National Association of Conservation Districts

Forestry Notes

July 2008
Volume XVII, Issue 8

| PDF version | Archive of Previous Issues |

1. Farm Bill Makes Room for Forestry
2. Taking a Closer Look at Project Learning Tree
3. Forestry a Priority in Kentucky
4. Thornton Named NWTF CEO
5. Forestry Briefs
6. SPECIAL INSERT: A Look at the 2008 Farm Bill

1. Farm Bill Makes Room for Forestry
The long awaited new Farm Bill is now law and the forestry community is busy assessing how it affects family forests. One thing is clear, the commonly referred to 2008 Farm Bill—technically The FOOD, CONSERVATION AND ENERGY ACT OF 2008, PL 110-234,—contains more advancements for family forests than any since the 1990 Farm Bill.

The new Farm Bill improves the opportunities for forest landowners to participate in the Environmental Quality Incentive Program by making it explicit that forest management practices are compatible with environmental quality and serve to optimize environmental benefits. It affords forest landowners cost-share assistance to forest resources damaged in natural disasters. It also outlines a state-based process for developing assessment and planning to identify critical forest resource areas and address threats to those areas. In addition, the bill improves the coordination of programs and actions at the federal level related to the national conservation priorities for forests.

The new Farm Bill also extends funding for the Healthy Forest Reserve Program to provide a cost-share and easement program to assist forest landowners across a range of management and conservation practices. Additionally, the Community Forests and Open Space Program will enable local governments to own and manage blocs of forested lands for the multiple uses to meet local needs.

These provisions represent great advances on behalf of private forest landowners. They were put in place to help ensure that family forest landowners can afford to keep their land in forest management where they choose to do so, and that millions of acres of forested land remain forested and managed to provide jobs and wood, clean water, opportunities for fishing, hunting and enjoyment of the outdoors, habitat for fish and wildlife and defense against changing and more unpredictable climate.

Enclosed with this issue of Forestry Notes is a preliminary first look at some of the provisions contained in the new legislation. There are yet many issues and questions that will have to be addressed through formal rule making and administrative guidance issued by our federal partners before these new provisions can be implemented.

2. Taking a Closer Look at Project Learning Tree
Project Learning Tree (PLT), the environmental education program of the American Forest Foundation, uses the forest as a “window on the world” in an attempt to increase students’ understanding of our complex environment and to help students learn the skills they need to make sound choices about the environment. Developed in 1976, PLT has an international network of more than 500,000 trained educators using six curricula covering the total environment. The American Forest Foundation, a nonprofit organization, works for healthy forests, quality environmental education, and informed decision-making about our communities and our world.

“We don’t know what today’s students will face when they are adults,” said Jim Stark, Environmental Education Director of the Weyerhaeuser Company and chair of the PLT Education Operating Committee. “We can’t give them the answers, because we don’t even know what the questions will be. That’s why the important thing that PLT can do is teach critical thinking.”

At the core of PLT is a PreK–8 Environmental Education Activity Guide, filled with lessons that can fit into science, language arts, social studies, and other parts of the school curriculum. Individual modules on such topics as Forest Ecology and Risk Assessment are tailored for high school students. Each activity provides background on the topic being studied, hands-on ways to learn about it, and a way for teachers to assess student learning. Activities meet national and state standards.

The 2008 PreK-8 Guide increased the number of activities with highlighted differentiated instruction. Educators will now see integrated strategies for working with a diverse classroom in 27 of the activities. Several other improvements were made to many of the activities, including new diagrams of seeds in “Have Seeds, Will Travel” and a new online student page for “Schoolyard Safari.”

PLT is updating the teachers’ activity guide in the Energy & Society kit for PreK-8. Focus groups of energy professionals and teachers in Texas and Maryland reviewed the existing activities, and their input is going into a revision scheduled for completion in the next year. PLT also put a new focus on its secondary materials, with new and updated modules on Places We Live (being formally evaluated by 20 teachers across the country), Biodiversity (PLT’s first online module), and Global Connections: Forests of the World. PLT has come along way since its start more than three decades ago, and has continued to stay with the connection to educational as well as natural resource needs.

PLT received national recognition in two highly regarded education journals, “Science & Children,” published by the National Science Teachers Association, and “Educational Leadership,” published by the Association for Supervision and Curriculum Development. The two articles described how PLT infused throughout the curriculum helped transform a formerly underachieving school in Oil City, La.

