On May 28, NACD released a statement regarding President Biden’s budget for the 2022 fiscal year.

The budget proposes increases in numerous domestic agencies, including a 21 percent increase for the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), a 16 percent increase for the Interior Department and a 16 percent increase for the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA).

Within the conservation portfolio, the president’s FY22 budget proposes a funding level of $886 million for Conservation Operations, a $50 million increase to the account that funds conservation planning and technical assistance. The budget requests $774 million for the Conservation Technical Assistance (CTA) program within Conservation Operations.

“NACD applauds the additional funding for Conservation Operations, which funds Conservation Technical Assistance,” NACD President Michael Crowder said. “This program helps put boots on the ground in our communities to deliver locally-led conservation where it’s needed most.”

Read the full press release in NACD's Newsroom.

Today, the National Association of Conservation Districts (NACD) released a statement applauding the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA)’s announcement that producers will receive a crop insurance premium for cover crops.

“Cover crops are essential for holding the soil and improving its water retention,” NACD President Michael Crowder said. “NACD applauds USDA for bolstering payments for these essential practices to incentivize further adoption.”

As part of USDA’s Pandemic Assistance for Producers Program, the agency is introducing the Pandemic Cover Crop Program (PCCP) to allow producers who insured their spring crop and planted cover crops during the 2021 crop year to become eligible for a premium benefit. All cover crops reportable to the Farm Service Agency (FSA) are eligible and the premium support is $5 per acre, but no more than the full premium owed.

“The PCCP program recognizes early adopters and producers who prioritize soil health management systems,” Crowder said. “NACD is also pleased by the Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS)'s decision not to modify cover crop practice standards. These forward-thinking decisions by USDA will have lasting impacts to increase cover crop adoption across the U.S.”

Producers should contact their USDA service center to learn more.

Read the full press release in NACD's Newsroom.

The 2021 NACD Awards Season launched today by opening nominations for the Distinguished Service Award and the Friend of Conservation Award. These awards recognize individuals and organizations for their outstanding work and leadership in soil and water conservation.

Winners will receive complimentary registration to the NACD Annual Meeting in Orlando, Fla., February 12-16, and a ticket to the Appreciation Banquet where they will be honored. Their story and achievements will also be highlighted on the NACD website and in various NACD national publications.

The NACD Distinguished Service Award recognizes an individual within the association, a conservation district or a state association that has made significant contributions to the conservation and proper management of our nation’s natural resources. Nominees can be involved with districts or the association at any level, including past NACD officers. Nominations are also accepted for individuals posthumously and may be submitted by any individual, organization, agency or conservation district.

The NACD Friend of Conservation Award recognizes an individual, business, organization or agency outside the association for outstanding contributions to the conservation of our nation’s natural resources. Any individual, business, organization or agency that is not directly associated with conservation districts at the local, state or national level is eligible to receive this award. Nominations can be made by any individual, organization, agency or conservation district.

All nominees will receive an Honorable Mention Certificate and a copy of the nomination text that was submitted on their behalf. To nominate someone, please visit the NACD Awards webpage to download the nomination form. The deadline to submit your nomination is August 31, 2021.

To view past NACD award recipients, please visit the NACD’s webpage for Awards Archives. Contact awards@email.nacdnet.org with any questions.

In April, lawmakers in Tennessee passed the Soil and Water Conservation Districts Law. The law rewrites Tennessee’s original Soil Conservation Districts Law enacted in 1939 and represents the first update to Tennessee’s enabling legislation in over 80 years.

Updating Tennessee’s Soil Conservation Districts Law has been a priority for Tennessee Association of Conservation Districts (TACD) President Jim Bledsoe. Working closely with the Tennessee Department of Agriculture and the office of Governor Bill Lee throughout the process, the rewritten law received unanimous bipartisan support from both houses and was signed by Governor Lee on April 22, 2021.

TACD Executive Director Matthew McClanahan says the rewrite helps to “modernize the law.” The law renames the state soil conservation committee the Tennessee Soil and Water Conservation Commission and broadens who is eligible to be appointed to its seats. After decades of being known as soil conservation districts, the law also renames districts as soil and water conservation districts. For conservation district governing bodies, the rewritten law provides greater details on eligibility to serve, nominating procedure, compensation, removal and succession.

The updated law “more accurately reflects what we’re already doing” says McClanahan. A summary can be viewed here.

This summer, the National Conservation Foundation (NCF) will open the application period for our second cohort of next generation leaders. Now is the best time to recruit the conservation district board member in your state that is committed to future conservation district leadership and service to participate in the Next Generation Leadersihp Institute (NGLI) Program. One applicant from each of NACD's seven regions will be selected to be in the 2022 NGLI Cohort and participate in training events throughout 2022. More information on NGLI can be found here or by contacting Ray Ledgerwood.

