06/02/08 Sims leaving Idaho NRCS

Rich Sims will be leaving Idaho this month for a new assignment in Des Moines, Iowa. The NRCS State Conservationist for more than eight years has been transferred to the Midwest. Many Idaho producers say Sims used the 2002 Farm Bill to enhance Idaho's conservation programs. SIMS "We had to get up with staff. At the same time we had to train the staffing order to put the practices on the ground to meet our standards and specs and we still are working in some of those areas that are having water right issues and we've used many USDA programs to help resolve conflicts between landowners." Sims moved quickly to help growers as new programs or policies were adopted in Washington DC. SIMS "And I had to back up a couple of times and do some things over but I do realize that if you wait until the very end for everything to come out then you're that much behind." Idaho's new state conservationist will be Jeff Burwell who begins work on June 9th a week before Sims leaves the Boise office. SIMS "He was the state resource conservationist and was responsible for all of the technical aspects of NRCS in the state Colorado. Also he has a background in rangeland which will be fantastic for our state." Today's Idaho Ag News Bill Scott