Early bird registration for NACD's 2023 Summer Meeting was extended through TOMORROW, Wednesday June 28! Hosted in partnership with the North Dakota Association of Soil Conservation Districts, the 2023 Summer Meeting will take place in Bismarck, North Dakota from July 15-19, 2023. You don't want to miss these networking opportunities, workshops, or tours!

Sign up to attend by tomorrow to save up to $100 on registration costs with this early-bird special!

If you miss tomorrow's deadline, on-site registration will be available in Bismarck for $475. The registration desk will be open from 3:00 - 5:00 p.m. on Friday, July 14 and daily from 8:00 a.m. - 5:00 p.m. Saturday, July 15 through Tuesday, July 19 in the Dakota Ballroom Foyer.

Learn more about the meeting, agenda, tours, speakers, and how to register and reserve your hotel room on NACD's website. Download the event app, Sched, to create a personalized agenda here.

NACD APPLAUDS USDA BOLSTERING WORKING LANDS FOR WILDLIFE PROGRAM

On Tuesday, June 27, 2023, the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) announced the expansion of the Working Lands for Wildlife (WLFW) program. Since 2010, more than 8,400 producers in 48 states have teamed up under WLFW to conserve and enhance nearly 12 million acres of working agricultural lands. These efforts have provided substantial benefits for wildlife including sage grouse, monarch butterflies, American black ducks, and many more sensitive wildlife species.

WLFW expansion includes close alignment of the Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS) and Farm Service Agency (FSA), centered around WLFW Frameworks for Conservation Action. These frameworks are biome-level conservation strategies rooted in the latest science and best practices. Their research and conservation tools are used to align stakeholders and prioritize conservation actions to achieve landscape scale objectives and benefit both people and wildlife.

Successful implementation of these frameworks relies on the locally-led conservation delivery system, which engages landowners and operators to identify the most appropriate set of conservation actions on their lands. NACD applauds USDA’s commitment to working lands conservation, which includes:

• $500 million over 5 years to support landscape scale restoration via NRCS’ Environmental Quality Incentives Program (EQIP) and Agricultural Conservation Easement Program (ACEP).
• Increased collaboration with the Farm Service Agency (FSA), which provides for greater alignment with the Conservation Reserve Program (CRP).
• Capacity building across the partnership to ensure there are sufficient resources to successfully develop and implement ecologically appropriate frameworks in key biomes across the country. These include existing frameworks for the: Great Plains Grasslands Biome, Sagebrush Biome, and Northern Bobwhite, Grasslands, and Savannas. Four new frameworks will also be developed: Western Migratory Big Game, Eastern Deciduous Forest, Eastern Aquatic Connectivity, and Southeastern Pine Ecosystems.

“NACD is pleased that NRCS is expanding WLFW frameworks for conservation action and dedicating resources over the next five years,” said NACD President Kim LaFleur. “This strategy will provide producers and land stewards in critical biomes across the country the opportunity to voluntarily implement conservation that enhances wildlife habitats. NACD and conservation districts look forward to working closely with USDA and other partners to advance landscape scale conservation.”

Read the full press release in NACD's newsroom. Conservation districts, land operators, and partners can learn more about participating in the WLFW program by visiting the program’s webpage and talking with their local NRCS staff.

SC DISTRICTS & PARTNERS HOST IRRIGATION FIELD DAY

South Carolina producers, conservation districts, NRCS, and partners enjoyed an Irrigation Field Day today at Cotton Hills Farm. Cotton Hills Farm is owned and operated by South Carolina Association of Conservation Districts' (SCACD) President Jeff Wilson and his family. Wilson is also South Carolina’s alternate board member on NACD’s Board of Directors.

Cotton Hills Farm grows a large variety of fruits, vegetables, and cotton. Demonstrating, as Wilson says, "farmers helping farmers," Field Day participants learned about irrigation technology used for different crops on the farm, and how good conservation practices such as no-till, cover crops, and water conservation can make farms more resilient, profitable, and beneficial to the environment.

The Irrigation Field Day was sponsored by SCACD in cooperation with the South Carolina Department of Natural Resources and NRCS.

WHAT'S UP IN WASHINGTON? GOVERNMENT AFFAIRS UPDATE

Last week, the Senate Appropriations Committee passed a bill to fund U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) and Food and Drug Administration (FDA) in fiscal year 2024 (FY24). The bill would provide $26 billion in new budget authority for the agencies, which is less than the administration’s budget proposal, but more than the current House proposal. The House appropriations bill would provide about $25 billion in total spending for USDA and FDA, but it would also rescind about $8 billion from existing funding sources, which is not reflected in the Senate bill. The Senate bill includes $922 million for Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS) Conservation Operations and $70 million for Watershed and Flood Prevention Operations. These are lower than NACD funding requests and the administration’s budget proposal, but higher than the House bill. The full Senate is expected to consider these appropriations proposals next month. The Senate and House must reach an agreement on FY24 budget bills before September 30 or pass a continuing resolution to avoid a government shutdown. For more information on the bill and its full text you can view the Senate Appropriations Committee’s press release, found here. 

Last week, the U.S. Fish and Wildfire Service and other agencies announced proposed rules to restore automatic protections for species listed as “threatened" and facilitate the designation of critical habitat areas unoccupied by a species as critical habitat. The proposals are intended to roll back a Trump-era overhaul of the way the Endangered Species Act is implemented. The rules will be published in the Federal Register Thursday, triggering a 60-day comment period.

USDA will be distributing $2.7 billion in new funding from the Commodity Credit Corp (CCC) to bolster domestic fertilizer expansion projects, school lunch programs, and The Emergency Food Assistance Program (TEFAP). Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack announced the new round of funding last week, telling reporters that USDA has received 350 applications during the last several months for nearly $3 billion to help with longer-term projects. The agency will now be pursuing 66 applications and is inviting public comments during the selection process. Comments must be submitted to FPEP@usda.gov by July 22. For more information, visit here.

CONSERVATION DISTRICTS & GOOD NEIGHBOR AUTHORITY

The Good Neighbor Authority (GNA) program of the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s Forest Service aims to enhance forest management, increase efficiency, and strengthen partnerships with local communities and community partners. Conservation districts are key stakeholders at the local level, and GNA offers the opportunity to collaborate with the Forest Service, contribute to sustainable land management, and promote ecological, social, and economic well-being within the community. NACD created a white paper to provide a deeper dive on this program and conservation districts' role in implementing landscape scale restoration. It takes a look at areas where conservation districts historically have been involved in this program, spaces where they can continue to expand involvement, and showcases three case studies of conservation district involvement in the GNA in Alaska, North Carolina, and Louisiana.

Read the full white paper about the Good Neighbor Authority and Conservation Districts on the forestry page of NACD website under resources.