesota, the National Center for Foreign Animal and Zoonotic Animal Disease Defense at Texas A&M, and the Center of Excellence for Emerging and Zoonotic Animal Diseases at Kansas State University.

The aforementioned topics highlight actions and responsibilities for which DHS is the designated lead, always in coordination and consolation with partner departments; DHS contributes in a similar fashion to the eight other tasks in which the department has been charged as co-lead. Most signifi cant among those tasks are: Task 9 – The Offi ce of Intelligence and Analysis (I&A) and its partner departments equips the Homeland Security Enterprise with the intelligence and information, including that related to the agriculture, food and water sectors, it needs to keep the homeland safe, secure, and resilient. Topic 13 – Customs and Border Protection (CBP), the United States Department of Agriculture and the Department of Health and Human Services have forged working relationships, most notably at the National Targeting Center (NTC) and the Commercial Targeting and Analysis Center (CTAC), which provide guidance for effective, targeted screening and inspection of food and agriculture products entering the U. S. And, CBP’s 2,400 highly trained agriculture specialists work on the front lines at U.S. ports of entry to prevent the introduction into our country of harmful pests, plants and plant diseases, animal products and diseases and biological threats. These threats are destructive, diverse and often hardly visible to the untrained eye.

Topic 23 – S&T Chemical Biological Defense Division’s Agriculture Defense Branch has responsibility for the development of current and new countermeasures against the intentional introduction or natural occurrence of catastrophic animal, plant and zoonotic diseases. In its efforts to fulfi ll that charge, DHS S&T, USDA Animal and Plant Inspection Service, and USDA Agriculture Research Service (ARS) have succeeded in developing the fi rst new technology for the manufacture of a Foot and Mouth Disease (FMD) Virus vaccine in 50 years, an adenovector FMDV vaccine

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(AdA24). More importantly, because the replication functions of the FMD virus have been removed, the FMD vaccine can be manufactured on the mainland of the U. S. To date, the vaccine has completed fi ve safety studies in cattle within the U. S. Additionally, DHS S&T provided funding for Transboundary Animal Biologics, Inc. (TABI) to become a permittee for the importation and sale of FMD and Classical Swine Fever (CSF) vaccines in the U. S.; agreements have been established with Biogenesis-Bago in Buenos Aires, Argentina, to facilitate the rapid import of a ready-made quadravalent FMD vaccine

for use in the event of an outbreak, a heretofore prohibited capability.

In addition to the areas of responsibility outlined here, the men and women of the Department of Homeland Security are engaged in various aspects of other topics associated with the Defense of United States Agriculture and Food, and are committed and resolved to ensure the safety, security and resiliency of the country’s food and agriculture infrastructure.

“Plans have been fi nalized for each issue of the Catalyst to feature an outstanding RC&D council from entries submitted through the NARC&DC Awards program.” according to Andy Gordon, Executive Director. The winning council will be highlighted in the awards issue of the Catalyst or immediately following the National RC&D Conference, or the annual Leadership Conference. The second through fourth place councils will be featured in the following issues.

According to Gordon, “This will allow other councils to compare how they match up against the best and perhaps fi nd new ways of “Making Thing Happen’.”

To be considered for the Outstanding RC&D Council award the criteria and requirements of the awards program must be met. A council must be judged the best in their region, before being considered for national recognition. In addition the council must be a member of the Circle of Diamonds.

Outstanding RC&D Councils to be Featured in Catalyst

We Especially Would Like to Thank . . . Robert Harbison for making the fi rst donation to the Partnership Alliance using our new online donation option, and Tri-Isle RC&D Council for being the fi rst Council to pay 2013 Dues using the new online payment option!

We would also like to thank the following 36 RC&D Councils for their early 2013 Dues Payments (as of December 15, 2012 in alphabetical order)

Alabama Mountains, Rivers & Valleys RC&D (AMRV-RC&D Council, Inc.) in ALArrow Head Country RC&D Area, Inc. in INBitter Root RC&D Council in MTBuckeye Hills RC&D Council in OHCape Fear RC&D Council in NCCawaco RC&D Council in ALCentral Savannah River RC&D Council in GACentral Sierra RC&D Council in CAChestatee-Chattahoochee RC&D Council in GAClearwater RC&D Council in IDDown East RC&D Council in MEEastern Connecticut RC&D Council in CTFour Winds RC&D Council in TXGreater Wabash River RC&D Council Inc. in INGulf Coast RC&D Council in ALHigh Plains RC&D Council in OKLimestone Valley RC&D Council in GeorgiaMountain Valleys RC&D Council in NCNorth Coast RC&D Council in CANorth Country RC&D Area Council in NHOre-Cal RC&D Council in OROzark Foothills RC&D Council in ARPanhandle Lakes RC&D Council in IDPilot View RC&D Council, Inc. in NC

