LAST CALL TO SUBMIT ENTRIES FOR POSTER & PHOTO CONTEST

NACD’s Poster Contest gives K-12 students a chance to have their artwork displayed nationally, highlighting conservation district efforts. The contest begins locally, advances to state levels, and national winners are recognized at NACD’s Annual Meeting.

The 2024 competitions, under the theme "May The Forest Be With You, Always" will close submissions this Sunday, December 1.

For posters, state contest coordinators are invited to submit winning, forestry-themed posters to be judged at the national level. Hand-drawn and digital posters, as well as braille or additional assist posters, are accepted.

The NACD national photo contest is open to all photographers, regardless of skill or age, and without winning any local or state competitions. They will be judged on technical merit, composition, and creativity. One winner will be selected for each category and age division. Contestants are allowed to enter as many as five photos each year that each fit into one of the four categories. Photos do not need to be forestry-themed.

Learn more and submit your contest entries before the December 1 deadline on NACD's website!

JOIN US AT ANNUAL MEETING TO HEAR FROM THESE KEYNOTE SPEAKERS

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!"

Only one month left to claim the early-bird discount! Register before December 20 to save up to $130 per person. If you have never attended an NACD annual meeting in the past, you may be eligible for a first-timer scholarship!

Newly Announced Speakers

The agenda for Annual Meeting includes a line-up of speakers who are national conservation leaders. Join our general session to hear a keynote from bestselling author and accomplished athlete Erik Weihenmayer! His latest book, "No Barriers: A Blind Man’s Journey to Kayak the Grand Canyon" is more than an adventure story; it illuminates how we move forward in our lives towards growth and purpose – despite the barriers that get in our way. Later that afternoon, hear from Marilyn Vetter, President and CEO of Pheasants Forever. Vetter brings twenty-five years of strategic leadership, business management, and volunteer experience.

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!

NACD APPLAUDS USDA LAUNCH OF WATER-SAVING INITIATIVE

Last week, USDA announced a series of investments to support community-operated irrigation systems, including the historical systems of the southwest known as acequias, to implement water conservation practices while continuing agricultural production as part of the Water-Savings Commodities Program. 

Through the Water-Saving Commodities Program, the agency has allocated $15 million to help acequias in New Mexico and Colorado, the only places in the country where these historical systems are still operational. USDA will be working closely with the New Mexico Association of Conservation Districts and the Colorado Association of Conservation Districts to provide technical assistance, outreach, and education to ensure the continued ability of these systems to conserve water resources during ongoing drought conditions. This announcement also includes the preliminary selection of three Congressionally authorized Indian Irrigation Projects. 

“The USDA’s effort, together with the ongoing partnership with state associations underscores the importance of community-based water management, providing farmers with the tools they need to thrive despite growing water scarcity challenges,” said NACD President Kim LaFleur. These investments build on existing efforts by local conservation districts to enhance irrigation systems and ensure water is used responsibly while maintaining agricultural productivity. 

Acequias are community operated water systems that play a crucial role in managing surface waters in high desert environments that not only irrigate fields but also replenish rivers, wetlands, and groundwater in the region. New Mexico alone has nearly 800 individual acequias that have been in place since the 17th and 18th centuries. The San Luis Valley in southern Colorado has more than 70 acequias that provide water resources to over 300 families. Other historical acequias in the southwest have been incorporated into irrigation systems and districts over the years. With the addition of acequias and Indian Irrigation Projects, the Water-Savings Commodities partnerships are expected to conserve up to 50,000 acre-feet in water use across 250,000 acres of irrigated land in production, while expanding and creating new, sustainable market opportunities.

Read NACD's press release in our newsroom.

WHAT'S UP IN WASHINGTON?

GOVERNMENT AFFAIRS UPDATE

President-elect Trump has nominated Brooke Rollins to serve as the next Secretary of the USDA. The U.S. Senate must approve her confirmation. Rollins currently serves as President and CEO of the America First Policy Institute. During the last Trump Administration, she served as Director of the Domestic Policy Council and Assistant to the President for Strategic Initiatives. Prior to those roles, Rollins served as President and CEO of the Texas Public Policy Foundation. Rollins graduated cum laude from Texas A&M with a B.S. in agricultural development and earned a Juris Doctor from the University of Texas School of Law.

On Friday, Congress recessed for the Thanksgiving holiday. When they return next week, lawmakers will be focused on developing legislation to provide disaster aid, extend federal funding, and further extend the 2018 Farm Bill before the end of the year. NACD is focused on encouraging lawmakers to integrate all remaining IRA conservation investments into an end-of-the-year package.

Representatives Angie Craig (D-MN) and Jim Costa (D-CA) are seeking to become the Ranking Member of the House Agriculture Committee, a position currently held by Representative David Scott (D-GA). Senator Boozman (R-AR) is positioned to become the new Chair of the Senate Agriculture Committee, while Amy Klobuchar (D-MN) is set to become the Ranking Member.

The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service is proposing to designate approximately 1.6 million acres of occupied critical habitat across 33 counties in Illinois, Iowa, Minnesota, Virginia, West Virginia, and Wisconsin for the endangered rusty patched bumble bee under the Endangered Species Act. Most of the proposed critical habitat designations are on private land within urban areas. If finalized, the critical habitat designation will not affect activities by private landowners unless the activity is funded or authorized by a federal agency.

The proposed rule was published in the Federal Register on Tuesday, November 26, 2024, opening a 60-day public day comment period. The proposal, supporting materials, and information on how to submit comments are found at www.regulations.gov by searching under docket number FWS-R3-ES-2024-0132.

STATE ASSOCIATIONS & NACD MEET WITH GREAT LAKES COMMISSION

By Liz Rice, IASWCD

Last week, Indiana Association of Soil and Water Conservation Districts Executive Director Liz Rice traveled to Ann Arbor, MI, with NACD Region Representative Beth Mason and other leaders of state associations from Michigan, Wisconsin, Minnesota, Illinois, Ohio, Pennsylvania, and New York to provide insight on the status, opportunities, and challenges of the conservation district workforce to the Great Lakes Commission (GLC). 

"Soil and water conservation districts play a critical role in protecting the health of the Great Lakes, but they can face steep challenges in workforce capacity. These challenges affect our collective ability to advance conservation efforts," said Rice.

As an international organization of eight U.S. states and two Canadian provinces, the GLC recommends policies and practices to balance the use, development, and conservation of the water resources of the Great Lakes. Two social science researchers from Ohio State University will use the information they gathered at this meeting to develop a research project that will help the GLC better understand the challenges of conservation district workforces and formulate potential solutions.