NACD is pleased to share the results of a muti-year collaboration with the Soil Health Institute (SHI) and NRCS, which highlights the positive impacts of improving soil health on farm profitability and resilience. 

Extensive interviews were conducted with 30 farmers, including 25 NACD Soil Health Champions, on implementing soil health management systems (SHMS) across 20 states to learn about their experiences with adopting those systems and to assess the impact of that adoption on net farm income. 

Key findings include an average increase in net farm income of $65/acre. Participating farmers also reported additional benefits, such as reduced erosion and soil compaction, improved access to fields in wet years, and increased resilience to extreme weather events. 

The wide range of soil types, geographies and production systems represented in this project supports the growing body of evidence that SHMS implementation can provide significant returns on investment, indicating that many more farmers may also benefit economically from SHMS adoption. 

For more information about the economic case studies, including videos, producer narratives and fact sheets, please visit NACD's website.

NACD ANNOUNCES 2023 PERIMETER FENCING FOR FERAL SWINE PROGRAM REQUEST FOR APPLICATIONS

NACD is excited to announce the 2023 Request for Applications (RFA) for the Perimeter Fencing for Feral Swine Program. The full RFA is available on the program homepage.

On behalf of the Natural Resources Conservation Service, NACD will manage and administer a $7.5 million cost-share program that incentivizes landowners and operators to install or repair perimeter fencing to restrict feral swine access and impacts.

Feral swine are a non-native species and considered one of the most destructive invasive terrestrial vertebrates in North America. They cause substantial damage to agricultural operations, natural resources, and native ecosystems. They also have negative impacts on human and animal health.

In addition to cost-share offerings, applications may also include the following activities: 

• Outreach to landowners and operators, including enrollment into the cost-share program; or
• Technical assistance associated with the design, implementation, and approval of perimeter fencing projects.

Applications must be submitted online by Friday, October 13, 2023 at 11:59 p.m. ET.

NACD will also host an informational webinar on Thursday, August 24, 2023 at 4:00 p.m. ET to provide further details and answer questions on the application process. The webinar will be recorded and available later for those who cannot make it. To learn more and register for the webinar, visit NACD's Perimeter Fencing for Feral Swine Program webpage.

For questions, please contact the NACD Conservation Programs team at conservationprograms@nacdnet.org.

SOUTHEAST REGION &

GACD HELD ANNUAL MEETING IN SAVANNAH

Nearly 400 participants representing conservation districts and partners gathered in Savannah, Georgia last week for the combined 2023 NACD Southeast Region Meeting and Georgia Association of Conservation Districts (GACD) Annual Meeting.

Attendees heard from American Farm Bureau President Zippy Duvall who emphasized that now is the time for all of us to make a difference, and from Assistant Chief Kenneth Walker who shared an NRCS update.

Breakout sessions explored the work of the Southeastern Environmental Education Alliance, the Southeast Regional Partnership for Planning and Sustainability, Quail Forever, the National Conservation Planning Partnership, the Georgia Forestry Commission, and NACD's Soil Health Champions Network. 

A panel that included NACD Secretary-Treasurer Mark Masters, and speakers from Tuskegee University, the U.S. Cotton Trust Protocol, and the Georgia-Alabama Land Trust shared USDA Partnerships for Climate-Smart Commodities projects in the Southeast Region, including NACD's project and national call for concept papers.

During the meeting participants also honored new inductees into the NACD Southeast Region Conservation Hall of Fame, celebrated Georgia's conservation leaders, and participated in tours to the Georgia Ports Authority, a wood chip mill, and Tybee Island.

LOUISIANA DISTRICT HOSTS "THE INCREDIBLE JOURNEY"

Rose Sharbeno and Kat Soto, staff members of the Calcasieu Soil and Water Conservation District, organized an educational activity called "The Incredible Journey" at the Jasper Public Library on June 6, 2023, during their nationwide 2023 Summer Reading Club. This year’s theme was “All Together Now”.  More than 20 participants attended the event, seeking refuge from the summer heat and eager to learn and reconnect with their friends during the school break.

"The Incredible Journey" consisted of nine interactive stations that introduced the participants to the movement of water particles in the water cycle. Each participant took on the role of a "water particle" and embarked on their own unique journey through the cycle. At each station, they used a spinning wheel to determine where the water particle would go next. Along the way, they collected colored beads that represented different stages of the water cycle, which they added to their bracelets.

The spinning wheel provided a deeper understanding of the complex journey that water particles undergo in the water cycle. Sometimes, participants would get "hung up in the cloud" for multiple spins before eventually falling as rain, as expressed by Rose Sharbeno. The varied colors of the beads in the participants' bracelets served as a reminder of the intricate nature of the water cycle.

Overall, the activity aimed to educate and engage the participants in a fun and interactive way, leaving them with a greater appreciation for the importance and complexity of the water cycle.