| 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 Blog: BLM Final Public Lands Rule Incorporates Conservation Into the Multiple Use Mandate On May 10, 2024, the BLM published a final Conservation and Landscape Health Rule, commonly referred to as the “Public Lands Rule.” In the new rule, BLM incorporates conservation as an eligible land use under the multiple use framework–a significant shift in the management of our public lands.
NACD Blog: Caribe Soil and Water Conservation District Furthers Forestry Conservation with New Agreement On April 29, 2024, a significant agreement was signed between the Puerto Rico Department of Natural and Environmental Resources and the Caribe Soil and Water Conservation District. This agreement aims to manage the Gabia Forest in Coamo, Puerto Rico, a 233-acre subtropical dry forest designated as a Special Reforestation Area.
NACD Blog: NACD Farm Bill Update Over the past year and a half, NACD and our members have worked to support locally led conservation in the upcoming farm bill by developing legislative requests, testifying before Congress, working with committee leaders, and recently meeting with hundreds of lawmakers to advocate for NACD’s priorities during our D.C. Fly-In. With recent developments and more action expected in the coming months, it is a pivotal time for agriculture and conservation policy.
NACD: NACD Awarded $585,824 U.S. Forest Service Landscape Scale Restoration Grant to Advance Regional Conservation Efforts The National Association of Conservation Districts (NACD) is pleased to announce that its Northeast Mid-Atlantic Forests and Water Partnership project has been awarded a $585,824 grant from the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) Forest Service’s Landscape Scale Restoration (LSR) program. This grant will enable the Partnership to continue to advance its mission to create a collaborative network that leverages resources to manage, restore, and conserve forests and protect water resources.
USDA Farm Service Agency: Producers and Landowners Can Now Sign Up for USDA’s Grassland Conservation Reserve Program The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) announced that agricultural producers and private landowners can now sign up for the Grassland Conservation Reserve Program (Grassland CRP). The signup runs from today through June 28, 2024. Grassland CRP, offered by USDA’s Farm Service Agency (FSA), is a voluntary working lands conservation program that enables participants to conserve grasslands and provide important conservation benefits for wildlife, soil health and carbon sequestration, all while continuing most grazing and haying practices.
Farm Talk News: USDA invests $7 million in wetland mitigation The U.S. Department of Agriculture is investing $7 million to support the development of wetland mitigation banks for agricultural producers through the Wetland Mitigation Banking Program (WMBP). Through wetland mitigation banks, wetlands are restored, created or enhanced, generating credits that can be purchased by producers looking to compensate for unavoidable impacts to wetlands at another location. The funding is available to Tribes, government entities, nonprofits and other organizations.
Morning Ag Clips: Soybeans and Cover Crops Can Work Together for Better Soil Health, Yields There are many benefits when using cover crops in a crop rotation including reduced erosion from wind and water and improved soil organic matter. Cover crops are known to capture nutrients for the following season’s crops, but according to Shaun Casteel’s past experiences with cover crops and soybeans, he’s seen evidence of reduced yields.
Ark Valley Voice: Southern Ute Indian Tribe Makes History with USDA to Conserve Natural Resources The Southern Ute Indian Tribe has reached a historic agreement with the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) that forges a partnership with the United States Department of Agriculture’s Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS). Through the USDA or NRCS Agency’s Conservation Stewardship Program (CSP), the entities have jointly entered an alternative funding arrangement (AFA) to improve rangeland resiliency and health on Tribal lands.
Harold-Star: Outdoor Education Days celebrates 35 years Local fifth-grade students had the opportunity to enjoy hands-on learning activities when they took part in the Jefferson County Soil and Water Conservation District’s annual Outdoor Education Day.
University of Florida Blogs: CALS Students Explore Sustainable Solutions Hatch, along with fellow College of Agricultural and Life Sciences (CALS) students Maegan Beatty and Lana Guzman, traveled to San Diego, California, to attend the 2024 Agriculture Future of America‘s (AFA) Sustainability Institute with assistance from VP Promise funding. This institute, co-hosted by the National Association Conservation Districts (NACD), exposes college students to innovations and policies in conservation, agriculture and natural resources for sustainability.
USDA-NRCS: NRCS Texas Announces ‘Notice of Funding Opportunity’ for $1M in Conservation Innovation Grants for FY24 The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS) in Texas is accepting applications until 11:59 p.m. Eastern Time on July 1, 2024, for Conservation Innovation Grants (CIG) for Fiscal Year 2024.
Pipestone County Star: Cunningham farm to be featured in Japanese documentary (Edited) Recently, a Japanese film crew visited the rural Pipestone County farm of Ian and Richard Cunningham of Cunningham Family Farm LLC, as part of a documentary they are producing about soil health. The Cunningham farm is Minnesota Ag Water Quality certified and was one of the first farms in Pipestone County to become certified. They are also National Association of Conservation District Soil Health Champions.
Farms.com: Inflation Reduction Act in Action: Protecting Family Land as Old as Minnesota (Edited) In Webster, Minnesota, Bob Meinke carries on the legacy of the 170-acres of farmland his great-great-grandfather purchased in 1858 – the same year Minnesota became a state. Since 2004, Bob’s family has worked with the Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS) to address resource concerns on the land such as gullies and erosion.
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