Indiana Association of Soil and Water Conservation Districts
August 2, 2017
Conservation Update

July 20, 2017 - August 2, 2017
 

IASWCD News
2018 Annual SWCD Conference Update
Please read regarding reserving hotel rooms now!
January 8-9, 2018 
Indianapolis Marriott Downtown, 350 West Maryland St., 46225
Discounted room cost for conference: $119 + tax
All hotel rooms and meeting spaces have been upgraded and are beautiful! Please note that w e have been made aware of another large city-wide event taking place during the same time as our annual conference. We highly recommend reserving your rooms now, as obtaining additional rooms beyond what has been reserved may be a challenge. The deadline to reserve rooms is December 15. Hotel reservation link:  https://aws.passkey.com/go/SoilandWater2018

Planning for the 2018 Annual Conference is underway and this year's conference promises to be a great time of networking and education. More technical sessions and an amazing Keynote Speaker (to be announced soon) are on the agenda!
Watch for details on the IASWCD website Annual Conference page.

Conference Sponsors and Exhibitors needed! If you know of an organization that would benefit from partnering with IASWCD to help support the conference, please contact Amy Work at amy-work@iaswcd.org. All sponsor and exhibitor information and forms can be found here

IASWCD Resolution Submission 
All resolution information, including submission forms or online submission form link can be found on the  IASWCD website Annual Conference page. Submissions due September 8, 2017.
Conservation Cropping Systems Initiative
Seminar: Building Resiliency to Extreme Weather Conditions Across Indiana Farmlands
This seminar will cover topics pertaining to challenges Indiana farmers have with extreme weather and building resiliency to those conditions. Guest speakers include: Dr. Jerry Hatfield, NRCS-ARS,  Dan DeSutter, Indiana Farmer and Eisenhower Fellow, and Blake Vince, Ontario Farmer and Nuffield Scholar. Discussion topics include: Precipitation timing and intensity - Observations on management practices that can lead to improved resiliency - Cropping systems in other countries that lead to more resilient soils. Register by August 1.



NACD News
NEW Peer-to-Peer Web Conference Series to Help Reinvigorate Conservation Planning
The National Conservation Planning Partnership is excited to introduce a new peer-to-peer web conference series to support conservation planning staff and partners. Developed as part of a national priority to reinvigorate conservation planning, the interactive workshops will help to ensure that field staff are fully engaged and have the right tools to work one-on-one with a diverse customer base. Read more...  The National Conservation Planning Partnership (NCPP) is made up of NACD, the USDA Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS), the National Association of State Conservation Agencies (NASCA), the National Conservation District Employees Association (NCDEA), and the National Association of Resource Conservation and Development Councils (NARC&DC). 

Did You Know? NACD has a New Logo
NACD has updated their look! See their new logo pictured in this newsletter. Check out the details here.

2017 Farmer Rancher Pollinator Conservation Award
NACD and the Pollinator Partnership are currently accepting nominations for the 2017 Farmer Rancher Pollinator Conservation Award. This award recognizes farmers and ranchers who protect and support pollinators through their operations. Nomination forms due August 11.

Now accepting 2017 NACD Service Award Nominations
Winners of the following awards will be honored at the NACD 2018 Annual Meeting in Nashville, Tennessee, on January 30, 2018 and highlighted in NACD publications. Nominations accepted through August 31, 2017. Read more ...
  • The NACD Distinguished Service Award 
  • The NACD Friend of Conservation Award 
ISDA News
2017 Specialty Crop Multi-State Grant Program
The Indiana State Department of Agriculture is now accepting applications for the 2017 Specialty Crop Multi-State Grant Program, a competitive grant created to help develop solutions to issues affecting the specialty crop industry across state boundaries. To apply for the SCMP grant, please visit  www.in.gov/isda/2474.htm. Proposals are due September 18 by 5 p.m. (EDT). For additional grant assistance, please contact Ann McCambridge, ISDA's Grants Program Manager, at amccambridge@isda.in.gov or 317-419-0200.

Supervisor Summit - Two Locations this Year  
"Effective Meetings" will be the topic of the presentation at the  2017 Supervisor Summit. Workshop attendees will learn how they can plan more effective meetings and how to be an active meeting participant to assure the meetings they attend are productive. Choose the workshop date that is best for you or location that is closest to you. 

