| 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.
Agriculture Dive: House ag chair targets May for farm bill action House agriculture chairman Glenn “GT” Thompson said Wednesday he aims to push the farm bill through a key committee before the end of May. Thompson intends to pass the bill out of committee before Memorial Day, a spokesperson for the head of the House Agriculture Committee confirmed in an email.
Reuters: US bets on climate friendly farming; experts doubt it is climate friendly enough President Joe Biden’s administration is offering farmers money for adopting practices that store carbon in the soil to fight climate change, but Reuters interviews with soil science experts and a review of U.S. Department of Agriculture research indicate doubt that the approach will be effective.
South Dakota Searchlight: Cattlemen tell Thune: ‘More ranch’ needed in already overdue farm bill Ranchers urged Republican U.S. Senators John Thune of South Dakota and John Boozman of Arkansas to consider grasslands and cattle – not just crop support – as they finalize federal legislation that will govern many agricultural and food programs for years to come.
USDA: USDA Announces Annual Consultation and Listening Session on Tribal Barriers The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) announces the Annual Consultation and Listening Session on Tribal Barriers: Annual Progress Report and Feedback for Next Steps, to be held April 22-26, 2024. These meetings with Tribal Nation officials will highlight historic Biden-Harris Administration investments made in response to Tribal Nation requests and discuss more ways to improve USDA service to Indian Country.
TIME: America’s Young Farmers Are Burning Out. I Quit, Too The USDA Census of Agriculture reported that in 2017, nearly 1 in 4 of the 3.4 million agricultural producers in the US were new and beginning farmers. Many of these new farmers are doing exactly what it seems American agriculture needs: starting small farms.
Agriculture Dive: USDA predicts lower crop prices for key commodities in 2024 Slowing demand for key commodities such as wheat and soybeans continues to depress prices for farmers, according to the latest estimates from the U.S. Department of Agriculture. Meanwhile, rising prices could spell long-term volatility for the meat industry.
USDA Farm Service Agency: USDA Partners with FarmRaise to Offer Educational Tools and Resources to Promote Financial Access and Equity for Agricultural Producers The U.S Department of Agriculture (USDA) today unveiled a new, online Livestock Indemnity Program (LIP) Decision Tool and farm loan resources available to agricultural producers and cooperators who help producers access USDA disaster assistance, farm loans and other federal farm programs. The new LIP tool and the farm loan informational video resources were developed in partnership with FarmRaise and USDA’s Farm Service Agency (FSA).
Farmers Advance: Organizations explore topics that could impact conservation and farming in the future The Coshocton Soil and Water Conservation District, United States Department of Agriculture and the Ohio Farm Bureau are just three that work together to address local conservation and agriculture issues. Focus areas include technical assistance, conservation education, financial assistance and urban assistance.
Augusta Free Press: Envirothon: Local middle, high school students compete in five outdoor categories of skill Competition was the name of the game Wednesday and Thursday at Grand Caverns in Grottoes while high school and middle school students competed in the annual Envirothon.
Stuttgart Daily Leader: USDA NRCS in Arkansas announces sign-up for urban agriculture conservation opportunities The U.S. Department of Agriculture’s (USDA) Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS) in Arkansas announced two additional sign-ups through the Environmental Quality Incentives Program’s (EQIP) Small Farm and Urban Agriculture Initiative and the Conservation Stewardship Program (CSP).
Sidney Daily News: Shelby SWCD is helping pollinators and so can you Shelby Soil & Water Conservation District (Shelby SWCD) is working to help pollinators in Shelby County and they hope you will join them. From planting pollinator plots to educating children about the importance of pollinators there are many ways Shelby SWCD is hoping to “spread the word” and help the animals that “spread pollen.”
Republican Herald: Porcupine Pat’ reflects on decades of environmental education Perhaps Schuylkill County’s most ardent advocate for protecting the environment, the 67-year-old recently scaled back his activities as education coordinator at the Schuylkill County Conservation District.
City of Sonoma: Local partnership completes first project initiated by Sonoma County’s Climate Resilience Fund A partnership between local government, conservation districts and environmental groups today announced the completion of a pilot project that removed carbon from the atmosphere by applying compost on agricultural land, the first project initiated by Sonoma County’s Climate Resilience Fund. |