Why VSP is Important to You

The Voluntary Stewardship Program (VSP) is an alternative approach counties can use to address and protect critical areas when they occur on agricultural lands.  The objective is to maintain the current approach of Voluntary stewardship as a means of protecting critical areas while maintaining agricultural viability.  Taking this approach places high value on working closely with stakeholders on grass roots approaches to VSP plan development.

The Grant County Conservation District has facilitated the formation of the Grant County VSP planning group which is comprised of Ag producers and various Ag organizations and resource agencies in the County.  The planning group is responsible for developing the VSP plan and monitoring implementation of the VSP plan.  Agricultural producers, processors, Ag service providers, and conservation groups are encouraged to get involved in VSP plan development.
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In order to make this successful, we will need the support and participation of the agricultural community.  The ability to demonstrate that agriculture in Grant County is capable of protecting critical areas using a voluntary approach will be critical to success.  This bottom up approach to VSP plan development is the approach that we believe best serves the interests of agriculture in the Columbia Basin.  It is our intent to develop a VSP plan that puts emphasis on maintaining agricultural viability while meeting the requirements of VSP.
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The VSP Workgroup has held two meetings with the next meeting scheduled for October 24, 2016, 3:30 to 5:30 PM at the Washington State Potato Commission conference room.

Check the Grant County Conservation District website at columbiabasincds.org/vsp to find out more details.  We encourage you to drop by our office or give us a call to discuss how important your participation can be: 1107 S Juniper Drive, Moses Lake , WA  98837 * 509-765-9618, Monday-Friday 8-5.

Community Meetings are Set

Producers will play a critical role in planning and implementing the Voluntary Stewardship Program.  Showing that current farming activities and conservation work being implemented on a voluntary basis worked historically.  The only way for the VSP process will succeed in Grant County is through participation by producers.  Establishing benchmarks and implementation goals is a key component of the VSP plan.  Having producers evaluate and provide input is an important piece of the VSP plan development process.  The goals and benchmarks set by the Work Group must be met.  If the goals are not met the VSP process will be in jeopardy of reverting to the more structured approach often found in strategies developed using the Growth Management Act. 

The planning group has divided the County into 8 distinct geographic areas.  Using this approach will help to localize plan development and aid in conducing localized outreach and information education activities.  The 8 geographic areas are:  Hartline, Ephrata, Quincy, Moses Lake, Black Sands, Warden, Royal City and Mattawa.  

The Work Group set the meeting dates and times for the following communities.  Black Sands Community look for a meeting close to you.

Oct. 27th, 1-3 PM
Catholic Church Hall
138 Range Street, Hartline, WA  99135
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Nov. 1st, 1-3 PM
Grant County Public Works
124 Enterprise St SE, Ephrata, WA  98823
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Nov. 3rd, 1-3 PM
WA Potato Commission
108 S Interlake, Moses Lake, WA  98837
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Nov. 7th, 1-3 PM
Port of Quincy
115 F St SW, Quincy, WA  98848
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Nov. 10th, 1-3 PM
Royal City Golf Course
13702 Dodson Road
Royal City, WA  99357
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Nov. 15th, 1-3 PM
Warden Senior Center
114 N Oak Ave, Warden, WA  98857
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Nov. 17th, 1-3 PM
Mattawa Community Center
101 Portage Ave, Behind 76 Gas Station, Mattawa, WA  99349​

Visit the Grant County Conservation District website at columbiabasincds.org/vsp or call our office to be added to the VSP mailing list.  We encourage you to drop by our office, or give us a call, for more details: 1107 S Juniper Drive, Moses Lake - 509-765-9618, Monday-Friday 8-5.