PLT has taken a lead role in a coalition urging members of Congress to authorize environmental education as a part of No Child Left Behind legislation. The group was also able to distribute $250,000 in implementation and GreenWorks!-service learning grants. An opportunity exists for conservation districts and educators to get involved is Earth & Sky, a daily radio show that features a short interview with an expert on each of its 90-second segments. Thanks to a partnership with the program, PLT correlated 73 of the radio shows to PLT materials and developed additional educator resources for the PLT and the Earth & Sky (http://www.earthsky.org) Web sites. As one teacher said, “Kids are enthralled to listen to someone’s explanation, not just read it.”

For those who have not taken a look at the PLT materials lately, find your state coordinator at http://www.plt.org in the ‘Join PLT’ section. While visiting their Web site, people can learn more about their GreenWorks!-service learning grants, 2008 educators of the year and more.

PLT will be piloting a soils workshop based on their soil activities and using local soil experts at the Smithsonian Institution National Museum of Natural History in Washington, D.C. this August. Plans are to expand those workshops across the United States.

NACD is partnering in the development of the material with the Smithsonian and Soil Science Society of America. PLT has been a long time friend of conservation districts and recently updated their memorandum of understanding with NACD at the 2008 conference in Reno, Nev. PLT will also assist NACD with the 2010 Stewardship theme of Forestry. Stewardship and Education questions can be directed to Susan Schultz, NACD Stewardship & Education at stewardship@nacdnet.org or by calling 317/326-2952.

3. Forestry a Priority in Kentucky
Forestlands have played an important role in the lives of Kentuckians since early Native Americans used the state’s resources for daily living. Explorers of European descent were greeted with 25 million acres of forestland when entering Kentucky during the late 1700s.  Today, Kentucky forestlands occupy almost 12 million acres across the state and cover 47 percent of the landscape. Eighty-seven percent of this forested landscape is privately owned. The forestland resource continues to provide both environmental and economic resources, including wildlife habitat, timber products, various foods and medicines, clean water, clean air and healthy soils.

Realizing the importance of this resource, NRCS, in cooperation with various partners, has increased its efforts to sustain healthy forestlands in Kentucky. NRCS worked with the Kentucky Division of Forestry (KDF) and the Kentucky Department of Fish and Wildlife Resources (KDFWR) to address sustainable forest management by focusing training, technical resources, program marketing and Farm Bill program ranking. KDF also worked with consulting foresters across the state to develop reasonable costs for forest stand improvement work ensuring there was a workforce to complete the labor intensive practices for private landowners. KDF, KDFWR, and NRCS increased the marketing of forest management practice through newsletter and newspaper articles, workshops and personal contacts with local landowners. These actions resulted in an increase of Forest Stand Improvement practices for EQIP and WHIP from 123 acres for eight landowners in 2006 to 4,420 acres for almost 80 landowners in 2007 and 2008 combined.   

Four training sessions, one for approximately 70 NRCS and conservation district personnel and three for private landowners, have been conducted jointly with the KDF. Attendance was between 20 and 30 people for each of the three private landowner workshops. Workshop topics included forest management for economics and habitat, best management practices, Farm Bill programs and stand evaluation. In addition to the four completed workshops, other training sessions are underway.  KDF will provide NRCS, conservation district personnel, and other agency personnel more detailed information about forest management including stand quality recognition, woodland evaluation, management techniques and best management practices in the workshops. These trainings will provide conservation planners with the necessary knowledge and information to effectively work landowners and partnering agencies through Farm Bill programs to help mange Kentucky’s forestlands.

Kentucky recently received the “Two Chiefs’ Partnership Award” recognizing the outstanding partnership in the Green River Conservation Reserve Enhancement Program. As of May, 85,000 acres of the allotted 99,500 acres have been planned and contracted. Of this acreage, it is estimated that more than 2,000 acres of tree planting were completed, along with the protection of existing riparian forests through livestock exclusion. Kentucky expects to use the reminder of its allotted acres during 2008.

To ensure continued forest management emphasis in Kentucky, NRCS and KDF are currently developing an MOU which will more formally outline the partnership to ensure increasing forest management workloads are maintained and managed effectively and efficiently.

For more information on forestry-related work being done in Kentucky, contact
NRCS state biologist Mason Howell at 859/224-7413, or email him at
mason.howell@ky.usda.gov.

