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July 6, 2022
In this issue:
Submitted by: Lauren Bennett, Public Affairs Officer, Portland
Have you ever wondered if there are tangible, real-life improvements or concepts that were implemented at NRCS as a direct result of feedback received via the Federal Employee Viewpoint Survey (FEVS)?
The answer is YES! And the NRCS FEVS Team has compiled a list of some of those FEVS-driven improvements which are helping make NRCS a great place to work.
Below are some of the FEVS-driven actions from NRCS. You can read more details about each of these on a PDF here.
- Formed a national NRCS FEVS Committee comprised of a diverse team of employees representing all four Deputy Areas, the Office of the Regional Conservationists, and the Office of the Chief to analyze FEVS results and areas of concern
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Launched a new NRCS Employee Innovation Portal in April
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Implemented a series of Associate Chief Roundtables
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Crafted an awards reference document to facilitate use of awards as a recognition and motivation tool
- Provide reference documents on temporary promotions and details for both employees and supervisors
- Creating an NRCS SharePoint site to house key information for NRCS employees
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Development of an Advance Notice on Vacancies reference document
To those who have already completed the FEVS, thanks! But, don't worry...if you haven't yet replied, set aside 15 minutes before July 15 when it concludes and make your voice heard. Here's a hint for finding the original email: search your emails for one with this subject line “2022 OPM Federal Employee Viewpoint Survey.”
Plant the seeds of change—respond to the FEVS today!
You can learn more about FEVS on FPAC’s Workforce Engagement Sharepoint site at FEVS Administration (sharepoint.com).
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Submitted by: Lauren Bennett, Public Affairs Officer, Portland
NRCS Oregon has worked with the Regional Conservation Partnership Program since 2015. The following infographic shows high-level information from RCPP in Oregon from 2015 to now. Feel free to share and distribute. We have ordered printed copies of the infographic to use in-person, for outreach, etc. Let us know if you’d like printed copies to have or share. Download a PDF of the infographic here.
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Submitted by: Lauren Bennett, Public Affairs Officer, Portland
Twelve Tough Digs - This planner recognizes unique and challenging locations that have been investigated by soil scientists. Many of the locations are spectacular but require scientists to endure extreme conditions. Some areas are desolate and have unbearable climate, such as desert heat or arctic cold. Other areas have unforgiving landscape attributes, such as isolated mountains or dense vegetation. All of the areas required the scientists to overcome unique trials. Many of the investigations were defined by hazards and hardships. 10 copies per individual, 50 for government agencies and educational institutions.
Order copies for you and your team here: https://nrcspad.sc.egov.usda.gov/DistributionCenter/product.aspx?ProductID=1695
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Submitted by: Emma Zuber, Field Office Assistant, Deschutes SWCD
 Redmond, OR - On June 16th, 2022, Deschutes Soil and Water Conservation staff, Board of Directors, and partners met for their annual meeting. After a brief review of the annual report, work plan, and budget, they set off to the three site visits - a pump station and two landowner properties - which showcased the work of DSWCD staff and partners.
These site visits focused on an Irrigation Improvement Project on the G-4 lateral in Redmond which DSWCD, NRCS, and COID collaborated on. DSWCD completed a feasibility study through a grant, allowing DSWCD to provide technical assistance to the landowners along the lateral and assist with the design of the project. Two landowners received funding through NRCS to convert their flood irrigation systems to a sprinkler system. COID installed the pipeline of the lateral as well as the pump station that services and provides on-demand pressurized water. This project is the first within COID to convert a rotation delivery system to an on-demand system for landowners.
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Submitted by: Lauren Bennett, Public Affairs Officer, Portland
In Oregon, there are many sources of assistance available to forest landowners: expert technical advice, classes, grants and person-to-person counsel from peers – as well as online resources. This guide organizes these resources geographically and in other logical ways, for easy reference. Throughout the booklet are descriptions of each resource as well as handy contact information. Updated for 2022-2024. Developed by OFRI in cooperation with the Partnership for Forestry Education. Download the PDF or order hard copies here.
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Submitted by: Kathy Ferge, State Tribal Liaison & Outreach/Beginning Farmer Rancher, Portland
Are you new to farming or ranching, or thinking about becoming a producer? The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) is here to help. Join us online on July 12, 2022, from 10am to 12pm for Oregon USDA’s Beginning Farmer Ranchers: In The Know informational virtual event, hosted by representatives from the Oregon USDA NRCS, Farm Service Agency (FSA), Risk Management Agency (RMA) and Rural Development (RD).
