Conservation INsight
June 5, 2019
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SAVE THE DATE:
District Supervisor and Staff
Summer Training
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ISDA and IASWCD are combining the past "region meetings" that took place in the spring and fall into one summer training for SWCD staff and supervisors. All four summer trainings will be identical and take place on four separate dates in four separate locations throughout the state. Feel free to attend the date and location that best fits your schedule. This year's August training will provide a time for networking, partner updates, State Association news, technical training and a Digital Ready program offering from Purdue Extension. $20 per person. Registration opening soon!
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Deadline Approaching for River Friendly Farmer Nominations
This annual statewide initiative, River Friendly Farmer Award, recognizes farmers, who through good production management practices, help keep Indiana’s rivers, lakes and streams clean. Each county Soil and Water Conservation District may nominate up to two farmers who do an outstanding job of protecting their rivers, lakes and streams through their every day conservation management practices on the farm. Visit the IASWCD website for nomination forms and more information. Deadline: June 14.
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Hoosier Ag Today Soil Health Podcast: Latest Ag Census Says Soil Health Practices Increasing Nationwide
On this month’s HAT Soil Health Podcast presented by the Conservation Cropping Systems Initiative, Northwest Ohio and Northeast Indiana farmer Allen Dean and Ben Wicker, Executive Director of the Indiana Agriculture Nutrient Alliance, discuss the increase in soil health practices as indicated by the 2017 Census of Agriculture.
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IASWCD Dues
Invoices were sent out to all 92 Indiana SWCDs last week for annual dues. If your district office did not receive one, please contact Joe Schmees at joseph-schmees@iaswcd.org.
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SAVE THE DATE: Annual ICP Webinar
July 9
9:00 am - 10:30 am
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Pathway to Water Quality - Volunteer Sign Ups Underway
Volunteer Sign up site open now!
Choose to be a greeter, educator, or a pathway ambassador.
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NACD Hosting Regional Listening Sessions
In summer and fall 2019, NACD will be hosting a series of listening sessions, giving our members the opportunity to provide feedback on our programs and guidance of how we can improve our value as a national association. These member-focused listening sessions will be hosted across the country, giving our members the opportunity to learn more about NACD and its services while expressing their views to NACD’s leadership and staff.
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NACD's Annual Awards
NACD recognizes individuals and organizations for their outstanding work and leadership in soil and water conservation with their annual awards program. The 2019 awardees will be recognized at a ceremony held in their honor at NACD's 2020 Annual Meeting in Las Vegas, Nev., in February.
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June Urban & Community Conservation Webinar
The next NACD Urban and Community (U&C) Conservation webinar, scheduled for
Thursday, June 20,
at
12:00 p.m. Eastern
, will explore ways to reach and engage diverse audiences. To register, email NACD Senior Advisor
Debra Bogar
at
deb-bogar@nacdnet.org
with your name, title, district or business name, state and email address. Information to access the webinar will be sent by email.
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Mark Your Calendar: Farm Bill Implementation Program Deadlines
As USDA begins implementing the 2018 Farm Bill, multiple program application and comment deadlines are approaching:
As USDA continues to implement the 2018 Farm Bill, please visit
NACD’s farm bill webpage
to stay up-to-date on 2018 Farm Bill implementation, deadlines, sign-ups and more.
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Agriculture Photo Contest Now Open
INDIANAPOLIS (May 31, 2019) — The Indiana State Department of Agriculture is now accepting submissions for the 12th annual Indiana agriculture
photo contest
. The contest is open to Indiana residents and was created to recognize the hard work and contributions of Hoosier farmers, as well as the beauty of the state’s agricultural landscape. The winners will be invited to attend a special ceremony at the Indiana State Fair, where they will be recognized and receive certificates from Lt. Governor Suzanne Crouch and Indiana State Department of Agriculture Director Bruce Kettler.
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Grant Writing and CWI Networking Sessions
The District Support Specialists are hosting another grant writing workshop. Two dates available: July 18 and 23. Amy Shankland from Grants Avenue, LLC, will present again this year. Time will also be available to get started on a CWI grant project application. If you missed the training last year, we hope you can join us this year. District Supervisors and ISDA Resource Specialists are encouraged to attend as well!