4. Thornton Named NWTF CEO
In June, George C. Thornton was named chief executive officer for the National Wild Turkey Federation.

Thornton is well known throughout the agribusiness community, most recently as president and chief executive officer of Agriliance, LLC, a leading agricultural input distributor in North America providing retailers and producers with crop nutrients, crop protection products, seed and equipment. Thornton retired from Agriliance in August of 2007.

He is a past director of the Minnesota Zoo, and has served on many civic, industry and company boards. In 2006, George was named Agribusiness leader of the year by the National Agricultural Marketing Association.

“We are thrilled to have George leading this organization,” said Jere Peak, NWTF chairman of the board. “His background heading up Agriliance, which became the largest Agricultural products distributor in North America under his leadership, and his commitment to the same conservation principles and hunting heritage values that the NWTF family holds dear, makes him a perfect fit to take us to the next level.”

A lifelong hunter with a passion for restoring and maintaining wildlife habitat, Thornton is looking forward to leading one of the nation’s largest single species conservation organizations to even greater success.

“As a conservationist and hunter, the NWTF’s mission really resonates with me, and I’m committed to working with this team of staff, volunteers and partners to fulfill the organization’s goals,” said Thornton.

The NWTF, which is celebrating its 35th anniversary this year, has more than 500,000 members and volunteers in all 50 states, Canada, Mexico and 14 other foreign countries. Along with its wildlife agency and corporate partners, NWTF’s staff and volunteers have helped restore and manage North America’s current population of more than seven million wild turkeys. In addition, the NWTF has helped acquire or improve habitat on more than 13 million acres of public, private and corporate lands.

NWTF and NACD have a growing partnership, and in February the first-ever NWTF National Conservation District Partner of the Year was given to California's Coarsegold Resource Conservation District.

5. Forestry Briefs
FRA Service Connects Employers and Job Seekers
Forest Resources Association has a new on-line service to connect employers and job seekers in industrial forestry and wood supply, as well as in allied associations and forestry schools. Job seekers may access the site and post notices of their availability and resumes at no charge. 

Visit the ‘Job Board’ tab at http://www.forestresources.org, or click in directly at http://jobboard.forestresources.org.

Report ExaminesOopportunities in Eastern Hardwood Region
The report “Eastern Hardwood Forest Region Woody Biomass Energy Opportunity” examines the woody biomass energy opportunities in the 35 states that comprise the Eastern Hardwood Forest Region. The report also has the dual objectives of providing an educational overview of the market that exists today, and offering a baseline reference for advanced, targeted feasibility studies with the wood fuel arena.

For more information on this report, visit http://spfnic.fs.fed.us/werc/finalrpts/06-DG-300.pdf (Note: this is a large file and may take a few minutes to download).

New AFA Site Offers Wealth of Information
In today’s “green” world, there is pressure coming from all angles for companies and consumers to act responsibly and to play a part in protecting the forests. Now, the Abundant Forests Alliance (AFA) is bringing the good news straight to the consumer with its new interactive Web site.

The AFA is a coalition of wood and paper products companies in the United States created to promote the industry’s positive record and support customer companies in their delivery of wood and paper products to consumers. Visit the site at
http://www.AbundantForests.net.

Woody BiomassUutilization Workshop Sponsorship Announcement
The National Association of Conservation Districts, in cooperation with the Department of the Interior and U.S. Forest Service, is making a limited amount of financial support available for organizing and conducting state or regional sub-state multi-county woody biomass utilization workshops. Intended recipients are state and local governments, tribes, and not-for-profit organizations and entities. Subject to funding availability, up to a maximum of $24,000 may be available for sponsoring such workshops across the United States between the dates of July 1, 2008 and March 31, 2009. Please note that individual workshop sponsorships are limited to $2,000 per recipient and funds will be disbursed upon successful workshop completion.

A three-person panel from NACD, Department of the Interior, and the U.S. Forest Service will review all applications. Applicants will be notified within 21 days of receipt of the application on whether it has been approved.  Applications will be processed on a first come, first served basis until the total available funds have been obligated.

It is anticipated there will be keen interest in this announcement. As such, applications accompanied by letters of endorsement, demonstration of matching funds or in-kind services, and collaboration with local, state, tribal, commercial, and private industry will strengthen the opportunity for being awarded a workshop sponsorship.