In The Know connects beginning farmers with relevant USDA resources to include a variety of farm loan, risk management, disaster assistance and conservation programs to support farmers, including beginning farmers and ranchers. Additionally, a number of these programs have provisions specifically for beginning farmers, including targeted funding for loans and conservation programs, as well as waivers and exemptions.
Join the Zoom Meeting here.
View the event flyer here.
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Submitted by: Kathy Ferge, State Tribal Liaison & Outreach/Beginning Farmer Rancher, Portland
This is an event hosted by OSU Small Farms Program (Mid-Valley), Chemeketa Community College Ag. Sciences Department, and Friends of Family Farmers.
The Small Farm Social was created for our small farmers in Marion, Polk, and Yamhill counties to come together to connect with each other and learn more about local service providers. The event will be held on Wednesday, July 27th, 5:00-7:00 PM, at the Chemeketa Agriculture Complex in Salem.
This event is free for farmers and service providers.
For more information, contact Hayley White at hayley.white@oregonstate.edu or 971-612-0027.
RSVP Link
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Submitted by: Kathy Ferge, State Tribal Liaison & Outreach/Beginning Farmer Rancher, Portland
In this issue...
- Director Taylor to USDA
- Jonathan Sandau named ODA Assistant Director
- Updates from the Oregon Department of Agriculture
- Oregon Disaster Assistance Program
- Highly Pathogenic Avian Influenza
- Oregon Meat Grant
- Grant Applications Now Available for Oregon's Seafood Industry
- Oregon Hemp Program Updates
- Help Wanted
- ODA in Canada and the U.K.
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Submitted by: Kathy Ferge, State Tribal Liaison & Outreach/Beginning Farmer Rancher, Portland
Each year, the Coalition of Oregon Land Trusts (COLT) State of the Lands report celebrates the work of Oregon land trusts and the many ways members support communities and protect land for people and wildlife. This year's report is a reflection of the inspiring work across the state in 2021. Read the full report.
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Submitted by: Lauren Bennett, Public Affairs Officer, Portland
Public Comments Sought for North Unit Irrigation District Infrastructure Modernization Project
Virtual public meeting scheduled for July 25, 2022
Madras, Ore., July 6, 2022 – System modifications to improve irrigation efficiencies and promote water savings in North Unit Irrigation District are under review through a federal environmental planning process that began in October 2019.
The USDA Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS) in Oregon has reviewed the potential impacts of the North Unit Irrigation District Infrastructure Modernization Project and released a Draft Watershed Plan-Environmental Assessment (Draft Plan-EA) on July 6, 2022.
North Unit Irrigation District proposes to pipe 27.5 miles of the District-owned infrastructure (Laterals 31, 32, 34, and 43) and construct four 1,000 cubic yard retention ponds, each about 0.5 acres in size. The proposed project would improve water conservation in District-owned infrastructure and improve water supply management and delivery reliability to District patrons, in order to support drought resilience across the District.
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Submitted by: Kathy Ferge, State Tribal Liaison & Outreach/Beginning Farmer Rancher, Portland
The July NRCS Tribal Listening Circle will cover various types of funding opportunities for tribes including, but not limited to Alternative Funding Arrangements, Contribution Agreements, and more. The session runs from 11:30 to 1:30 p.m. an MS Teams meeting link is included in the meeting flyer.
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Submitted by: Cory Owens, ASTC - Partnerships, Portland
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The National Drought Mitigation Center will be hosting three webinars intended for USDA personnel, however, they are open to anyone interested in learning more about the US Drought Monitor. Each webinar will be led by a USDM author, with a focus on the process by which the map is made each week, data and information that is used, and how those within USDA can contribute input into the process.
Webinars are anticipated to last 1 hour, including time for questions and open discussion. The information and format for them will be similar, thus attendees only need to attend one, but are welcome to attend more if they’d like.
Remaining webinar:
14 July 12 pm AK / 1 pm PT / 2pm MT
Register here: https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLScOUQHMtQL7-gXGu5GMcrc6IYTsCfwOn0V-i5CUjJi3myy6-w/viewform and join these webinars via Zoom: https://unl.zoom.us/j/7249255887
For questions or assistance prior to the webinar, contact Brian Fuchs at the National Drought Mitigation Center: bfuchs2@unl.edu or 402-472-6775. Support for the sessions is provided by USDA’s Office of the Chief Economist.
