| Conservation Clips is a weekly collection of articles distributed by NACD that provides our members and partners with the latest news in what’s driving conservation. These articles are not indicative of NACD policy and are the opinions of their authors, unless otherwise noted. If you have a relevant submission or need assistance accessing articles, please contact the NACD Communications Team.
NACD: NACD Calls to Increase Funding for Conservation Priorities and Pass Funding Bills on Time On Saturday, President Biden signed Fiscal Year (FY) 2024 appropriations legislation into law that provides funding for several federal agencies, including the U.S. Department of Agriculture, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, and the U.S. Department of the Interior. NACD appreciates that the enactment of final federal spending legislation prevents a government shutdown and ends temporary funding measures but is disappointed that it reduces funding for the Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS), the U.S. Forest Service (USFS), and several programs and accounts that are critical to conservation.
Successful Farming: Are cover crops worth the cost? The long-term benefits to his cropping system have been well worth the effort. Soil organic matter has improved along with other soil health improvements, resulting in cost savings due to reduced applications of synthetic fertilizers.
Agriculture Dive: Biden admin looks to lower food prices by tackling concentration in the meat industry The U.S. Department of Agriculture on Tuesday unveiled a long-awaited final rule updating the century-old Packers and Stockyards Act, which aims to promote competition in livestock, meat and poultry markets. The new standards, which go into effect May 6, in part prohibits meatpackers from retaliating against growers who explore business relationships with competitors.
USDA: Agricultural Producers to Conserve Land through Climate-Smart Easements as part of President’s Biden’s Investing in America Agenda The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) will invest about $138 million of financial assistance from President Biden’s Inflation Reduction Act—the largest climate investment in history—in 138 new climate-smart conservation easements, through which farmers and ranchers are conserving wetlands, grasslands and prime farmlands.
WBKO News: Kentucky Association of Conservation Districts held their annual spring meeting in Logan County This morning, the Kentucky Association of Conservation Districts held its annual spring meeting at the Logan County Extension Office. Representatives from the 14 counties that make up KACD Area 2 were in attendance to share information and ideas concerning Kentucky agriculture and environmental issues. Kentucky has 9 conservation areas.
News Channel 10: US Department of Agriculture offer disaster assistance to producers in Panhandle The Natural Resources Conservation Service along with Farm Service Agency discussed their programs to help ranchers and producers rebuild.
Fox 28 Spokane: Spokane Conservation District seeks donations for Spokane’s first permanent Farmers Market As a part of a years-long effort to revitalize a 50-acre quarry, the Spokane Conservation District plans to turn an old Scale House – where trucks would measure out how much asphalt they were putting on their trucks – into a hub for local agriculture.
Charles City Press: Farmers talk soil health at Floyd County area conservation event Organized by the NRCS and the Soil and Water Conservation districts covering the four-county area of Floyd, Mitchell, Howard and Chickasaw, the central theme of the event was education about how cover crops and no-till planting can improve and sustain Iowa’s supply of rich topsoil.
Rural Radio: Envirothon Competition Qualifies 14 Teams for State Between Jan. 31 and March 7, Nebraska high school students competed around the state during regional Envirothon competitions demonstrating natural resources knowledge by identifying trees and animal tracks, calculating the number of steers on rangeland, and determining soil structure.. |