NACD is heading to San Antonio, Texas, for the 2026 Annual Meeting! Hosted in partnership with the Association of Texas Soil and Water Conservation Districts (ATSWCD), our 80th meeting will take place on February 15-19, 2026, at the San Antonio Marriott Rivercenter on the River Walk. This special anniversary meeting will explore the theme "Deep Roots, Bold Horizons," to look back on NACD's past and ahead to its future.

Get ready for a jam-packed agenda, which includes NACD board meetings, breakout sessions from local and national conservation leaders, a distinguished lineup of keynote speakers, NCF's Live Auction, the chance to network with conservation and ag professionals at the National Conservation Showcase, and so much more!

Download the Event App

Make sure you're ready to join in by downloading the event app. The app allows you to see the full event schedule, session descriptions, speaker profiles, and more. After you've set up a public profile, you will be able to create a personalized schedule and message and network with other attendees right from the app. Download the Sched app (Apple) (Android) and search NACD to join the event.

Remember to Pack a Book

In celebration of this year’s Stewardship Week theme, "Soil. Where It All Begins," we’re highlighting a collection of soil-themed books to donate. Purchase a book from the Pack-A-Book Amazon Wish List to send directly to NACD, or go to your favorite local bookseller and bring it with you to San Antonio. Through NACD's Pack-A-Book drive, books will be accepted by the Association of Texas Soil and Water Conservation Districts and distributed to local schools, public libraries, and conservation education programs in the Annual Meeting host community.

We can't wait to see you in Texas! If you have any last minute questions, please reach out to us at events@nacdnet.org.

WHAT'S UP IN WASHINGTON? GOVERNMENT AFFAIRS UPDATE

The House Agriculture Committee has tentatively scheduled a Farm Bill markup for the week of February 23, 2026. Passage of the One Big Beautiful Bill Act (OBBBA) last summer integrated remaining Inflation Reduction Act funds into the conservation title, authorizing permanent increases to conservation programs such as EQIP, CSP, ACEP, and RCPP. Because of that, “Farm Bill 2.0” will be significantly scaled back and address issues that could not be addressed within OBBBA due to budget reconciliation rules, such as reauthorization of the Conservation Reserve Program and increases in USDA loan limits.

On February 6, Sen. John Hickenlooper (CO) and Sen. Jerry Moran (KS) re-introduced the Water Project Navigator’s Act. This act would establish a new program at the Bureau of Reclamation to fund “navigator” positions at partner organizations, including conservation districts, to help develop, fund, and implement multi-benefit water projects. These projects are defined as proposals to enhance water conservation and efficiency efforts, encourage sustainable water management, improve management and/or delivery of water resources, enhance habitat and ecosystems to benefit fish and wildlife, and to promote recreation.

THERE ARE RESOURCES AVAILABLE TO SUPPORT PRODUCER MENTAL HEALTH

You may not hear many farmers and producers talking about their mental health, but you should know that, like anyone else, they are at risk of depression, anxiety, and other mental health issues.  

Farmers today are under an increasing number of stressors: many commodity prices have fallen in recent years, labor and other input costs have increased, and natural disasters across the country have reduced crop yields and impacted livestock. Suicide rates are also elevated in the farming profession. A recent study estimates the male suicide rate for farmers at 52.1 per 100,000, compared to 32.0 per 100,000 among male working-aged adults across all occupations. 

So, how can we, as conservation district board and staff members, best support producers in our communities? Below you will find nationwide resources highlighted that can provide free, specialized support for farmers and producers experiencing mental health difficulties.  

Nationwide Resources 



NACD invited Kaila Anderson from LandLogic to present at a Conservation Coffee session this past October. Kaila introduced attendees to The LandLogic Model, a culturally tailored mental health model incorporating a producer’s land, and how conservationists fit into the continuum of care for farmer’s mental health. 

While this session is not meant to train individuals to replace professional mental health service providers, it will provide listeners with tools to recognize when farmers, ranchers and others may be struggling. This recorded session is available to NACD dues-paying members at any level on our Members Only page under the “Optimize Your Outreach and Communication Skills” section. If you need help accessing the Members Only webpage, please reach out to us. 

Farmaid.org has a hotline (800-327-6243) and request form that any producer, no matter their age or level of experience, can use to explain their situation and receive support from Farmaid’s trained team.  

The Rural Health Information Hub also has an extensive guide to understanding farmer mental health & suicide prevention along with a list of resources and organizations that can provide further help. 

While there is always more to be done to support the mental health of our farmers and producers, these resources offer a blueprint for how we can begin to show up for members of our communities. Please take the time to check in with those you are close to.

If you are in crisis or need help outside of the above hours, please call the national suicide hotline at 9-8-8. Whether you’re facing mental health struggles, emotional distress, alcohol or drug use concerns, or just need someone to talk to, caring counselors are here for you. You are not alone. 

Read more about these and other state specific resources in our latest Did You Know? blog post.