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Eastern Plains RC&D Area Newsletter working together for the future January 2004

Second “Gateway to Opportunity” Held

A “Taste of the MonDak Region” on Tuesday evening, January 6th, in Glendive kicked-off the second annual “Gateway to Opportunity,” a forum offering workshops and exhibits to promote regional economic develop-ment in eastern Montana and western North Dakota. The event was down in numbers due to the subzero weather and bad roads, but those that attended were not disappointed.

Tasting of the regional foods and beverages received rave reviews on Tuesday evening at the Eastern Plains Events Center (EPEC) in Glendive. Participants sampled wines from Culbertson, MT, and Burlington, ND; bison chili from Melstone; lefse from Opheim; Honey Lovers Chocolate from Shields, ND; Yellowstone caviar; Wheat Montana breads; goat cheese from Belgrade, MT; Rocky Mountain Roasting Co. coffee; Big Sky Teas; Chuck and James granola; Cottonwood Creek Ranches sausages and jerky, mustards, ketchups and dipping sauces; and more. The evening also offered a special regional Lewis and Clark tourism forum that was well attended.

On Wednesday, January 7th, forty-two seminars were offered with seven choices every hour starting at 8:30 a.m. at Dawson Community College. Topic categories included value-added agriculture and alterna-tive crops, alternative energy develop-ment, business skills and marketing, recreation and tourism, information technology/e-commerce, and ideas, innovations and inventions

This two-day event included a beef buffet luncheon on Wednesday, January 7th, and a welcome from Miss Montana, a visit from a Teddy Roosevelt (Bully!), and exhibits at the Eastern Plains Events Center in Glendive.

Plan to attend the next “Gateway to Opportunity” on January 5-6, 2005, at Dickinson State University.

Eastern Plains RC&D

Annual Council Meeting Scheduled in Sidney on Wednesday, January 21st

The annual council meeting of the Eastern Plains Resource Conservation and Development Area, Inc. is scheduled at the Elks Club in Sidney on January 21st, beginning at 10 a.m. Agenda items include an update on RC&D activities, election of council chairman and secretary for 2-year terms, and an endowment luncheon at noon. Reservations for the luncheon should be called to the RC&D office by January 16th.

Dr. Jon A (Tony) Rudbach, Assistant Vice President for Research and Economic Development at the University of Montana in Missoula will speak on “Bridging the Economies of Denmark and Sweden to Eastern Montana” following the luncheon.

According to Dr. Rudbach, “A bridge was opened in the summer of 2000, linking Denmark with Sweden. On either side of this bridge, an economic corridor has grown with new businesses and jobs created in information technology, food processing (value-added agriculture), medicine/biotechnology, and environmental sciences. Since a large part of the Scandinavian served by this corridor has rural agricultural similarities to eastern Montana, and since in the years since 2000, the economy of this region has become one of the most prosperous in Europe, a study was undertaken to discover the key success factors involved and to bring the lessons back to Montana. Recommenda-tions from this research might be implemented in Montana to effect economic expansion.”

27th Annual Western RC&D Association Conference Scheduled

The North Dakota RC&D Association will host the 27th Annual Western RC&D Association Conference on January 25-28, 2004, at the Ramkota Hotel in Bismarck, North Dakota. The Western RC&D Association serves RC&Ds from Arizona, Colorado, Idaho, Montana, Nebraska, Nevada, New Mexico, North Dakota, South Dakota, Utah, and Wyoming.

Speakers will have messages to help RC&D councils and communities upon their return home. Speaker topics will include information to help our rural communities. Topics include an international perspective of community tourism, board development, liability concerns for alternative agriculture, workforce training, nonprofit management, community planning, interpretive training for nature-based tourism, and the Firewise National Fire Plan. Entertainment will include the portrayal of Lewis & Clark’s experience and life in North Dakota.

A fun fund-raising event is planned and each council has been asked to donate two auction items as well as a door prize or two. In the past, gifts provided by this RC&D were representative of or made in eastern Montana. If you have items available for this purpose, please contact the RC&D office. Funds raised are used for activities of the Western RC&D Association.