The goal of NGLI is to equip conservation district leaders with the tools to become national leaders through personal, civic and organizational leadership development. This comprehensive training will help participants rise to meet the future needs of natural resources management, helping them to increase their capacity to navigate and manage complex conservation challenges – both current and future – at the local, state and national level. Upon completion of the program, participants will fulfill their potential to be the trusted voice of locally-led conservation efforts from the local to the national level.

Currently-appointed conservation district officials are eligible to apply, as well as district officials with current or potential for a statewide leadership position. All applicants must be committed to future conservation district service and must submit letters of support from their local conservation district and their state or territory association.

Kirsten Holland Robertson and her husband John live near Pelzer, S.C. where they own and operate a 10-acre farm called “Pecan Dale Farmstead.” Their operation is quite diverse for such small acreage. They raise sheep for meat, goats for milk and chickens for eggs. Additionally, their operation includes a pecan orchard and 300 native fruit and nut trees.

Robertson learned about soil health through the USDA Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS) and thought she would try to incorporate some of those practices into her operation to help improve the land as well as her lifestyle. As the district manager of the Greenville Soil and Water Conservation District, both she and her husband were working full time, and the chores had become a real burden.

Through networking and research, Robertson began learning and trying new soil health practices. Some of the practices include on-contour swales and berms, adaptive grazing with minimum one-day moves, cover crops, perennials to increase soil fungi, and pollinator plots located under their pecan trees.

The biggest hurdle Robertson faced was that there was no one in her area that had experience rotating small ruminants, and she couldn’t find much information online. So, Robertson established a network of support through the Facebook group reGenerative Grazing Group, which began with a couple of friends and now boasts a membership of over 22,600 members. Robertson has not only taken what she’s learned and shared it with others, but she’s created a platform where others from all over the world can also share their insights into soil health.

For more information on Robertson and her operation, please visit her NACD profile.

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.

NACD is seeking candidates for a full-time director of government affairs, based in the Washington, D.C. headquarters.

The NACD Director of Government Affairs is the association’s primary liaison with Congress, federal natural resource agencies and groups with interests in responsible management and conservation of natural resources.

Learn more about the position and how to apply here. Apply by Friday, June 4, 2021 for priority interview consideration.

NACD has gathered a preliminary list of fundraising ideas and tools, available on the Members Only portion of the website.

Check out the list and contribute your own ideas by completing this survey.

Through NACD’s Hall of Distinction, state and territory associations can recognize current and past conservation leaders for their extraordinary work to advance conservation at the national level. In making their inductions, states and territories are asked to send some information to NACD via this online form.

The NACD Forestry Resource Policy Group (RPG), in conjunction with the National Association of State Foresters (NASF) Forest Resource Management and Forest Markets Committees, has organized a free, day-long series of webinars.

The four webinars will be held on June 22. Each 50-minute Zoom session will feature guest presenters and a Q&A with attendees. Sessions are open to all conservation district staff and forestry partners interested in attending.

Learn more about the series and how to register for each session here.

Thank you Steve Stierwalt for joining Friends of NACD as a Lifetime Member! Stierwalt, from Illinois, is the North Central Region Representative on NACD's Executive Board.

Friends of NACD support the nation’s conservation districts through donations that fund the Friends of NACD District Grants Program. Since 2020, the program has awarded $20,000 in grant funding to eight districts across the country. Join Friends of NACD today!

NACD President Micahel Crowder's June coffee social hour is scheduled for Thursday, June 24 at 5 p.m. Eastern.

Be sure to join for a casual conversation with your association president on the issues that matter most to you as a conservationist - or just to catch up!

Be on the lookout for Zoom participation information coming soon.

Looking for new ideas and partners to reach your sustainable land management goals?

Join Readiness and Environmental Protection Integration's "Land Management Innovations" on June 2 at 1 p.m. Eastern to learn about the innovative ways sentinel landscapes are advancing land management practices that benefit the strategic goals for the Department of Defense, Department of Agriculture and Department of Interior.

Learn more and register here.

The National Recreation and Parks Association (NRPA) is proud to announce their 2021 BioBlitz as part of their Parks for Pollinators Program. Parks for Pollinators is a national campaign to raise awareness and community involvement in the pollinator crisis through local parks and recreation and like-minded organizations.

NRPA provides resources online to help agencies plan and implement their BioBlitz. Read the official rules here. 

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