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Submitted by: Lauren Bennett, Public Affairs Officer, Portland
 Attend an upcoming ezFedGrants training. Trainings will be available for Agency users as well as customers. Please share the recipient user training information with any interested customers. See the full training calendar online here.
All ezFedGrants Training will take place via Microsoft Teams. All ezFedGrants Recipient Training now takes place on Zoom. The 2022 schedule and links are available here on the eFG calendar. Reach out to ezFedGrants Help Desk at ezFedGrants-cfo@usda.gov for any questions or comments.
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Hello NRCS Oregon! I am Lucille (Lucy) Ausman, Public Affairs Specialist in the state office. My primary focus will be to support the public affairs team in internal and external agency communications. Previously, I worked as a Park Ranger and Educator in the Pacific Northwest in the Deschutes National Forest, Mount Saint Helens National Volcanic Monument, and at the Bonneville Dam in the Columbia River Gorge. This is my first position with NRCS!
I was born in Portland, Oregon and raised in Redmond, Oregon. I have family who lives across Oregon who has been in the region for five generations. I spent time away from the Pacific Northwest receiving my bachelor’s and master’s degrees in anthropology, government, and education, from Smith College in Western Massachusetts. During my studies, I also worked in India and Switzerland. I love travel but am happy to be back in Oregon enjoying the outdoors while hiking, skiing, camping, and spending time with family. I am thrilled to be serving Oregon and look forward to learning more about the work of NRCS in the region.
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Submitted by: Kathy Pendergrass, Plant Materials Specialist, Portland
 In continuing coverage of Northwest Science & Environment issues, Think Out Loud® explores how releasing a parasitic species of wasp can control an invasive fruit fly [spotted-wind Drosophila] that causes millions in damages to agricultural crops in Oregon and the rest of the U.S.
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Submitted by: Kathy Pendergrass, Plant Materials Specialist, Portland
It's never too late to celebrate...pollinator week and first official week of summer!
Pollinator week is an annual celebration in June to emphasize the importance of pollinators and their health, started by the Pollinator Partnership. To celebrate pollinator week, we’re going to share some information with you about a few of our favorite pollinators and a few others deserving recognition. June is also Pride Month, so we are going to start with a fun fact connecting pollinators and Pride!
Did you know there are pollinators named after drag queens? A new genus of soldier flies were discovered in Australia 2020 and given names that are indicative of their metallic and rainbow-colored bodies! Among Opaluma fabulosa, O. iridescens, O. opulens, O. sapphira and O. unicornis are O. rupaul, named after the drag queen RuPaul, and O. ednae, named after the Australian drag queen Dame Edna.
Read the full article by Jen Hayes posted on June 23
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Submitted by: Kathy Pendergrass, Plant Materials Specialist, Portland
When the 2020 Labor Day Fires torched more than 300,000 hectares over the span of two weeks in parts of western Oregon and Washington, they devastated communities and put the threat of west-side fires squarely into focus. A new study led by the USDA Forest Service’s Pacific Northwest Research Station examines the context surrounding the fires and offers insight into the historical role of large, high-severity fires—and the future of wildfires—west of the Cascades.
"Without a doubt, the 2020 Labor Day Fires were a significant fire event on many levels, and one that was a wake-up call for the region,” said Matthew Reilly, research forester and lead author of the study, which is published in the journal Ecosphere. “The goal of our study was to help understand how this event compared to past west-side fires so that we can help inform adaptation strategies aimed at preventing or mitigating similar events in the future.”
Contact: Matthew Reilly, matthew.reilly@usda.gov
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Submitted by: Ian Silvernail, Conservation Agronomist, Corvallis
Please send an RSVP to ian.silvernail@usda.gov to confirm your attendance.
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We encourage you to submit safety information to share in this new eNews section! NRCS Oregon’s safety committee leads are Scott Oviatt and Molly Dawson.
Learn more about staying cool in the heat:
https://www.cdc.gov/disasters/extremeheat/heattips.html
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Media Articles
The following news headlines relating to NRCS Oregon are provided for informational purposes only and do not necessarily represent the position or opinion of NRCS:
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National Bulletins
Oregon Bulletins
You can find these bulletins along with past bulletins on the SharePoint page located here.
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Your suggestions and submissions are welcome! Help us make eNews as useful as possible.
The next issue is scheduled for Wednesday, July 20.
Submissions should be made by noon on Tuesday, July 19.
Submissions should be ready to print and of interest statewide. We will review your announcement for relevance only. Please keep your submissions brief (100 words or less) and provide necessary web links.
Please make submissions through the following email only: ug-OR-nrcs-publicinfo
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