Sandhills RC&D Council in NESeven Rivers RC&D Council in GeorgiaSmoky Mountain RC&D Council in TNSoutheast Tennessee RC&D Council in TNTallgrass RC&D Council in OKTombigbee RC&D Council in ALTown and Country RC&D Council in WITreasure Coast RC&D Council in FLTri-Isle RC&D Council in HIUinta Headwaters Council in UTWhite River RC&D Council in INWiregrass RC&D Council in ALWood River RC&D Council in ID

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September marked the beginning of the 50th anniversary of the RC&D program. Many RC&D Councils around the nation are already celebrating the Anniversary that will run until September 2013. The Board of Directors encourages all councils to offi cially mark this anniversary by making something special happen in their area during this year. Some activities are noted below. What plans does your council have for brining attention to the program?

Bitter Root RC&D Council in Montana sent out a press release to local news media during the week of September 23-29, 2012 to highlight RC&D Week and the 50th Year Celebration. They held their First Annual Gala Fundraising Event, “Light Up The Night” on November 3 in Hamilton, MT.

North Coast RC&D Council in California sent out an E-mail Promotion via MailChimp to 197 people on September 23rd announcing RC&D Week. They highlighted information about upcoming/recent activities. Check out their Facebook page and Tweets!

Northeast Nebraska RC&D Council is celebrated by hosting the Nebraska RC&C Annual Conference in Wayne, NE on September 25 – 27. Check out our website www.nenercd.org for information!

Hill Country RC&D in Texas Scott O’Neill presented at the 12th Renewable Energy Roundup & Green Living Fair on September 29 & 30 in Fredericksburg, Texas

Little Kanawha RC&D Council in West Virginia helped kick off the 50th Anniversary celebration with press releases to newspapers in each of its nine-county service area. The fi rst release highlighted the history and progress since the Little Kanawha RC&D fi rst became operational in 1966. Other releases marking the 50th Anniversary focused on the many project areas in which the RC&D has assisted and those who have helped keep RC&D moving forward for the future!

RC&D Marks Diamond Jubilee AnniversaryFederal Legislation Signed in 1962 . . .

[Ed. Note: The Resource Conservation and Devel-opment (RC&D) Program was developed under the Soil Conservation and Domestic Allotment Act, (16 U.S.C. 590a-590F), the Bankhead-Jones Farm Ten-ant Act, (16 U.S.C. 1010 and 1011), and the Food and Agriculture Act of 1962, and is authorized under subtitle H, title XV of the Agriculture and Food Act of 1981, (16 U.S.C. 3451-3461), as amended. The Food Security and Rural Investment Act of 2002 perma-nently authorized the program.

Pineywoods RC&D Council inTexas held a meeting on Sept 27, 2012 with three State Representatives in attendance. This gave the RC&D Council an opportunity to present concerns to elected offi cials. The meeting was featured by the local TV station KTRE; read more at http://www.ktre.com/story/19660695/future-legislators-presented-concerns-by-elected-officials#.UGYK-kBx810.email

Blue Mountain RC&D Council in Washington had an article published in the Waitsburg Times about their success over the year.

Chestatee-Chattahoochee RC&D Council in Georgia hired a new Executive Director to kick off the 50th Anniversary of RC&D!

Please send your council’s efforts to publicize the RC&D efforts in your area to the National Association offi ce to lisbeth Almonte at [email protected]

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2013 RC&D Council Member Benefi tsBelow are some of the many benefi ts your RC&D Council

will receive with your 2013 Dues payment

E-mail Addresses for Your RC&D Council Your RC&D Council can receive up to 5 email addresses that can be forwarded to another email address of your choice. The name of the email addresses will be _name of your [email protected]. You can check this Email Inbox and Compose messages online using iPage Webmail online or you can send all messages to another email box of your choice.

Full Membership in GrantStation All members of the NARC&DC receive full access to GrantStation, an online funding resource for nonprofit organizations seeking grants for their programs and projects. The website provides access to a comprehensive online database of grantmakers, including federal and state government grant and loan programs and private foundations. GrantStation can help your Council make its grant search efforts more effi cient and increase the odds of grant application success.

A Subscription to Grant Station Insider A weekly e-newsletter from GrantStation that provides the reader with current funding opportunities and tips, tricks, and techniques on applying and managing grants.