Workshop sponsorship application forms are available on the following Web site: http://www.nacdnet.org/workshop_sponsorship/announcement.pdf

Workshop sponsorship recipients must, upon completion of the workshop, complete and submit the Workshop Sponsorship Report Form in order for funds to be disbursed.  The report form can also be found on the above-listed Web site.

For more information, please contact Fred Deneke, NACD Forestry Programs Coordinator, 265 West Soaring Avenue, Prescott, AZ 86301, at 928/443-5456 or 928-642-8947 (cell), or email him at fjdeneke@yahoo.com.

6. SPECIAL INSERT: A Look at the 2008 Farm Bill
Preliminary Summary of Forestry Highlights of the Food, Conservation and Energy Act of 2008

TITLE II - CONSERVATION
Conservation Reserve Program (CRP) - Reduces acreage cap from 39 million acres to 32 million acres. However, land enrolled in CREP and continuous enrollment elements of CRP can be exempted from acreage cap. Tree planting, re-planting, and thinning for purposes of windbreaks, shelterbelts, and wildlife corridors qualify for 50% cost-share payments for at least 2 years but no more than 4 years. $100 million is provided from Commodity Credit Corporation (CCC) for cost-share to conduct “thinning activities” on enrolled land.

CRP Pilot Program for Enrollment of Wetland and Buffer Acreage – provides that a total of 100,000 acres in any individual state or 1 million acres nationally through 2012 may be enrolled to protect wetland and buffer, and establishment of appropriate vegetation includes bottomland hardwood and related forest-type species on eligible acreage.

Wetland Reserve Program (WRP) – Raises cap for enrollment to 3,041,200 acres and provides $1.3 billion over 5-years through CCC funding. Language added to clarify eligibility and new payment limits. WRP has been used to restore significant bottomland hardwoods in the past.

Conservation Stewardship Program (CSP) – the former Conservation Security Program is restructured as the Conservation Stewardship Program. Forested land is included only as “an incidental part of an agricultural operation.” Non-industrial private forest land may not constitute more than 10% of the annual total acres enrolled in the program. Funding is $12 billion over 10-years through the CCC.

Farmland Protection Program – includes forest land as eligible if it contributes to the viability of an agriculture operation or serves as a buffer to prevent agricultural land from development. Funding provided through CCC at $97 million in FY2008; $121 million in FY2009; $150 million in FY2010; $175 million in FY2011; $200 million in FY2012

Environmental Quality Incentives Program (EQIP) – Language added to clarify that non-industrial private forest land as eligible and expands the definition of a conservation ‘practice’ to include forest management. A qualifying plan can be a Forest Stewardship Plan, practice plan by a state forester, or other plan determined by the Secretary. Overall EQIP funding through CCC was raised to $1.2 billion in FY2008; $1.337 billion in FY2009; $1.45 billion in FY2010; $1.588 billion in FY2011; $1.75 billion in FY2012.

Conservation Innovation Grants and Payments – Through EQIP, the Secretary may award grants for innovative approaches to leveraging federal investment in environmental enhancement and protection. “Forest resource management” is an eligible competitive project.

Wildlife Habitat Incentives Program (WHIP) – Added language to clarify that non-industrial private forest land is eligible for the program and added habitat developed on irrigation pivot corners and irregular areas are also eligible The Secretary may also give priority to state, regional and national conservation initiatives.

State Technical Committees – The State Forester and an owner of nonindustrial private forest land are named as members to the state technical committee.

Technical Service Providers – Technical assistance can be provided directly; through an agreement with a third party provider or, at the option of the eligible participant, through a payment to the participant for an approved third party provider. The Secretary may request the services of, and enter into cooperative agreements or contracts with other agencies within the Department or non-federal entities to assist the Secretary in providing technical assistance necessary to assist in implementing conservation programs.

Certification of third party providers – Secretary to issue regulations in 180 days. Eligible activities for third party providers—technical services provided directly to eligible participants such as conservation planning, education and outreach, and assistance with design and implementation of conservation practices and related technical assistance services that accelerate conservation program delivery. Technical Service Contracts – in any case in which financial assistance is not provided under a program, the Secretary may enter into a technical service contract with the eligible participant for the purpose of assisting in the planning, design, or installation of an eligible practice.

