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Regulatory changes in the Environmental Protection Agency's process for reviewing pesticides in accordance with provisions of the Endangered Species Act may be helpful to agriculture. The regulations, designed to make the Endangered Species Act more efficient and timely and to improve the protection of endangered/threatened species, were released in January. The EPA consult with FWS before making pesticide-related decisions in order to work out differences before regulations are issued. The problem was that the Fish and Wildlife Services, according to a General Accounting Office report, had been unable to complete consultations in a timely manner.

The article focuses on the decision of U.S. Bureau of Reclamation (BOR) officials to maintain a continuous flow of water in the Rio Grande River of New Mexico and Texas until mid-June 2014. Topics discussed include the plan of federal engineers to release supplemental water stored in reservoirs upstream to keep the water flowing in the said river, and the concern for minnow population.

The article reports that several oil and gas companies have enrolled nearly 1.5 million acres of land under the Lesser Prairie-Chicken Range-wide Conservation Plan which aimed to conserve lesser prairie-chicken. It states that the plan was developed by the Western Association of Fish and Wildlife Agencies (WAFWA) and state wildlife agencies in the U.S. Among the companies that enrolled include the Continental Resources, Apache Corp., and Devon Energy.

The article cites the continuing appeal of the U.S. Department of Agriculture's (USDA) Conservation Reservation Program (CRP)after receiving nearly 28,000 offers on more than 1.9 million acres of land for the voluntary programs for soil, water and wildlife conservation. It says that CRP lands, for 27 years, had helped in conserving the nation's resources and in playing a part in the mitigation of climate change. It says that the CRP sequesters more carbon dioxide than any conservation program.

The article examines several factors to consider in establishing planting food plots for deers and other wildlife creatures. Soils that remain wet are not recommended for most food plots wherein the slopes should not be greater than five percent. Most food plots are planted during the month of September to be used during fall and winter.

The article reports on the establishment of the Rolling Plains Quail Research Ranch by the Rolling Plains Quail Research Foundation to be used as a habitat for wild bobwhite quail in West Texas. The main goal of the foundation is to determine the best management practices for the preservation of wild bobwhite quail. Wildlife specialist Dale Rollins explains that the foundation wants to preserve the legacy of quail and quail hunting through the 21st century.

The article reports on the Conservation Reserve Program (CP33) of the United States Department of Agriculture's Farm Service Agency. CP33 offers a signup bonus for farmers who enroll a part of their crop fields to set aside habitat for northern bobwhite quail and other songbirds. Don McKenzie, coordinator of the Northern Bobwhite Conservation Initiative, discussed recovery goals and the quail community monitoring population.

This article reports that the efforts to restore wild turkey populations across North America have been met with phenomenal success. However, according to biologists for the National Wild Turkey Federation (NWTF), habitat improvement programs targeted to specific regions also are important in maintaining and improving these populations. The aim of the habitat program titled "Operation SOS," instituted by NWTF, is to plant trees that provide long-term habitat enhancement to help wild turkeys survive the cold winters in the northern part of their range.

This article reports that signups for three federal conservation cost-share programs is now in progress. The signups will continue from October 1, 2005 through January 13, 2005. The programs are administered through the U.S. Department of Agriculture's Natural Resources Conservation Service. The programs are: the Environmental Quality Incentives Program (EQIP), Wildlife Habitat Incentives Program, and Wetlands Reserve Program (WRP). EQIP addresses such concerns as soil productivity, prescribed grazing, animal waste, and forestry concerns. WRP offers an opportunity for landowners to voluntarily enhance wetlands on their property.

Reports on the introduction of Threatened Endangered Species Recovery Act of 2005, a revision of the Endangered Species Act of 1973, by California Representative Richard W. Pombo. Scope and coverage; Limitations of the original legislation; Complaints by critics that the new legislation would weaken the current law.

Focuses on the protection of endangered species by farmers in the U.S. Efforts to save the red cockaded woodpecker; Importance of habitat agricultural lands.

This article presents the author's view on the proposal in Wisconsin to allow hunters to shoot cats roaming around without collars. The author says that he learned wildlife conservation lessons in his childhood without knowing. His mom's rule prevented him from decimating the songbird population with his small-gauge shotguns and .22 rifles. And his dad taught him to leave a covey of quail alone if the numbers dropped below a half-dozen. The author proposes that if the scheme becomes law, legislators should tack on an amendment i.e. his mom's Rule. No one should be allowed to shoot a cat, except when under attack by same, unless he's willing to clean, cook and consume it.