Register by July 12.
Special thanks to Clean Water Indiana and the State Soil Conservation Board for making this a FREE training.
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Nominations Now Being Accepted
for State's Highest Agricultural Award
INDIANAPOLIS (May 31, 2019) — Lt. Governor Suzanne Crouch is now accepting nominations for the
2019 AgriVision Award
, which is the highest agricultural honor presented by the state. Now in its 13
th
year, the award was established to recognize individuals who have made significant contributions to the agriculture industry, whether it’s developing a new technology, managing an agribusiness or organization, or working to address a global issue, to name a few.
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Wet Weather Conditions, Spring 2019
The Indiana Department of Environmental Management (IDEM) certainly recognizes the hardship that many Hoosier farmers are confronted with currently across the State of Indiana. The frequent and widespread precipitation has limited the opportunity of land application of manure from confined feeding operations (CFOs). The document linked below provides direction to CFO owners, leaders in the agricultural community and industry professionals on IDEM’s expectations for CFOs. Owners should contact their IDEM inspector to discuss options for manure storage issues., if emergency options are needed.
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Presented by USDA Natural Resources Conservation Service - Science and Technology
National Technology Support Centers
Jun 11, 2019 12:00 pm US/Eastern
Participants will learn about an opportunity included in the 2018 Farm Bill that provides eligible entities with funding to stimulate the development and adoption of innovative conservation approaches and technologies. Funding is available annually and goes directly to partners. Projects may be between one and three years in duration. Who Is Eligible All U.S.-based non-Federal entities (NFE) and individuals, with the exception of Federal agencies, are eligible to apply. Individuals and entities may submit more than one application and may receive more than one award.
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National Cooperative Soil Survey Quarterly Newsletter
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USDA Opens Signup for National Conservation Innovation Grants
USDA is investing up to $12.5 million to help support the adoption of innovative conservation approaches on agricultural lands. USDA’s Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS) is accepting proposals through July 29, 2019, for national Conservation Innovation Grants (CIG).
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Conservation Innovations Newsletter
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Farm Service Agency County Committee Nominations Open June 14
WASHINGTON, June 3, 2019 – USDA’s Farm Service Agency (FSA) will begin accepting nominations for county committee members on Friday, June 14, 2019. Agricultural producers who participate or cooperate in an FSA program may be nominated for candidacy for the county committee. Individuals may nominate themselves or others as a candidate. “I encourage America’s farmers, ranchers, and forest stewards to nominate candidates to lead, serve, and represent their community on their county committee,” FSA Administrator Richard Fordyce said. “There’s an increasing need for diverse representation including underserved producers, which includes beginning, women and minority farmers and ranchers.”
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Purdue Agriculture and Extension Provide Resources for Delayed Planting Decisions
As inclement weather continues to delay planting of corn and soybeans across Indiana, Purdue Extension and the College of Agriculture’s Center for Commercial Agriculture have created a series of videos to assist producers with decisions related to delayed planting and crop management.
Purdue Extension
specialists produced several videos to assist with difficult planting considerations this season. The specialists discuss corn and soybean related matters including historical perspectives of late planting, late hour field preparation decisions, management decisions with late planting and soybean management in fields intended for corn.
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UPDATE: Oak threat in Indiana expands statewide
The Indiana Department of Natural Resources (DNR) confirmed more than 70 Walmart stores and 18 Rural King stores in the state have received rhododendron plants infected with sudden oak death (SOD), a fungal pathogen that kills oak trees. Shipments containing infested material were sent to nine other states as well.
Workers from the Department of Entomology & Plant Pathology have been visiting stores across Indiana to destroy any stock that has been found infested and quarantine any stock that is symptomatic. The division has made this its top priority.