Council members that plan to attend need a letter of designation for voting at the business meeting. A block of rooms has been reserved for this conference at a special group rate until January 10th at the Ramkota Hotel (701-258-7700).

Chairman’s Letter

"Grant me the strength to change that which should be changed, the patience to bear that which can’t be changed, and the wisdom to know the difference."

We have all heard this many times. But let me put it in a new light. Atti-tude is more important than the past, than education, than money, than circumstances, than what other people think or say or do. It is more import-ant than appearance, giftedness or skill. It will make or break an organization, a company, a church, or a home.

The remarkable thing is–we have a choice every day regarding the attitude we will embrace for that day. We cannot change the past. We cannot change the fact that people will act in a certain way. We cannot change the inevitable. The only thing we can do is have the strength to change that which can be changed, and that is our attitude.

What is RC&D?

By working together on local RC&D Councils, communities, all levels of government, and grass-roots organizations develop opportunities that sustain and improve our communities, local economies, and natural resources.

RC&D stands for Resource Conservation and Development. The purpose of the RC&D Program is to encourage and improve the capability of volunteer local elected and civic leaders in designated RC&D Areas to plan and carry out projects for resource conservation and community development.

RC&D is a way for people to work together to plan and carry out activities that will make their area a better place to live. Such activities lead to sustainable communities, prudent land use and the sound management and conservation of natural resources.

Program objectives focus on “the quality of life” improvements achieved through natural resources conservation and community development.

RC&D COUNCILS

Resource Conservation and Development (RC&D) Councils play an important role in the conservation, development, and utilization of natural resources. RC&D Councils work to improve the general level of economic activity and to enhance the environment and standard of living in all communities. Councils provide a system of rural development to encourage the wise use of natural resources, and improve the quality of life in America.

Congress created this public/private partnership as a way of engaging local leaders to promote their local economy by leveraging limited federal dollars.

Councils provide a focal point of local leadership and bring together private citizens and local, state and federal agencies to improve the economic, social and environmental well-being of their area.

The USDA Secretary of Agriculture has designated 375 RC&D Areas. Designated RC&D Areas serve 85% of U.S. counties. Currently 32 more areas have pending applications to become a designated RC&D area.

Each RC&D Council is organized and directed by local people to meet local needs. The average RC&D Area covers 7 counties and the average RC&D Council has 14 sponsors. Nearly half of the Councils members are locally elected officials such as mayors, judges, or commissioners. All Council members serve as volunteers.

All RC&D Councils have Area Plans defining their goals and objectives. Councils serve as a conduit for USDA Programs that assist in Area Plan implementation. Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS) provides a full-time coordinator for each authorized RC&D Council.

RC&D PROGRAM

Resource Conservation and Development (RC&D) is a program of the United States Department of Agriculture. It was created by a provision of the Food and Agriculture Act of 1962. The Secretary of Agriculture gave the Natural Resources Conservation Service responsibility for administering the program. RC&D is based on the assumption that local citizens, with help provided through the USDA, can develop and carry out an action-oriented plan for the social, economic and environmental enrichment of their communities.

The purpose of the Resource Conservation and Development Program is to promote conservation, development, and utilization of natural resources; to improve the general level of economic activity; and to enhance the environment and standard of living in all communities. The aim is to provide a system of rural development, encourage the wise use of natural resources, and improve the quality of life in America.

The RC&D Program is based on a number of concepts that make it a truly unique government program. These concepts include:

• The value of public/private partnerships in making the best use of limited resources

• The value of grass-roots involvement in making decisions about local areas

• Bringing USDA Agencies together to focus on the same problems and opportunities

• Leveraging limited federal dollars with private funds to accomplish goals

• Working toward the goal of community sustainability

• Achieving a balance between rural economic development and natural resources protection

The RC&D Program identifies and solves problems in rural communities that include human, economic and environmental issues. RC&D addresses local problems by obtaining assistance from the private sector, corporations, foundations and all levels of government.