Access to the Members OnlyMaterials and Member Only Website Your RC&D Council will receive a log-in username and password for the Member Only website. We ask that this log-in be used by no more than fi ve different people in your RC&D Council. Member Only materials include items such as NARC&DC bylaws, Meeting Minutes, and printable resources such as: Guide books for RC&D Directors, Accounting and Financial Management for RC&D Councils, Fundraising and Sustainability for RC&D Councils and more. Also in this section you will fi nd materials from seminars such as the grant seminars conducted at our 2012 National Conference and an audio copy of a Fundraising seminar conducted by David Mirisch in September 2012. *Materials are all accessible through the Members Only section of our website at www.narcdc.org

Discounted Telephone and Web-conferencing Services Through Conference Plus We have an agreement for our Member Councils to

receive telephone and web-conferencing services from Conference Plus. This provider offers a comprehensive suite of communications offerings, from automated and operator-assisted conferencing to advanced Web collaboration tools that enable you to create and interact visually with people over the Internet. Also, Member RC&D Councils can use the “ConferenceAnytime” audio-only service at the rate of $0.035 per minute, per participant. In addition to the audio service, the Member RC&D Council will receive a web conferencing link, utilizing the IBM Sametime Unyte product. The cost of the web conferencing service is $0.10 per minute, per participant. Basic information on Conference Plus is available at www.conferenceplus.com. Councils will be billed monthly ONLY WHEN SERVICES ARE USED.

Council or Board Member Trainingin Conjunction With Your Meetings Trainings will be conducted by trained NARC&DC staff. Certain training modules are available at no charge. Training can be conducted via teleconference, web, or other electronic means. Trainer’s travel to a meeting site will need to be paid by the RC&D Council, State or Regional Association. Free Training Topics include but at not limited to: A National Update and RC&D Director’s Training, Non-profi t Management and Standards of Excellence-Light and F iduciary Responsibilities of a Board. Trainings that cost an additional fee include: Non-profi t Management and Standards of Excellence –full version, Grant planning for Projects and Administration, Non-profi t Management and Sustainability, Legal Responsibilities of a Board Member, Contracts 101 and Employment Practices 101.

Exposure on our National Website We feature your local RC&D Council news in the Press Room section of our website for everyone to see. We also feature your success stories in the Success Stories section of our website.

Access to Member Only Grants and Funds Some grants and funds obtained and managed by NARC&DC will only be available to Member RC&D Councils.

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Please mail to:

Partnership Alliance Program National Association of RC &D Councils 444 North Capitol St. NW, Suite 618Washington, DC 20001

Please indicate if this is a new membership or a renewal: __ New Membership __ Renewal

Name: _________________________________________________________ Address: _______________________________________________________

City: ____________________________ State: _________ Zip:___________

Signature: __________________________________ Date: ____________

Partnership Alliance Form(Be a member. Help build an RC&D alliance. Visit the NARC&DC website for more information.)

As we approach the end of the year, its time to think about what RC&D has meant to you and to America in general. As your representative on the Washington DC scene, the NARC&DC has been working diligently trying to keep the RC&D concept alive in spite of cuts in funding. Your support is needed to allow us to continue to carry out the role formerly done by USDA.

RC&D Council dues do not cover all the Association’s expenses; we need your individual help as well. Help us strengthen our network by becoming a member of the Partnership Alliance Program.

The Partnership Alliance provides independent resources to help strengthen local RC&D Councils nationwide. This fund will help support the National offi ce as well as provide awards and seed money for projects. This alliance will also help to maintain our National RC&D’s belief in the balance between natural resource protection and economic growth that provides jobs and preserves our precious natural and human resources.

The Partnership Alliance is a group of individuals who want to contribute to the National Association of RC&D’s efforts to move forward with its mission and new initiatives.

NARC&DC Needs Your Support as a PartnerJoin the Partnership Alliance . . .

You may ask yourself why I should support the NARC&DC through the Partnership Alliance? Individual support helps to send a strong message that many people support the great work that our member RC&D Councils are doing across the country. The value of a group of people delivering a common message with a common voice is immeasurable and can help bring additional resources from the NARC&DC to your local RC&D Council and community.

Annual Partnership Alliance Membership is $25 and entitles your name to be added to our website as a partner, access to Member Only information, and a membership card.

Gold annual Donations of $100 or more entitles the individual to also receive a 5% discount on all forums that the National Offi ce offers that year, and a NARC&DC tote bag.

Lifetime Membership of $1,500 entitles individuals to receive all of the benefi ts for life in addition to receiving a NARC&DC polo shirt or hat.

Don’t delay; be a part of making things happen across America and strengthening the RC&D Program one donation at a time.NARC&D is a 501(c)(3) non-profi t. Any donation m ade to support our work is tax deductible.

� Annual Partnership Alliance Membership is $25 and entitles your name to be added to our website as a partner, access to Member Only information, and a membership card.� Annual Gold Annual Membership of $100 or more entitles you to also receive a 5% discount on all forums that the National Offi ce offers that year, and a NARC&DC tote bag.� Lifetime Membership is achieved based on years of donations totaling $1, 500.00 or more and entitles individuals to receive all of the benefi ts for life in addition to receiving a NARC&DC polo shirt or hat.

My donation $ _________________

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