LAST CHANCE TO REGISTER WITH EARLY-BIRD SAVINGS

Have you heard the buzz? NACD wants you to join us at the 2025 Annual Meeting! Hosted in partnership with the Utah Association of Conservation Districts, next year's meeting will take place in Salt Lake City, UT, from February 8-12, 2025. Join us in the Beehive State to explore the theme "Bee the Change: Reaching New Summits in Conservation!"

Register before December 20 to save up to $130 per person. Don't let this deal fly by!

Explore the Breakout Sessions

The agenda for Annual Meeting includes a selection of breakout sessions hosted by conservation districts and partners. From green infrastructure and restoration programs to outreach initiatives and new partnerships, these sessions provide a wealth of information about the agriculture world and the groundbreaking work from people across the nation. NACD’s breakout sessions are some of the most popular activities among meeting attendees and provide a platform for districts to share their initiatives with one another, so plan to join as many as you can during the meeting! Explore the full lineup of sessions here.

Ready to book?

All the details on registration and exclusive hotel and travel discounts, including special discounted airfare with Delta Airlines, can be found on NACD's Annual Meeting webpage. If you have any questions or want to be a sponsor for the event, contact events@nacdnet.org. We can't wait to bee in SLC with you!

WHAT'S UP IN WASHINGTON?

GOVERNMENT AFFAIRS UPDATE

Congress is wrapping up an end-of-year package to fund the federal government after the December 20 deadline, further extend the 2018 Farm Bill, provide disaster aid, and extend economic assistance for struggling producers. NACD, our members, and the larger agriculture and conservation community have been pushing lawmakers to include a bipartisan provision to integrate all remaining IRA conservation investments. Last week, NACD’s Executive Board met with current and incoming leaders of the House and Senate Agriculture Committees to advocate for this priority. NACD sincerely appreciates our members and the larger communities’ efforts to support this request.

“NACD urges lawmakers to pass an end of the year package that includes both economic assistance for producers and the integration of IRA conservation investments,” said NACD President Kim LaFleur in a recent press release. “America’s producers urgently require help, and integrating IRA conservation investments has strong bipartisan support and would increase funding for oversubscribed, locally led conservation programs. The time to act is now.”

Today, Representative Angie Craig (D-MN) was elected to serve as the Ranking Member on the House Agriculture Committee in the new Congress.

Last week, the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (FWS) announced the proposed listing of the Monarch Butterfly as threatened, with specific protections and flexibilities to encourage stabilization and growth of the species. FWS is actively seeking public input, and recent conversations with FWS staff indicate they are looking to the conservation community to provide feedback on how to best identify critical habitat and conservation practices associated with the continued existence of the Monarch. In addition to comments received, FWS will be holding public information sessions followed by public hearings on January 14 and 15. The 90-day comment period ends March 12, 2025.

Submit Resolutions for the NACD Policy Book

New resolutions to review at NACD’s 2025 Annual Meeting in Salt Lake City will be accepted until December 31, 2024. NACD Bylaws allow for state or territory associations, region boards, national foundation committees and subcommittees, and the executive board to submit new resolutions. Although the deadline for submitting resolutions is December 31, early submissions are appreciated. As in past years, only those associations whose annual meetings are held in January 2025 will be permitted to submit resolutions after the deadline. Interested parties are encouraged to fill out the Resolutions Submission Form.

If you are planning to submit a resolution, NACD encourages you to reach out to our Government Affairs staff, Chris Young at chris-young@nacdnet.org and Connor Simons at connor-simons@nacdnet.org.

SUPPORT CONSERVATION EDUCATION WITH A YEAR-END GIFT TO NCF

NACD's sister organization, the National Conservation Foundation (NCF), is wrapping up their fall fundraiser and asks for your support to reach their goal.  NCF's conservation education programs, NCF-Envirothon and the Next Generation Leadership Institute (NGLI), prepare students and adults to be the next generation of natural resource protectors.

Through these programs, students, volunteers, and conservation professionals come together to learn, grow, and harvest relationships. The programs teach practical skills crucial for the participants' leadership journey. To continue programs like these, NCF relies on conservation champions like you. 

Show your support with a one-time or reoccurring donation. Prefer to donate by check? Print and mail in this completed form!

Have an in-kind donation instead? Donate an item to the NCF Live Auction! The auction will be hosted on February 10, 2025, during NACD's Annual Meeting. Popular items in past years have included locally sourced products, hand-made items, and outdoorsy equipment!