BISMARCK, N.D. (AP) U.S. Sen. John Hoeven says the Natural Resources Conservation Service will restrict the duties of workers aligned with conservation groups and enable farm groups to also bid for those positions.
The North Dakota Grain Growers Association last fall criticized NRCS for using Ducks Unlimited personnel, saying the relationship might give Ducks Unlimited undue influence. Ducks Unlimited rejected that notion.
Hoeven says NRCS contracts with conservation groups now will ensure that those workers help only with program enrollment and technical assistance and not on issues dealing with program funding and compliance.
Grain Growers Executive Director Dan Wogsland calls it a good first step but says Ducks Unlimited staffers shouldn't be in NRCS offices at all.
Johann Walker with Ducks Unlimited says the contract change makes official what was already in practice.