Please mark your calendar to participate in the 2008 NRCS Earth Day
Celebration. This year's celebration will take place Tuesday, April 22,
at the family farm of Mr. Glenn Elseroad at 5600 Mount Gilead Road,
Reisterstown, Maryland 21136. The program will begin at 10:30 a.m. and
will conclude at approximately 11:30 a.m. As we are expecting a large
turnout for the event you are urged to arrive early (9:45 - 10:15). The
program will be held outdoors so please dress accordingly.

This year's Earth Day celebration will be especially noteworthy as a new
Farm and Ranch Lands Protection Program (FRPP) easement purchase will be
formally announced with USDA Secretary Ed Schafer. The USDA/NRCS cost
share paid to Baltimore County's Ag Land Preservation Program will be
used to purchase easement rights on five farms in Baltimore County.

As you know FRPP has been very popular nationwide and enjoys tremendous
success in Maryland. The easements announced on Earth Day will add
significantly to sustaining agricultural land in Maryland that is
permanently protected from development.

As the sponsor of the event, the USDA Natural Resources Conservation
Service (NRCS) is excited about the opportunity to expand participation
in FRPP and consider the Earth Day announcement a perfect opportunity to
gain public recognition of both the program and the conservation
partnership that made it possible.

You are cordially invited to join us and we would be honored by your
presence at this momentous event. Other invited guests include Governor
Martin O'Malley, U.S. Senators Barbara Mikulski and Benjamin Cardin,
Rep. Roscoe Bartlett (6th CD), and other conservation and community
leaders.

Please RSVP to Lydia Donovan at (443)482-2907 or
Lydia.donovan@md.usda.gov by Friday, April 18.

We sincerely hope that you will be able to join in this celebration
commemorating Earth Day and the protection of Maryland's agricultural
land. Please don't hesitate to contact me with any questions about the
event. Thank you.

Sincerely,

TERRY R. BISH, Branch Chief
Executive Communications Branch
Legislative and Public Affairs Division
USDA-Natural Resources Conservation Service
P.O. Box 2890
Washington, D.C. 20013
Phone: 202-720-5974
Fax: 202-720-1564
E-Mail: Terry.Bish@wdc.usda.gov