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Indiana Association of Soil and Water Conservation Districts
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January 3, 2018 |
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Conservation Update
December 21, 2017 - January 3, 2018
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IASWCD News
75th Annual Conference of Indiana S
WCDs
featuring the Peterson Farm Brothers
January 7-9, 2018
IASWCD will be hosting the
2018 Annual Conference beginning Sunday, January 7.
The
Full Conference Brochure
has now been posted on the
We look forward to seeing everyone!
A Big Step by Indiana Agriculture to Advance Natural Resource Efforts on the Farm
by Andy Eubank, Hoosier Ag Today
Indiana is leading the way in efforts to improve soil health and nutrient management. But ask those involved in the movement and they'll tell you they want more. And now groups around the state are demonstrating just how serious they are at getting more farmers on board. USDA's Indiana Natural Resources Conservation Service and Indiana Farm Bureau have formed
a new non-profit called the Indiana Agriculture Nutrient Alliance (IANA).
Despite the state's successes, Indiana State Conservationist Jane Hardisty says the alliance was formed because "we were finding out that we are still having a hard time getting some of the farmers into our doors so to speak, to learn more about soil health," she told HAT. "We realized that our commodity partners, like Farm Bureau and corn and soybean and our livestock, that they of course reach so many more of the farmers than what we can. We're only reaching about 35 percent of our farmers."
Read more
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(From L to R):NCDEA President Tim Riley, NACD President Brent VanDyke, NASCA President Marc Cribb, and NARC&DC President William Hodge
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NACD News
Conservation Leaders Meet with Agriculture Secretary
By Katy Parker, executive director, Alabama Association of Conservation Districts
In the last week of November, Agriculture Secretary Sonny Perdue met twice with leaders in conservation. Perdue first
met with the presidents of the conservation partnership organizations (National Association of Conservation Districts, National Association of State Conservation Agencies, National Association of Conservation District Employees Association, and National Association of Resource Conservation and Development Councils) and then with representatives of conservation district state associations, ensuring that districts' voices are being heard in Washington, D.C.
Read more...
New Interactive District Map
NACDs 2018 Annual Meeting
January 27-31, 2018 in Nashville, Tennessee
Conference registration and more information can be found
here.
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ISDA News
Clean Water Indiana 2018 Grant Summaries Posted
The overall snapshot and 2018 grant summaries are now posted on the ISDA website. Check it out!
Leadership Institute
The Indiana Conservation Partnership Leadership Institute is a statewide leadership development program established for Soil and Water Conservation District Supervisors. Key District staff are invited to participate along with their supervisors. The program intends to improve District capacity to increase the quality of Indiana's soil, water and related natural resources.
Learn more...
Next workshop: February 23, 2018 - Board Development
Noble County Public Library, Albion, IN
What's N Your Fields Workshops
Upcoming free regional workshops entitled "What's N Your Fields" have been scheduled for January. 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, January 4, 2018
When: 9:30 a.m. to 1 p.m. (EST)
Where: West Liberty Church of Christ, 2806 IN-32,
Covington, IN 47932
RSVP by January 8
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Friday, January 17, 2018
When: 9:30 a.m. to 1 p.m. (CST)
Where: Vincennes Campus, Gibson County Center, 8100 US 41, Fort Branch, IN 47648
RSVP by January 10
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USDA-NRCS News
Indiana NRCS Delivers Healthier Natural Resources, Greater Public Safety, Better Customer Service in 2017
In 2017, USDA's Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS) continued its proud tradition of working in partnership with farmers and forest landowners in Indiana and across the country.
"I am pleased to share the results of our 2017 program data and science-based surveys that shows we and our conservation partners brought a healthier resource base to Indiana, used taxpayers' dollars wisely, made people safer, and provided a high level of customer-focused technical assistance to thousands of residents and communities," said Jane Hardisty, NRCS state conservationist. Read more...
USDA Invests $30 Million in High-Priority Watersheds to Improve Water Quality
WASHINGTON, Dec. 21, 2017 - The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) will add 30 new watersheds in 2018 to its premiere water quality initiative, which helps landowners improve water quality while strengthening agricultural operations. USDA's Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS) will invest more than $30 million this year in 201 high-priority watersheds across the country.
USDA Seeks Applications for $10 Million in Conservation Innovation Grants
USDA is offering grants for innovative ideas for conservation strategies and technologies. USDA's Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS) plans to invest $10 million in the Conservation Innovation Grants (CIG) program, funding innovative conservation projects in three focus areas: grazing lands, organic systems and soil health. Grant proposals are due Feb. 26, 2018.
Read more...
Webinar for Potential CIG Applicants:
NRCS will host a webinar for potential CIG applicants on
Jan. 11, 2018, at 4:00 p.m.
Eastern. Information on how to join the webinar can be found on the
NRCS CIG webpage.
The Departments of Agriculture, Defense and Interior Team Up
Washington, D.C., Dec. 19 2017 - The Departments of Agriculture, Defense and Interior have designated southern Georgia as the newest Sentinel Landscape designed to protect natural resources, enhance habitat for several key species, and maintain military readiness. Through this partnership, more than 20 federal, state and local partners with similar goals work together to sustain working farms and forests, protect vital habitat for several important species and enhance military readiness. Building on a legacy of successful, collaborative land protection in Georgia, diverse partners have identified about 1.3 million acres as critical to helping the Sentinel Landscapes Partnership.
Read more...
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Department of Natural Resources News
LARE Application and Accounting Instructions for new LARE Grants effective 2018
Instructions to assist current or potential future project sponsors applying for new grants from the Lake and River Enhancement (LARE) Program as of January 1, 2018 can be found
here.
Indiana DNR - Division of Fish and Wildlife
Gamebirds and Songbirds Initiative gets $1 million from State Conservation Service
The Indiana Department of Natural Resources Division of Fish and Wildlife has landed funding that will contribute to a new grassland and pollinator habitat development program to benefit private landowners.
The Grasslands for Gamebirds and Songbirds initiative will employ three full-time "grassland biologists" who will provide technical and financial assistance to private landowners hoping to improve their properties by developing grassland and pollinator habitat throughout focal regions of the state. This habitat development will benefit species such as bobwhite quail, ring-necked pheasant, Henslow's sparrow and loggerhead shrike.
Read more
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Other News
National Wild Turkey Federation (NWTF)
 NWTF is again making a request for proposals for habitat and conservation related projects to provide financial assistance.
Proposals are due back to Ryan Boyer by February 26th, 2018.
This year there is added emphasis on proposals that provide greater than a 1:1 match as well as increased number of partners participating on the project will be weighted heavily. Please keep this in mind when developing the proposals. Guidelines here and application here.
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