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Indiana Association of Soil and Water Conservation Districts
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December 6, 2017 |
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Conservation Update
November 23, 2017 - December 6, 2017
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IASWCD News
75th Annual Conference of Indiana S
WCDs
Be a Part of the Story...
Discover the Next Chapter
featuring the Peterson Farm Brothers
Early bird deadline for conference registration has been extended to Friday, December 8!
If you have hotel rooms reserved that you will not be using
please cancel those reservations so that others may reserve rooms if needed.
NEW! The Monday night Welcome Reception at conference will feature a time to honor and thank Jane Hardisty for her successful years as State Conservationist and bid her goodbye as she journeys into retirement.
SWCD Funding Needs Survey
The IASWCD Funding TaskForce is collecting information via this
Funding Needs Survey to put together a
needs/funding assessment for the 92 local soil and water conservation
districts. This information will help guide the
task
force and determine the
amount of appropriate funding to request for a new dedicated funding source
for the Clean Water Indiana program.
Only one completed survey per District is requested.
Region Meetings
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December 11
Stout's Brick House, Guilford, IN
5:30-8 pm
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N-SW Region Meeting
December 14
Vigo County Fairgrounds
6-8 pm
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S-SE Region Meeting
December 12
Scott County USDA Service Center
6-8 pm
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N-NE Region Meeting
December 12
Noble County Public Library, Albion
5-8 pm
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NACD News
Update from NACD President on USDA's Reorganization
Brent Van Dyke, President of NACD, writes Conservation District Leaders a letter regarding communication with USDA. View
here.
Forestry Notes
Forestry Notes is a monthly publication NACD produces in collaboration with the USDA Forest Service and the National Association of State Foresters. Each edition includes prime examples of district-led forestry projects and partnerships focused on finding and implementing solutions to modern forestry challenges.
View the latest edition...
NACDs 2018 Annual Meeting
January 27-31, 2018 in Nashville, Tennessee
Conference registration and more information can be found
here.
Early bird rates end December 15.
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ISDA News
Lt. Gov. Crouch announces Bruce Kettler as Director of Indiana State Department Agriculture
STATEHOUSE (Dec. 1, 2017) - Today Lt. Governor Suzanne Crouch announced Bruce Kettler, an experienced member of the agriculture community, will serve as the new director of Indiana State Department of Agriculture effective Jan. 8, 2018.
Kettler most recently operated as the director of public relations for Beck's Hybrids, where he also was a field sales manager, area team leader and sales consultant over the course of the last 11 years. He began his career at Dow AgroSciences where he started out as a sales representative, and spanned his career through the company as a regional credit manager, advertising and communications manager and finished after being with the company for 17 years as a senior sales representative for pest management.
Read more...
Indiana Lands Major Agritourism Convention
Lt. Governor Suzanne Crouch has announced that the nation's foremost agritourism convention is coming to Indiana in 2019. Hosted by the Indiana Office of Tourism Development (IOTD), the Indiana State Department of Agriculture (ISDA) and Hamilton County Tourism, the North American Farmers' Direct Marketing Association, Inc. (NAFDMA) convention will take place February 1-7, 2019, and consist of educational sessions, workshops, a business exchange, and farm tours around the state. Agritourism operators attend NAFDMA to get critical tools, tips and information to help them better market and grow their businesses. Their membership is comprised of u-pick fruit and vegetable farms, wineries, farmer's markets, destination dairies, tree farms and the like.
Read more...
Indiana Agriculture Insider
What's N Your Fields Workshops
Two of four free regional workshops entitled "What's N Your Fields" have been scheduled for mid-December. These workshops will cover a variety of topics including nitrogen application, cover crops, soil sampling and soil testing. All corn and soybean farmers are invited to attend to gain insights from
technical leads, researchers and farmer-peers for ideas they can implement on their own operation. Advanced registration is required as space is limited.
Thursday, December 14, 2017
When: 9:30 a.m. to 1 p.m. (CT)
Where: Fair Oaks Farm, 856 N 600 E, Fair Oaks, IN 47943
RSVP by December 7
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Friday, December 15, 2017
When: 9:30 a.m. to 1 p.m. (ET)
Where: Noble County Public Library, 104 Ley St, Avilla, IN 46710
RSVP by December 7
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USDA-NRCS News
Saving Money, Time and Soil: The Economics of No-Till Farming
(Elizabeth Creech, NRCS, Nov. 30, 2017) For farmers across the country, it comes as no surprise to hear that conservation tillage practices - particularly continuous no-till - can save time and money compared to conventional tillage. The potential benefits of no-till are well-documented, from improving soil health to reducing annual fuel and labor investments. Still, continuous no-till has been adopted across only 21 percent of all cultivated cropland acres in the United States. Why? One concern involves money saved compared to money spent. Can fuel and labor reductions really make up for the money invested in switching to a new farming practice?
Read more...
Read the Latest Soil Health Update
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Purdue Extension News
Bi-State Group hosting Three Programs During Winter
Purdue Extension and University of Illinois Extension are offering programming this winter for farmers, gardeners, and more throughout east central Illinois and west central Indiana.
Read more...
Gardening Conference
January 25, 2018
5:30 p.m.-9 p.m.
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Grazing Workshop
February 8, 2018
5:30 p.m.-9 p.m. |
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Other News
General Mills invests in Soil Health with $735K Contribution
Washington, D.C. (November 30, 2017) - General Mills continues to invest in soil health practices on U.S. agricultural farmland with its latest contribution of $735,000 to the National Wheat Foundation who together with the Soil Health Partnership, will advance widespread adoption and implementation. The funds, equally distributed over the next three years, will be used to conduct soil health research on wheat farms and education outreach to more than 125,000 wheat farmers across the Northern and Southern Plains. This latest contribution brings General Mills' recent financial commitments to nearly $3 million for promoting the expanded adoption of soil health practices.
Read more...
Ceres Solutions Expands Scholarship Program
In its continuing effort to support youth pursuing careers in agriculture, Ceres Solutions will offer $25,000 through scholarships to high school seniors and college students this spring. Students receiving the scholarships are selected based on their commitment to agricultural youth programs and their desire to pursue higher education. "Our employee group and our Board of Directors strongly believe in investing in education, and in particular, it is a privilege to support students from the local farm families we serve," says Jeff Troike, Ceres Solutions Cooperative CEO. Applications due March 1. Read more...
Indiana Department of Environmental Management (IDEM)
Call for Presentations for SWCS International Conference
 The Soil and Water Conservation Society is seeking oral presentations, posters, symposia, and workshop submissions for the 73rd SWCS International Annual Conference. This year's conference theme of Culture, Climate, and Conservation celebrates New Mexico's vibrant culture, rich history, and diverse landscape, while allowing participants to experience the blend of traditional practices with modern conservation techniques. Submission
Deadline: January 9, 2018. Poster Submission Deadline: March 9, 2018.
Submit proposals here.
Nominate a Master Farmer
This awards program is sponsored by Indiana Prairie Farmer and the Purdue University College of Agriculture.
Judging is based on farming ability, leadership ability and overall family values. If you have a neighbor you look up to, this is the time to help them
get the recognition they deserve. Nominations are
due February 15, and the awards program will be held in conjunction with the 2018 Indiana Farm Management Tour in June. For more information or to download the application,
click here.
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