USDA: Several Agencies Working Together To Address Water Issues

The USDA says a host of federal agencies are working together to ensure everyone is on the same page when it comes to water and water conservation. Undersecretary Bill Northey told the National Association of State directors of Agriculture earlier this month that Federal Government Agencies are working to coordinate their efforts.

"In fact, kinda of bubbling out of some informal conversations we had was a gathering that we have about every month, and some times more frequently, with a group of folks that have some water responsibilities, water quality and water quantity responsibilities. We started off calling it the water sub-cabinet and maybe water task force."

Northey added besides USDA the meetings included officials from the EPA, the U.S. Geological Survey, the Army Corps of Engineers as well as Departments of Interior and Energy.

"We had some conversation just this week about how we are working together in the Chesapeake Bay area to make sure that the practices that are getting done on the farm actually get measured in the model that is run by EPA and what do we need to be able to provide to make that happen."

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