Cooperative Conservation Partnership Initiative – To work with eligible partners to provide assistance to producers enrolled in conservation programs (except for easements and reserve program) that will enhance conservation outcomes on agricultural and nonindustrial private forest land. Purposes include – addressing local, state, multi-state or regional conservation priorities; encouraging producers to cooperate in the installation and maintenance of conservation practices that affect multiple operations; and promoting the development and demonstration of innovative conservation practices and delivery methods. Eligible Partners—states and local governments, Indian tribes, producer association, farmer cooperatives, institutions of higher education, nongovernmental organizations. Funding—6 percent of funding for conservation programs held for this initiative.

Voluntary Public Access and Habitat Incentive Program – The Secretary may provide grants to encourage forest landowners to make their property available for public access for wildlife-dependent recreation purposes. $50 million is provided through the CCC for the fiscal period 2009 through 2012.

Environmental Services Market – USDA to establish a framework to measure environmental service benefits from conservation and land management activities. Guidelines are to be developed for measuring environmental service benefits, protocols for reporting benefits, and a registry to record and maintain benefits measured. In developing these guidelines, the Secretary’s consultations shall include forestry producers and the private sector.

TITLE VII: RESEARCH
CSREES to become part of National Institute of Food and Agriculture – Combines various research agencies into the offices of one undersecretary. Reauthorizes the former Cooperative State Research, Education, and Extension Service as the National Institute of Food and Agriculture (NIFA) to be responsible for the management of USDA research, extension and education programs. Emphasis is placed on competitive research grants. Reorganization to be fully implemented by October 1, 2009.

TITLE VIII: FORESTRY
National Priorities for Private Forest Conservation – establishes three national private forest conservation priorities for funding under the Cooperative Forestry Assistance Act (CFAA):

1. Conserving and managing working forests for multiple values and uses.
2. Protecting and restoring forests from a range of threats and restoring appropriate forest types in response to such threats.
3. Enhancing public benefits from private forests.

Establishes Long-term Statewide Assessments and Strategies for Forest Resources – Requires states, in order to be eligible for funding under the Cooperative Forestry Assistance Act , to develop and submit to the Secretary of Agriculture (1) a statewide assessment of forest resource conditions, trends, threats; (2) a strategy for addressing threats to forest resources; and, (3) a description of resources needed from all sources to address the strategy. Assessments are to be coordinated among state forester, state forest stewardship coordinating committee, state wildlife agency and state technical committee. An annual report on use of funds is required. Authorization is for an appropriation of up to a total of $10,000,000 for each of fiscal years 2008 through 2012.

Community Forest and Open Space Program – Establishes a grant program to provide federal matching grants to help local governments, tribes, or NGOs acquire private forests that are threatened by conversion to non-forest uses and are intended to provide public benefits to communities. Authorization provides wording for annual appropriation levels as “such sums as may be necessary”.

Assistance to the Federated States of Micronesia, the Republic of the Marshall Islands, and the Republic of Palau – Amends CFAA to reflect trust territory status.

Office of International Forestry – Reauthorizes the Forest Service office through 2012.

Changes to the Forest Resources Coordinating Committee – Establishes the Forest Resource Coordinating Committee at Secretary level to coordinate private non-industrial forestry activities within USDA and with the private sector. The coordinating committee includes the chiefs of Forest Service and NRCS, administrators of FSA and CSREES, and a representative from a State Technical Committee, a land grant university, three state foresters, an owner of nonindustrial private land, a conservation organization, a state wildlife agency, a forest industry representative, and a private forestry consultant.

Changes to the State Forest Stewardship Committee – Replaces requirement for a statewide Forest Stewardship Plan with Statewide Assessment and Strategies for Forest Resources. State committees make recommendations on the Statewide assessment. Adds a State Technical Committee representative.

Competition in Programs Under Cooperative Forestry Assistance Act of 1978 – Requires a portion of CFAA funds, as determined by the Secretary, be available competitively to State Foresters. State Foresters are the only eligible entity. Secretary to consult with new Forest Resource Coordinating Committee to determine competitive allocation of funds.

Cooperative Forest Innovation Partnership Grants – Secretary is authorized to competitively allocate not more than 5% of CFAA funds to support innovative national, regional, or local education, outreach, or technology projects that would increase the ability of USDA to address national priorities. Eligible project entities include: state and local governments, Indian tribes, land-grant colleges, and private entities.

Emergency Forest Restoration Program – Authorizes the Secretary to make 75% cost-share payments to an owner of non-industrial private forest land who carries out emergency measures to restore the land after it is damaged by a natural disaster. Authorization of such sums as may be necessary.

