PARIS — The Oxford County Soil and Water Conservation District will host a meeting of the Oxford County USDA local working group from 2 to 4 p.m. Tuesday, Jan. 12, at the Oxford County University of Maine Cooperative Extension building, 9 Olsen St., South Paris.

Local working groups assist the USDA Natural Resources Conservation Service in matters relating to the implementation and technical aspects of conservation programs under Title II of the Food, Conservation and Energy Act of 2008 (2008 Farm Bill). Agenda items include:

Prioritizing resource concerns affecting land users in Oxford County and setting funding allocation pool percentages.

Reviewing Environmental Quality Incentive Program (EQIP) practices and payment rates proposed for Oxford County program participants for FY 2010.

EQIP Application Screening Tool for prioritizing conservation planning needs for 2010 program applicants

EQIP Application Evaluation Ranking Tool (AERT), local issue questions for Oxford County applications

The meeting is open to the public.C all Jane Heikkinen at 743-5789, ext. 101, for details or if special needs need to be met in order to attend.