The National Conservation Foundation (NCF) and the NCF-Envirothon are accepting applications for the 2023 cycle of Diversity Enhancement and Underserved Audience Grant (Diversity Grant) Program until 11:59 p.m. ET on Friday, February 3, 2023.

The Diversity Grant Program, sponsored by the US Forest Service (USFS) and NCF, provide mini grants of up to $4,000 to state Envirothon programs with the goals of: increasing the diversity, equity, and inclusion of local state Envirothon programs; improving access to hands-on, outdoor natural resource education opportunities; encouraging education exploration; and educating young adults on the importance of conservation.

Conservation districts, including tribal conservation districts, may participate by partnering with their local state Envirothon program to apply for Diversity Grant funding. All state Envirothon programs who are current on their Membership Dues are eligible to apply.

More information can be found on the NCF-Envirothon Diversity Grant webpage, or by contacting Jennifer Brooks, NCF-Envirothon Program Manager, at jennifer-brooks@nacdnet.org or call 1-800-825-5547 x 2.

CONGRESSIONAL UPDATE:

AGRICULTURE COMMITTEES BEGINNING TO FORM

The Senate and House agriculture committee rosters are expected to be finalized soon as legislators return to the Hill to continue the 118th Congress’s first session. Last week, Republicans released the names of 12 new members that will be joining GT Thompson on the House Ag Committee, along with 14 returning members. Democrats in the House are expected to begin to release their committee rosters this week following a meeting of the Democratic Steering and Policy Committee. Senate committee memberships may also be determined this week, as both chambers prepare to host farm bill hearings in February. Keep an eye out for updates from our GA team as the rosters take form and click here for more information on the members that have already been announced.

MINNESOTA HOSTS NACD NORTH CENTRAL REGION'S WINTER MEETING

The NACD North Central Region Board and conservation partners convened in Minneapolis, MN for their annual January Leaders’ Meeting on January 5-6. Board members from all eight North Central states attended along with their regional conservationist and many of their state conservationists, state agency representatives, executive directors, and local conservation district staff and board members.

Guest speaker Peter Mead of The Nature Conservancy gave a presentation on Carbon Markets followed by a presentation from NACD Past President Tim Palmer on the Ecosystem Services Marketplace Consortium (ESMC) and the role of conservation districts. To explore the topic further, a speaker panel consisted additionally of Ed McNamara (MN) as a producer and district board member, Jerry Miller (MI) who explained the science of soil health, and Ryan Britt (MO) an NACD board member who sat on the NACD Climate Action Task Force. Through this panel, the attendees were able to explore and discuss Carbon Markets more broadly.

The meeting transitioned to a Farm Bill Panel with each conservation partner represented – Susan Kozak, Iowa Department of Agriculture and Land Stewardship (IDALS), representing the National Association of State Conservation Agencies (NASCA); Scott Edwards, Missouri Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS) State Conservationist; Ryan Britt, Missouri NACD Board Member and NACD Farm Bill Task Force Member; and Melissa Higbee, National Conservation District Employees Association (NCDEA) Vice President and NACD Farm Bill Task Force Member. Each panel member gave opening comments which kicked off a lengthy discussion among all attendees on the current Farm Bill – what is working, what isn’t, and looking ahead.

NACD Board Member Kurt Beckstrom (MN) hosted a dinner of freshly caught fish in nearby ice fishing shanties – giving attendees a unique dinner experience while they continued with networking.

Attendees reconvened the following day to discuss resolutions the region would like to sponsor and present to NACD at the Annual Meeting in New Orleans next month. Conservation partners each shared updates from their organizations and agencies, and the meeting ended with a final wrap up discussion on the Farm Bill. To close the meeting, each board member shared their thoughts on the top two priorities for the next Farm Bill which ignited further discussion between states as well as partners. These comments were then collected by Ryan Britt (MO) to share with the NACD Farm Bill Task Force for further discussion and input.

MISSISSIPPI DISTRICTS GATHER FOR ANNUAL MEETING

On January 18-19, 2023, around 350 conservation district officials, employees, and partners gathered in Flowood for the Mississippi Association of Conservation District’s (MACD) 78th Annual Meeting.

The first day included a district employee training session, an awards luncheon, and a general session featuring updates from MACD, the Mississippi Soil and Water Conservation Commission, NACD, Chief Terry Cosby from NRCS, and success stories from across the state. A live auction benefiting MACD's endowment fund, which this year awarded $50,000 in scholarships to students, was held in the evening.

On the second day, participants heard from speakers about 319 water quality projects, dam safety, climate smart agriculture, and sustainable row-crop production. The Mississippi Conservation District Employees Association (MCDEA) led an education session, and district officials took an Oath of Office and received an orientation to their roles at a luncheon. The meeting concluded with a dinner awards banquet featuring Sarah Thomas, the National Football League’s first female official as the keynote speaker. Mississippi’s NACD Board Member, Pete Hunter, was honored with the MCDEA Special Recognition Award (pictured) and the President’s Award.

Anita Cowan, the first woman to serve as president of MACD, concluded her two-year term and was elected to serve as Mississippi’s alternate board member on NACD’s Board of Directors. Congratulations and welcome to NACD, Anita, and congratulations to Nick Elmore as he takes the helm as president of MACD!

For many grantees through the joint NACD-NRCS Urban Agriculture Conservation (UAC) grant initiative, developing new outreach strategies or expanding their offerings of educational opportunities for urban agriculturalists is a primary objective.

Franklin County Soil and Water Conservation District (FSWCD) in New York, a 2021 UAC grantee, was extremely excited to use their grant to provide environmental conservation education programs to their North Country residents.

From June through July of 2021, FSWCD held a series of educational workshops for community members ranging from ages 5-80. They hosted a Pollinator Palooza to educate school aged children about what pollinators are, why they are important, native pollinators, as well as how they can attract these pollinators into their backyards.

Staff also held an irrigation workshop for their farming community, with attendees from all farming backgrounds. This workshop covered drip irrigation systems, vegetable plant water needs, different materials that can be used in a system, water supplies and small aerial irrigation systems for various plant types as well as large scale aerial irrigation systems from large boom lines, to wheel drag lines. The district also provided additional education on food safety regulations and water drawing permits.

FCSWD also held a “Soil Your Undies”: Soil Health Workshop for their farming community. Presentations from NRCS, CCE, SUNY Potsdam Biologist and a Franklin County Producer covered topics such as basic soils, soil compaction, soil microbes- Knowing friend from foe, as well as minimal tillage in permanent garden beds and mulching techniques. They also held a “Soil Your Undies” competition.

The districts were very inspired by attendance at these workshops and how well received they were by the public. The Pollinator Palooza workshop in particular increased the number of people asking for technical assistance from their office to implement pollinator gardens. The Irrigation Management Workshop also increased the number of farmers calling the FSWCD office for support on the development of conservation plans and to implement irrigation within their vegetable crops to conserve water and reduce run off. The district also saw an increase in the number of acres planted to fall cover crops or utilizing no-till or reduced tillage practices, as well.

Franklin County Soil and Water District conducted all of these activities on a relatively small budget for a UAC grant, yet they built sustained partnerships (and are very excited) to continue these activities in the future.

Learn more about all past UAC grantees and their various outreach strategies on NACD’s urban and community webpage.