Supervisor Summit: Northern Workshop
August 17 ( deadline to register: August 4)
3:30 pm to 7 pm (EDT)
Fulton County Library, Rochester, IN

Supervisor Summit: Southern Workshop
August 22 ( deadline to register: August 8 at 2 pm)
3:30 pm to 7 pm (EDT)
Spring Mill Inn, Oak Room, MItchell, IN

USDA-NRCS News

FFA National Convention and Expo Judges Needed
NRCS is looking for Indiana Conservation Partnership (ICP) help in judging the FFA Natural Resources and Environment events on October 25 at the Indiana State Fairgrounds from 10 am to 3 pm.  The purpose of the environmental and natural resource career development event is to foster student interest and promote environmental and natural resource instruction in the agricultural education curriculum.  Judges are separated into two categories: verbal and teamwork. Lunch will be provided for all volunteers.  If you would like to volunteer please contact Kris Vance at:  kris.vance@in.usda.gov.

Newsroom
Use this site to find the latest Indiana NRCS publications, news releases, success stories and more!
Purdue Extension  
Purdue Rainscaping Education Program
August 30-31
9 am to 5 pm (Central)
Meadowbrook Conservation Center, Valparaiso
For more information, click here. For registration, click here.
Other News
Job Opportunity: Executive Director of Indiana Agriculture Nutrient Alliance
Indiana Agriculture Nutrient Alliance is a unique partnership of Indiana agricultural and conservation organizations in addition to state and federal agricultural and conservation agencies coming together to assist organizational partners nutrient research efforts and promotion of nutrient management and soil health practices educational programs.  The organization was created to identify how partners can jointly enhance their programs to further the shared goal of improving nutrient use efficiency to reduce nutrient loss from agricultural production areas with the ultimate goal of enhancing water quality.   The Executive Director will have the opportunity to lead the creation and development of this new partnership.  A key responsibility will be to establish sound working relationships and cooperative arrangements between partners to promote active and broad participation.  The goal is to manage and lead the organization towards the realization of its mission.  The Executive Director will be responsible for the administrative, financial and marketing functions of the organization on a day to day basis to ensure compliance with federal, state and local regulations. Read more ...

ICP logo    
Training for ICP Employees: 
SAVE THE DATE!
Pasture Plant ID and Prescribed Grazing Workshop
September 13
Plymouth, IN
More information and registration available mid-August

Soils Courses Available at IUPUI this Fall
For any one that has a need or interest in taking a Soils Class, click the links below to view two Syllabii for Soils courses that will be offered at IUPUI this fall. If you have questions or need more information on these courses, please contact Rick Bein at rbein@iupui.edu or at  317-274-1100. Courses:  Geography G123: Soil Survey and  Soil Geography G404 and G707.

2017 Pesticide Clean Sweep Project: August 
The  2017 Pesticide Clean Sweep Project sponsored by the Office of Indiana State Chemist (OISC) will be going on in various counties across Indiana in August. This is a great way for people (farmers, public and private schools, ag dealers, nurseries,  golf courses, cities, towns, municipalities and county units of government or others)  to dispose of suspended, canceled, banned, unusable, opened, unopened or just unwanted pesticides for free (up to 250 pounds per participant). Questions: Kevin Neal at nealk@purdue.edu.
 
The drop off time is 9:00 a.m. to 3:00 p.m. (local time) and the dates and locations are as follows:
  • August 15, 2017: LaPorte County Fairgrounds in LaPorte, IN
  • August 16, 2017: Tippecanoe County Fairgrounds in Lafayette, IN
  • August 17, 2017: Grant County Fairgrounds in Marion, IN
  • August 22, 2017: Franklin County Fairgrounds in Brookville, IN
  • August 23, 2017: Greene County Fairgrounds in Bloomfield, IN
  • August 24, 2017: Hendricks County Fairgrounds in Danville, IN
Grant Writing Workshop
Preparing well-written grant proposals is an essential element in the fundraising effort and sustainability of every nonprofit. This workshop outlines the most important elements of getting started in writing grant proposals that will result in additional funding. 
Wednesday, October 18, 2:00 pm  - 5:00 pm EDT at  United Way of Central Indiana, 2955 North Meridian Street, Indianapolis. M arci Price, Director of Grants and Foundations, United Way of Central Indiana will be the presenter. Cost: $35.
Registration and more information can be found here
Resources
'Upper White' Cover Crop Program
Indiana Soybean Alliance (ISA) and Indiana Corn Marketing Council (ICMC), in partnership with Beck's Hybrids and AgriFlite, are excited to offer Indiana corn and soybean farmers in the Upper White River Watershed the opportunity to participate in a full funded terminal cover crop trial program this fall.  Read more ...