The Secretary of Agriculture, through authorities delegated to the NRCS and other USDA Agencies, makes available the technical and financial assistance to operate and maintain an RC&D area to states, local units of governments, and local nonprofit organizations. This assistance is available from NRCS to implement projects adopted by the local RC&D Area Council. These funds are to be used to assist councils in carrying out their area plans.

How does the 2002 Farm Bill affect the RC&D Program?

The RC&D Program is reauthor-ized in the Farm Security and Rural Investment Act of 2002 (The Farm Bill). Significant changes to the Statute include:

• Permanent authorization of the RC&D Program

• More accurate description of the program as it currently operates

• Additions of the role and definition of an RC&D Council

• Acknowledgment of participation by Tribes in the program

• A requirement that a program evaluation and report to the Congressional committees of Jurisdiction be made by June 30, 2005.

Is RC&D a federal program or a local one?

RC&D is a local program. The local RC&D council makes decisions. A RC&D Council may have represent-atives from County Governments, Municipalities, State Agencies, Comprehensive Planning Agencies, local, non-profit organizations, Conservation Districts and local interested citizens. RC&D Councils do receive federal funds and technical assistance. The Natural Resources Conservation Service provides leadership within the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) for the RC&D program.

Why the emphasis on natural resources?

Utilization of the resources at hand, both natural and human, is central to the RC&D approach. Many resources are renewable – that is, they continue to replenish themselves if managed properly. Communities can acquire immediate benefits from developing such resources, and continue to have the same or greater benefits year after year by conserving the resources as they develop them.
How can resource development provide more jobs for area residents?

RC&D can provide more jobs for area residents by expanding the existing economy or by stimulating new economic growth. Irrigation, for example, can add millions of dollars to farm income in some areas. Developing a dependable water supply, or protection from flooding, allows new industries to locate. The resultant factory payroll supports additional jobs in the service industries. By improving the economy, the environment, and the community facilities, an RC&D Area becomes a place where people are able to work and want to live.

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Montana Wind Working Group Meeting
to be Held February 3

Winter winds have been blowing and keeping a chilling effect on our outside ventures, but it is time to start warming things up and you couldn’t pick a better way to do it than by attending the Montana Wind Working Group seminar in Glendive.
Through a collaborative effort by several agencies and speakers, a meeting to present the prospects of wind energy development in eastern Montana and western North Dakota will be held at Dawson Community College on Tuesday, February 3rd, at 7 p.m. John Guthmiller of USDA-Rural Development will address funding available from Section 9006 of the Farm Bill. Other speakers include Larry Flowers from National Renewable Energy Laboratory and Lisa Daniels from Windustry. Additionally, Montana Secretary of State Bob Brown and several other speakers from our region will speak briefly on wind energy development and funding sources.
During the previous Farm Bill application process, the state of Minnesota was by far the most successful recipient of USDA grants, and this was specifically related to their preparedness of addressing the application process and knowing what would be needed. Our region of the country has sat on the back burner much too long and has suffered the consequences for our lack of action in developing our wind energy potential. It is time for change and action to benefit our states and region.

Two RC&D Officers to be Elected
at Annual Meeting

There are two Eastern Plains RC&D Area, Inc. officer positions that are up for nomination at the annual council meeting on January 21, 2004. These positions are Chairman and Secretary, each for a 2-year term. The current Vice-Chairman and Treasurer will continue to serve for another year.
Ray Trumpower, representing the Town of Fairview, is the current Chairman. Roger Schmidt representing Fallon County is the current Secretary. Roger recently accepted a job in Scobey and will no longer be a council member unless selected as a sponsor representative from Daniels County.
Any council member wishing to serve on the nominating committee or to nominate another council member for either office is requested to notify Marilyn at the RC&D office. Nominations from the floor will also be accepted at the annual council meeting.

Before a community can build or attract economic development, it is critical to work at developing local people. Developing the community – connecting its people and its institutions – lays a base for balanced and sustainable economic development.

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