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Pledge of the Month:
Native Plants
Clean Water and Plants
What is a clean water program doing talking about plants? The connection actually takes us back to our roots, or, the landscape’s roots, actually. The idea is pretty simple. Before development, most of the ground was covered with trees, shrubs, and plants that formed a dense and deep root system. This root system helped the ground soak up stormwater. It is estimated that half of a typical storm’s rainfall was infiltrated into the soil. Another 40% was held in trees and shrubs and transpired back into the air (do you remember the
hydrologic cycle
from grade school?). That means only about 10% of a typical storm's rainfall is turned into runoff or the water that moves across the ground toward a low point like a body of water. Those numbers have flipped in today’s world of roofs, roads, and parking lots. Only about 15% of rainfall is infiltrated while more than 50% runs off to our storm drains.
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U.S. Forest Service Great Lakes Restoration Initiative Grants Program
2019 request for proposals for the U.S. Forest Service Great Lakes Restoration Initiative grant program. Funds will be distributed across the following three program areas:
- Forest Insect and Disease Mitigation,
- Reduce Runoff from Degraded Sites through Green Infrastructure, and
- Enhance Coastal Wetland Filtration
Deadline for applications: June 28, 2019
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Annual meeting details, the latest on two new Regional Specialists and the Terrestrial Plant Rule update! Read more...
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Indiana Forestry & Woodland Owners Association: 2019 Charles Deam Forest Stewardship Award
In appreciation of Charles Deam’s contribution toward many of the forestry programs and information that we now enjoy, the Indiana Forestry & Woodland Owners Association sponsors the Charles Deam Forest Stewardship Award contest which seeks annually to find the forest landowners who are demonstrating exceptional management of their forest resources. Deadline to nominate: June 15.
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THE DROP
A monthly e-newsletter from the North Central Region Water Network
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AgrIInstitute Thought Leaders
features Indiana Hardwood Industry
Attend to learn about Indiana Hardwoods, and all of the exciting work being done to manage, grow, and improve, Indiana’s valuable natural resource and the economic value contributed.
You will learn more about the Indiana Hardwoods Strategy, recently announced in February.
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Volunteer with Project Wingspan!
Interested in pollinator
conservation
? Project Wingspan seeks to increase imperiled pollinator habitat and engage public land managers and private land stewards throughout the Midwest and Great Lakes region with the goal of enhancing 10,000 acres of land. To volunteer for seed collection in IL, IN, MI, OH, PA, or WI, fill out the online contact form and a State Coordinator will get in touch with you for next steps.
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Job Postings
:
Current list of Conservation Job Opportunities now posted on the
IASWCD website.
- Conservation Technician, Adams County Soil and Water Conservation District
- Soil Health Program Manager, Indiana State Department of Agriculture
- Program Manager, Conservation Cropping Systems Initiative
- Office Manager, Kosciusko County SWCD
- Ag Sales Professional, Hoosier Ag Today
Note: Job Postings can be submitted to Amy Work at:
amy-work@iaswcd.org .
Please include job description and deadline to apply in a single PDF file or with a link.
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Upcoming Conservation Events
:
June 14 - DEADLINE: River Friendly Farmer nominations
June 17-23 - Pollinator Week
June 18 - Gardening for Pollinators, Orange Co.
June 20 - Using Native Warm Season Grasses/Grazing
June 20 - Women's Learning Circle, Boone Co.
June 20 - SICIM Annual Meeting
June 21 - Women's Learning Circle, Hamilton Co.
June 26 - Women's Learning Circle, Gibson Co.
July 16 - Agronomy Field Day, DeKalb Co.
July 16 - State Soil Conservation Board meeting
July 18 - Grant Writing and CWI Networking Session
July 23 - Grant Writing and CWI Networking Session
July 25 - Woodlands Mgmt Workshop, Boone Co.
August 14 - River Friendly Farmer Awards event
August 20-21 - Conservation in Action Tour
August 20 - Supervisor and Staff Summer Training
August 22 - Supervisor and Staff Summer Training
August 27 - Supervisor and Staff Summer Training
August 29 - Supervisor and Staff Summer Training
September
10 - SAVE the DATE: Frank Gibbs, Wabash and Grant Co.
September 17 - State Soil Conservation Board meeting
October 1-3 - IDEA Fall Conference, Clifty Inn
October 10 - Women's Learning Circle, Lawrence Co.
October 29 - State Soil Conservation Board meeting
2020:
January 12-14 - Annual Indiana SWCD Conference, Indpls.
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