Compendium of Budget Information for the 2013 General Session

Natural Resources, Agriculture, & Environmental Quality
Appropriations Subcommittee
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Agency: Agriculture

Line Item: Resource Conservation

Function

The Resource Conservation line item encompasses three programs: Resource Conservation Administration, Conservation Commission, and Conservation Districts (CD). Most of the funds in the line item go to the 38 individual CDs or their state association, the Utah Association of Conservation Districts (UACD).

The purpose of the programs in this line item is to curb the loss of soil and water to natural erosion, human-caused pollution, and poor land use planning. There are many programs that have been developed to solve these problems. Most are voluntary and incentive-based, and most are delivered through the CDs.

Statutory Authority

The following laws govern operations in this line item:

  • UCA 4-18-4 creates the 16-member Conservation Commission as an agency of the state functioning within the Department of Agriculture and Food. UCA 4-18-5 spells out the duties of the commission. Some of these duties include:
    • Make strategies and programs to protect, conserve, utilize, and develop soil and water resources
    • Disseminate information regarding the districts' activities
    • Approve and make loans from the Agriculture Resource Development Fund for rangeland improvement, watershed development and flood prevention, cropland soil and water conservation, and energy efficient farming projects
    • Coordinate soil and water protection actions of state and other entities
    • Employ an administrator and necessary technical experts as employees
  • UCA 4-18-6.5 allows the commission to make grants to improve manure management or control runoff at animal feeding operations.
  • UCA 4-18-14 allows any conservation district to implement a Utah Conservation Corps program.
  • UCA 17A-3-Part 8 governs conservation districts. Section 805 lists the districts' functions, powers, and duties.

Intent Language

    Under the terms of 63J-1-603 of the Utah Code, the Legislature intends that appropriations provided for Resource Conservation in Item 28, Chapter 9, Laws of Utah 2011, shall not lapse at the close of FY 2012. Expenditures of these funds are limited to: Capital Equipment or Improvements $30,000; Computer Equipment/Software $25,000; Employee Training/Incentives $20,000; Equipment/Supplies $20,000; Vehicles $25,000; Special Projects/Studies $15,000.

The Legislature intends that the Department of Agriculture and Food and the Utah Association of Conservation Districts provide a detailed report to the Natural Resources, Agriculture, and Environmental Quality Appropriations Subcommittee no later than November 30, 2012 on how the funding for Agricultural Resource Development Loan (ARDL), Grazing Improvement Projects (GIP), and Conservation District support has been used.

Funding Detail

For more detail about a particular source of finance or organizational unit, click a linked entry in the left column of the table(s) below.

Sources of Finance
(click linked fund name for more info)
2009
Actual
2010
Actual
2011
Actual
2012
Actual
2013
Approp
General Fund $1,228,100 $1,130,200 $1,131,800 $1,130,800 $1,134,300
General Fund, One-time $0 $97,100 $0 $0 $0
Dedicated Credits Revenue $300 $400 $700 $400 $0
Agri Resource Development $386,100 $386,100 $386,100 $386,100 $386,100
Utah Rural Rehab Loan State Fund $0 $0 $0 $122,700 $0
Transfers $0 $0 $0 $0 $122,700
Beginning Nonlapsing $0 $48,000 $43,700 $27,200 $0
Closing Nonlapsing ($48,000) ($43,700) ($27,200) ($44,300) $0
Lapsing Balance ($2,300) ($2,300) $0 ($36,200) $0
Total
$1,564,200
$1,615,800
$1,535,100
$1,586,700
$1,643,100
Programs:
(click linked program name to drill-down)
2009
Actual
2010
Actual
2011
Actual
2012
Actual
2013
Approp
Resource Conservation Administration $129,900 $184,700 $163,400 $201,300 $298,100
Conservation Commission $8,800 $8,000 $10,700 $8,400 $10,000
Resource Conservation $1,425,500 $1,423,100 $1,361,000 $1,377,000 $1,335,000
Total
$1,564,200
$1,615,800
$1,535,100
$1,586,700
$1,643,100
Categories of Expenditure
(mouse-over category name for definition)
2009
Actual
2010
Actual
2011
Actual
2012
Actual
2013
Approp
Personnel Services $208,200 $228,900 $229,300 $250,400 $352,400
In-state Travel $51,000 $69,600 $57,600 $77,000 $53,000
Out-of-state Travel $300 $1,900 $2,100 $3,800 $2,100
Current Expense $19,000 $26,200 $19,600 $28,800 $13,800
DP Current Expense $800 $2,600 $400 $300 $400
Other Charges/Pass Thru $1,284,900 $1,286,600 $1,226,100 $1,226,400 $1,221,400
Total
$1,564,200
$1,615,800
$1,535,100
$1,586,700
$1,643,100
Other Indicators
2009
Actual
2010
Actual
2011
Actual
2012
Actual
2013
Approp
Budgeted FTE 1.6 2.0 2.0 2.0 3.0
Actual FTE 1.6 2.0 1.9 1.9 0.0






Subcommittee Table of Contents

Program: Resource Conservation Administration

Function

The Resource Conservation Administration program complies with the department's mandate (UCA 4-2-2(1)(o)) to "assist the Conservation Commission in the administration of [the Conservation Commission Act] and administer and disburse any funds which are available for the purpose of assisting conservation districts." In other words, this program provides administrative support to the Conservation Commission.