Prevention of Illegal Logging Practices – Amends the Lacey Act Amendments of 1981 to require USDA and other agencies to enforce foreign and state laws regarding the illegal taking of plants (primarily trees and their products), require an import declaration for any plants, conduct a review of the declaration requirements and report to Congress.

Healthy Forest Reserve Program – Reauthorizes the program through 2012. Commodity Credit Corporation (CCC) funding in the amount of $9.75 million are provided in each of fiscal years FY2009-FY2012. Deletes the enrollment cap and provides that forest land may also be enrolled through permanent easements.

Hispanic-Serving Institution Agricultural Land National Resources Leadership Program – Secretary is authorized to provide competitive grants to Hispanic serving institutions for scholarships in Forestry.  Authorizes such funds as appropriate for FY2008-2012.

Cultural and Heritage Cooperation Authority – Authorizes the reburial of human remains and cultural items on National Forest System land. Authorizes the Secretary to allow, to the maximum extent practicable, access to NFS land by Indians and Indian tribes for traditional and cultural purposes and preserves all existing rights and agreements among tribes and the Forest Service.

TITLE IX: ENERGY
Definitions – Includes a definition of renewable biomass that is broadly inclusive of materials. On private lands, renewable biomass is defined as any organic matter that is available on a renewable or recurring bases, including trees. On public lands, renewable biomass is defined as byproducts of preventive treatments that would not otherwise be used for higher value products and harvested pursuant to applicable laws. (Note: This definition applies only to Farm Bill Energy Title programs and does not amend the definition under the Renewable Fuels Standard passed in December, 2007).

Biomass Crop Assistance Program – Authorizes the Secretary to support establishment and production of eligible crops for energy in selected areas including assistance to landowners to harvest, store, and transport eligible material to conversion facilities. Non-industrial private forest land not otherwise enrolled in certain federal programs may qualify for recovering up to 75% of the cost to establish eligible crops including site preparation, harvest, storage, and transportation costs. Forest landowners must have a Forest Stewardship Plan or equivalent.

Forest Biomass for Energy – Directs the Secretary, through the Forest Service, to conduct a competitive research and development program to encourage the use of forest biomass for energy. Authorization of $15 million for each of fiscal years 2009 through 2012.

Community Wood Energy – The Biomass Research and Development Act of 2000 is repealed and the Forest Service is authorized to establish a grant program to promote the development of wood-based energy systems that service pubic facilitates owned or operated by state or local governments. Competitive grants are for up to $50,000 per recipient and applicants must also develop a community wood energy plan to qualify for the matching grant. Funding is authorized for $5 million annually 2009 through 2012.

TITLE XV – TRADE AND TAX PROVISIONS
Endangered Species Habitat Recovery Tax Treatment – Starting in 2009, landowners may deduct expenses associated with management actions that implement recovery plans on some lands, but this does not include forest lands.

Temporary Reduction in Rate of Tax on Qualified Timber Gain of Corporations – Timber owners may elect to deduct from gross income 60% of qualified timber gain from the sale of timber held for more than one year. Revises timber real estate investment trust (REIT) rules for timber property to 1) clarify that gains from the sale of timber held for less than one year is qualifying income 2) provide that mineral royalty income is qualified income 3) change the taxable REIT subsidiary asset test for timber REITs from 20% to 25%, and 4) makes changes to the safe harbors for timber property sales.

Cellulosic Biofuel Production Tax Credit – Establishes a $1.01/gallon tax credit for producers of cellulosic biofuels to be effecting for 2009.

Qualified Forestry Conservation Bonds – Establishes a national program for the issuance of tax-exempt timber conservation bonds to provide revenue for acquisition of forest lands with restrictions to ensure perpetual conservation. Some portion of the land must be adjacent to Forest Service lands, at least half of the land must be transferred to the Forest Service at no net cost to the United States, and acquisitions must be at least 40,000 acres.Bonds may be issued by a State or political subdivision as well as non-profit organizations. The national bond limitation is $500 million.

> > > > >

This summary (June, 2008) is offered only as a preliminary first look at the recently passed legislation. Additional reviews and study of the 2008 Farm Bill will result in further interpretations and details. Many questions and details on how the provisions will be implementation will evolve during formal rule making and the issuance of administrative guidance.

If you want additional information—such as section-by-section highlights or to review the complete text of the legislation—they are available from the House Agriculture Committee’s Farm Bill webpage at http://agriculture.house.gov/inside/FarmBill.html.