September 23, 2006

Best Kept Secret

Agriculture is sure a mess. There is so much bureaucracy involved in agriculture and land management that it seems to be the number one growth industry in rural counties. The Oregon Association of Resource, Conservation and Development Districts met in Klamath Falls the past two days to discuss the success and future of the program. Staffed by the National Resources Conservation Service in the US Department of Agriculture, the RC&Ds function to provide logistics for locally originated land use projects. Dr. Lenny participates, because it is a mechanism to replace dollars to his community while the timber beasts are grappling with the enviro beasts.

The projects span from small diameter wood utilization to EWEB water sharings programs to just simply connecting people. RC&D are non-profits with local boards - they can be partners, fiscal agents or facilitators. The featured speakers at the meeting were a green development company and an architect discussing sustainable development. Understanding urban issues is highly important for rural communities, because empathy will be necessary as we watch them starve. These were good discussions by active people - RC&D will soon offer a mechanism of delivery for farm energy audits, a requirement for future federal ag grants.

There were also some very pointed comments. Trying to keep people on time was like loading jack-rabbits onto a flatbed. Talking to the legislators about rural issues is important because if you're not at the table, you're part of the menu. I kinda think we the people have been the entree, main course and desert for quite a while. The RC&D budget has been underfunded by about $20M in the 2007 Farm Bill, pending further DC shinanegans. Dr. lenny pointed out that this was hardly incentive for communities to work harder to chase fewer dollars. It also requires major league homework. When the government (and the govt. schools) want we the people and our kids to do more and more for less and less - isn't it time to start not taking their money or their guff and doing things an alternative way.

i expect all infrastructure money will be gone shortly after this election season and jomama's the only one with a donkey ready. dr. lenny is working to get his area ready - tap into your local RC&D and find out what you can do to help in your community. Let's redile the world portrait.

1 comment:

Vache Folle said...

The RC&D program sounds pretty good. Do you really need the USDA in the mix, though?