[Federal Register Volume 69, Number 39 (Friday, February 27, 2004)]
[Rules and Regulations]
[Pages 9299-9300]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 04-4323]


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DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE

Natural Resources Conservation Service


Notice of Publication of the National Animal Agriculture 
Conservation Framework (NAACF)

AGENCY: Natural Resources Conservation Service, USDA.

ACTION: Notice of publication.

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SUMMARY: The Natural Resources Conservation Service is announcing the 
publication of the National Animal Agriculture Conservation Framework 
(NAACF). The NAACF presents a blueprint for assisting livestock and 
poultry producers with their voluntary, proactive efforts to foster 
environmentally sound and economically viable production.
    Location of the Document: The document can be found on the NRCS 
Homepage at: http://www.nrcs.usda.gov/programs/afo, or can be obtained 
by hard copy from the contact address listed.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION, CONTACT: Address all requests and comments to: 
Angel L. Figueroa, Natural Resources Specialist, Natural Resources 
Conservation Service, 5601 Sunnyside Avenue, Stop Code 5473, 
Beltsville, Maryland 20705; telephone: (301) 504-2225; fax: (301) 504-
2264; e-mail: [email protected].

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: Addressing the conservation needs of 
America's livestock and poultry producers is a public policy priority. 
The 2002 Farm Bill made clear that producers should receive assistance 
to improve their operations' environmental performance, address 
Federal, tribal, State, and local environmental regulatory 
requirements, and maintain economically viable operations.
    In January 2003, the NRCS Chief called for NRCS State 
Conservationists to work with their State Technical Committees to 
develop State Frameworks, with the objective of meeting the 
conservation challenges facing animal agriculture over the next 10 to 
15 years. These State frameworks provided the foundation for the 
development of the NAACF. The NAACF recognizes that meaningful action 
will take place on farms and ranches across the Nation, and that 
programmatic objectives and concrete goals appropriately be established 
at the local level in a manner consistent with the authorized and 
required purposes and objectives of the underlying programs. The NAACF 
also envisions that these locally established goals,

[[Page 9300]]

consistent with the underlying national guidance, will become NRCS 
objectives through established agency planning processes that build 
State and national priorities from local input.
    The NAACF presents a blueprint for voluntary, proactive efforts to 
foster environmentally sound and economically viable livestock and 
poultry production. It envisions collaboration among Federal, tribal, 
State, and local governments, producers, the public, and the private 
sector to bring the initiative, resources, and commitment to support 
environmental stewardship in animal agriculture. Four objectives guide 
this blueprint:
     Helping producers to meet environmental regulatory 
requirements;
     Helping producers reduce the need for further regulation 
through flexible, results-based multi-natural resource solutions;
     Promoting innovation and market-based opportunities; and
     Sharing knowledge and increasing accountability.
    NRCS is committed to working effectively with its current partners 
in the agricultural and environmental communities, and bringing new 
partners to the table, to develop and implement approaches to help the 
Nation's livestock and poultry producers achieve environmental and 
economic objectives. The NAACF is intended to be a representation of 
NRCS'' commitment to this critical conservation opportunity.

    Signed in Washington, DC, on February 11, 2004.
Bruce I. Knight,
Chief, Natural Resources Conservation Service.
[FR Doc. 04-4323 Filed 2-26-04; 8:45 am]
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