Even-numbered years elections are held in each of the 38 conservation districts. Funds are provided each year, but are held during non-election years in a nonlapsing account.

Funding Detail

Most of the resources in this program come from the General Fund. The small appropriation from the Agriculture Resource Development Fund is used to cover costs of technical support to the Agricultural Resource Development Loan (ARDL) program.

Sources of Finance
(click linked fund name for more info)
2009
Actual
2010
Actual
2011
Actual
2012
Actual
2013
Approp
General Fund $170,000 $170,100 $171,700 $156,800 $169,700
General Fund, One-time $0 ($900) $0 $0 $0
Agri Resource Development $5,700 $5,700 $5,700 $5,700 $5,700
Utah Rural Rehab Loan State Fund $0 $0 $0 $122,700 $0
Transfers $0 $0 $0 $0 $122,700
Beginning Nonlapsing $0 $48,000 $43,700 $27,200 $0
Closing Nonlapsing ($44,500) ($37,000) ($57,700) ($74,900) $0
Lapsing Balance ($1,300) ($1,200) $0 ($36,200) $0
Total
$129,900
$184,700
$163,400
$201,300
$298,100
Categories of Expenditure
(mouse-over category name for definition)
2009
Actual
2010
Actual
2011
Actual
2012
Actual
2013
Approp
Personnel Services $120,100 $153,800 $143,400 $165,700 $278,000
In-state Travel $2,100 $10,100 $4,200 $11,200 $4,200
Out-of-state Travel $300 $1,900 $2,100 $3,800 $2,100
Current Expense $6,600 $16,300 $13,300 $20,300 $13,400
DP Current Expense $800 $2,600 $400 $300 $400
Total
$129,900
$184,700
$163,400
$201,300
$298,100
Other Indicators
2009
Actual
2010
Actual
2011
Actual
2012
Actual
2013
Approp
Budgeted FTE 1.6 2.0 2.0 2.0 3.0
Actual FTE 1.6 2.0 1.9 1.9 0.0






Subcommittee Table of Contents

Program: Conservation Commission

Function

The Conservation Commission funds the per diems of seven Conservation District supervisors who sit on the Conservation Commission (UCA 4-18-4). Each Conservation District has five locally elected individuals serving as supervisors, from whom the members of the Conservation Commission are chosen.

Funding Detail

Sources of Finance
(click linked fund name for more info)
2009
Actual
2010
Actual
2011
Actual
2012
Actual
2013
Approp
General Fund $8,800 $8,800 $8,800 $12,100 $10,000
Closing Nonlapsing $0 ($800) $1,900 ($3,700) $0
Total
$8,800
$8,000
$10,700
$8,400
$10,000
Categories of Expenditure
(mouse-over category name for definition)
2009
Actual
2010
Actual
2011
Actual
2012
Actual
2013
Approp
Personnel Services $2,700 $2,200 $2,800 $2,100 $6,600
In-state Travel $6,000 $5,600 $7,900 $6,300 $3,300
Current Expense $100 $200 $0 $0 $100
Total
$8,800
$8,000
$10,700
$8,400
$10,000
Subcommittee Table of Contents

Program: Resource Conservation

Function

The Resource Conservation program channels funds (pass-through) by direct payment of contracts to individual Conservation Districts (CD) and/or Utah Association of Conservation Districts to fulfill CD statutory duties relative to soil and water conservation (see UCA 17A-3-805). CDs have no taxing authority. They depend on the Conservation Commission for their board of directors, elections, and accountability.

Funding Detail

Sources of Finance
(click linked fund name for more info)
2009
Actual
2010
Actual
2011
Actual
2012
Actual
2013
Approp
General Fund $1,049,300 $951,300 $951,300 $961,900 $954,600
General Fund, One-time $0 $98,000 $0 $0 $0
Dedicated Credits Revenue $300 $400 $700 $400 $0
Agri Resource Development $380,400 $380,400 $380,400 $380,400 $380,400
Closing Nonlapsing ($3,500) ($5,900) $28,600 $34,300 $0
Lapsing Balance ($1,000) ($1,100) $0 $0 $0
Total
$1,425,500
$1,423,100
$1,361,000
$1,377,000
$1,335,000
Categories of Expenditure
(mouse-over category name for definition)
2009
Actual
2010
Actual
2011
Actual
2012
Actual
2013
Approp
Personnel Services $85,400 $72,900 $83,100 $82,600 $67,800
In-state Travel $42,900 $53,900 $45,500 $59,500 $45,500
Current Expense $12,300 $9,700 $6,300 $8,500 $300
Other Charges/Pass Thru $1,284,900 $1,286,600 $1,226,100 $1,226,400 $1,221,400
Total
$1,425,500
$1,423,100
$1,361,000
$1,377,000
$1,335,000
Subcommittee Table of Contents
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COBI contains unaudited data as presented to the Legislature by state agencies at the time of publication. For audited financial data see the State of Utah's Comprehensive Annual Financial Reports.