United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) Secretary Tom Vilsack announced today the Conservation Reserve Program (CRP) is accepting offers of up to more than two million acres in program enrollment. CRP is a voluntary conservation program that authorizes USDA to provide annual rental payments to producers enrolled in the program who agree to remove environmentally sensitive land from agricultural production and agree to plant species that will improve environmental health and quality. Contracts for land enrolled in CRP last from 10 – 15 years in length.

“NACD applauds USDA and commends them for their leadership in continuing to administer this critical program,” said NACD President Michael Crowder. “CRP is a significant component to conservation that, over the years, has played a key role in restoring the environment and ensuring the sustainability of our agricultural lands. I thank Secretary Vilsack and Administrator Ducheneaux for their work in continuing to administer this important program.”

Read the full release here.

On Monday, May 2 the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) hosted a Soil Health Workshop for stakeholders at the Agriculture Research Center in Beltsville, Maryland. NACD CEO Jeremy Peters and NACD Government Affairs Associate Mariah MacKenzie participated in the event.

The event began with remarks from USDA Secretary Tom Vilsack, Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS) Chief Terry Cosby, and Agricultural Research Service (ARS) Administrator Chavonda Jacobs-Young in a panel discussion with participants. In his remarks, Secretary Vilsack emphasized the critical role soil health plays in ensuring the resilience of our natural resources and the profitability of agricultural operations across the country.

NRCS and ARS experts held demonstrations of recently developed cutting-edge soil health innovations, including technology to accurately track cover crops, take deep-soil samples, and detect contamination. Following the soil health technology demonstrations, the U.S Geological Survey, NRCS Soil and Plant Science Division, and other partners provided presentations on mapping cover crops, dynamic soil health properties, and the economic benefits provided by cover crops and no-till practices.

NACD applauds USDA’s dedication to supporting soil health and innovative agricultural technologies and appreciate Secretary Vilsack, Chief Cosby, and Administrator Jacobs-Young for recognizing the role that the nation’s 3,000 conservation districts play in implementing these critical soil health practices.

The Eastern Connecticut Conservation District (ECCD) considers itself fortunate to own 85 acres of land in Brooklyn, Connecticut. The land features a wide variety of habitats and natural resources, and the ECCD is currently working to develop an outdoor education center on it, named the Milo Appley Conservation Showcase and Education Center.

Over the past year, with the support of a 2021 Friends of NACD District Grant, the ECCD developed a framework and began to implement actions to help move the district forward in creating this outdoor education center.

A priority for the center is developing trails for visitors to enjoy. To that end, ECCD has worked on creating an educational trail with interpretive signs to educate visitors to the center about habitats, wildlife, invasive species, agriculture, land management, climate change, and water quality.

ECCD has also created a Letterbox Trail on the land. Like geocaching, letterboxing encourages fun outdoor treasure-hunting. The letterboxes on ECCD’s Letterbox Trail highlight natural resources and are placed throughout the property.

The Friends of NACD District Grant also helped ECCD, along with partners and volunteers, plant milkweed at the center to establish a Monarch Waystation.

“Once developed,” says ECCD Board of Directors Chair Bill Jorsz, “the Milo Appley Conservation Showcase and Education Center will be a public venue accessible to individuals, families, and schools. At the Center, the public will learn about different habitats, the environment, ecosystems, flora and fauna, and threats to our natural resources, which will support regional efforts to protect the environment in eastern Connecticut."

Read more about this project in this blog post and help provide grant opportunities like this to conservation districts around the country by becoming a Friend of NACD today!

Back in 1981, Rex and Amy Hamilton began harvesting, cleaning, and selling warm-season grass seed, most of which was used to establish forage. With the Conservation Reserve Program (CRP) signed into law in 1985, the demand for native grass seed increased as the long-term goal of the program is to re-establish valuable land cover. The planting of native grasses and wildflowers helps to improve water quality, prevent soil erosion, and reduce loss of wildlife habitat.

The Hamiltons established Hamilton Native Outpost which produces native grasses and wildflowers for livestock forage, landscaping, restoration of rare and declining habitats, and wildlife and pollinators. They also incorporate livestock into their seed production through managed grazing of their cow-calf operation.

Through the Hamilton Native Outpost website, the Hamiltons not only sell their seed, but they also share resources for landowners such as books, free how-to guides, and an extensive archive of educational blog posts. Throughout the year they hold field days such as the “Diverse Native Grasslands Pasture Walk” which is scheduled for June 16 where the Hamiltons will share how they have increased their forage production, improved their livestock performance, and enhanced soil health – all without the expense of fertilizer.

For more information on Rex and Amy Hamilton, their unique operation, and a bit about their soil health journey, you can follow Hamilton Native Outpost on Facebook and read their Soil Health Champion profile on the NACD website.

If you or someone you know would like to join the NACD Soil Health Champions Network, please visit the NACD website or contact NACD North Central Region Representative Beth Mason at beth-mason@nacdnet.org for more information.

NACD is seeking a full-time Communications Specialist to support coordination across a broad portfolio of communications and grant activities to achieve specific, project-driven outcomes. This position is responsible for providing assistance to the Director of Communications to support the NACD's member conservation districts and NACD Board of Directors to advance conservation, resource development, and assist in the implementation of the association’s policies. Interested candidates should apply no later than Friday, May 6, 2022.

Visit NACD's careers page to see the full job description and how to apply and to explore other open positions.

NACD President Michael Crowder will host his next "Coffee with Crowder" on May 18 at 5p.m. ET. Add the date to your calendar now, and be on the lookout in future editions of eResource for more information.

The Indiana State Department of Agriculture (ISDA) hosted a webinar series “Grant and Funding Opportunities: A Virtual Series For SWCDs” and invited NACD North Central Region Representative Beth Mason and NACD Projects and Partnerships Coordinator Meg Leader to speak on April 21, highlighting the various grant opportunities for districts through NACD.

The session included details on:

• Friends of NACD District Grants Program,

• NACD Urban Agriculture Conservation Grant Initiative,

• NCF Envirothon Diversity Enhancement and Underserved Audience Grants, and

• NACD Technical Assistance Grants.

While the details of these funding opportunities may fluctuate from year to year, participants were encouraged to visit the NACD website for examples of past projects, connect with NACD staff, and subscribe to our newsletter to stay current on grant announcements.

To learn more about these grant opportunities and view the presentation recording, visit the ISDA YouTube link.

Field to Market highlighted Stearns County Soil and Water

Conservation District Administrator Dennis Fuchs in their Trusted Advisor series recently after a nomination from NACD. Fuchs works to connect farmers with financial and technical assistance to advance soil health and water quality in Central Minnesota. He has spent over 25 years working alongside local farmers, becoming a trusted adviser to producers as they advance their responsibility to improve regional water quality.

“We have great conservationist farmers in this region,” said Fuchs with pride. “Gaining the trust of these farmers is one of the most important things I feel that we can do as a Soil and Water Conservation District.”

Read the full story on Field to Market's website.

The Western Forestry Leadership Coalition (WFLC) and the US Forest Service recently collaborated to host a workshop on writing proposals for the Forest Legacy Program. This webinar included a panel of presenters that shared valuable information, as well as tips and tricks for writing project briefs. Watch the webinar recording here.

A request for proposals is now open for new Collaborative Forest Landscape Restoration Program (CFLRP) projects for potential funding beginning in Fiscal Year 2023. The purpose of the CFLRP is to encourage the collaborative, science-based ecosystem restoration of priority forest landscapes. Learn more here.

Promote your conservation district or state association's tree sale, annual meeting, webinar, field day, or other events on NACD's Calendar of Events!