Funding Opportunity: ORB WQT Project
The Ohio River Basin (ORB) Water Quality Trading (WQT) Project seeks to include funding for forestry (i.e. tree planting) as a best management practice to reduce nutrient runoff and enhance ecosystem function on farmland in Ohio, Indiana, and Kentucky. The project will also consider funding non-forestry practices that work synergistically with the forestry practice to further reduce nutrient runoff. Eligible producers are invited to submit funding requests. Read more...
In This Issue
Quick Links
Upcoming Events
Please refer to the IASWCD Events and CCSI Soil Health Events calendars for a full list of upcoming events and more details regarding these events below: 

August 4-20 - Indiana State Fair

August 8, 9 or 10 - CCSI: one day Seminar on Building Crop Resiliency

August 12 - Veteran Farm Tour, Lafayette, IN

August 16 - River-Friendly Farmer Award Ceremony, Indianapolis, IN

August 23 - Drainage School, Indianapolis, IN 

August 25 - Cover Crop Application Field Day, Pittsboro, IN

August 30-31 - Purdue Rainscaping Education Program

September 12 -  Women4theLand: Women's Learning Circle, Jennings County

September 13 - Pasture Plant ID and Prescribed Grazing Workshop, Plymouth, IN 

October 11-13 - IDEA Conference, West Lafayette

October 18 - Grant Writing Workshop, Indianapolis

October 19- Women4theLand Women's Learning Circle, returning attendees, Tippecanoe County

October 23-27 - Stream Simulation Training, Bloomington

November 12-17 -  National Association of 4-H Extension Agents/Educators Conference in Indianapolis

December 7-8 - National Conference on Cover Crops and Soil Health

January 8-9, 2018 - Annual SWCD Conference, Indianapolis Marriott Downtown

January 27-31, 2018 - NACD Annual Conference, Nashville, TN

April 29-May 6, 2018 - NACD Stewardship Week
Current Job Openings *

See Job Descriptions and/or Applications at www.IASWCD.org 

Senior Director of Marketing & Communications,
Indiana Soybean Alliance

Watershed Specialist,
Macon County SWCD, Illinois

Technical Assistant, 
Indiana School Lead Water Sampling - NW Indiana

Executive Director
Indiana Agriculture
 Nutrient Alliance

*(Note: please submit job openings to: 
amy-work@iaswcd.org 
and include instructions for applying, deadline and job description in a single PDF file. Thank you.)
Upcoming Award Deadlines & Resolution Submissions:

IASWCD Resolution Submissions

due September 8 
Special Thanks to the following Districts who have paid Annual Dues as of 08/01/17:

Adams

Allen

Bartholomew

Benton

Blackford

Brown

Crawford

Fountain

Fulton

Cass

Clark

Clay

Clinton

Dearborn

Decatur

Dekalb

Delaware

Dubois

Elkhart

Floyd

Franklin

Greene

Hamilton

Hancock

Harrison

Henry

Huntington

Howard

Jackson

Jasper

Jay

Jennings

Johnson

Knox

Kosciusko

LaGrange

Lake

LaPorte

Lawrence

Marion

Marshall

Miami

Monroe

Morgan

Newton

Noble

Orange

Owen

Parke

Perry

Pike

Porter

Posey

Pulaski

Putnam

Randolph

Ripley

Rush

St. Joseph

Scott

Shelby

Starke

Steuben

Switzerland

Tipton

Union

Vanderburgh

Vermillion

Wabash

Warren

Warrick

Washington

Wayne

Wells

White

Whitley