On March 29, NACD and a coalition of agriculture and conservation organizations sent a letter to the leaders of the U.S. House and Senate appropriations committees requesting at least $1.2 billion for NRCS Conservation Operations and fully authorized funding for farm bill conservation programs in Fiscal Year 2025 (FY25). More than 85 conservation and agriculture groups signed the letter to support the requests. Conservation Operations funds Conservation Technical Assistance (CTA), which facilitates the implementation of on-the-ground conservation by supporting our conservation workforce, conservation planning, and the extension of specialized technical assistance to producers.

“Funding for NRCS Conservation Operations was reduced in the final Fiscal Year 2024 spending bill, so it is critical that we make a strong case for reversing course as Congress develops FY25 appropriations bills,” said NACD President Kim LaFleur. “Nearly one hundred conservation and agriculture groups signing this letter sends a clear message to Congress that increasing funding for CTA is vital to supporting our conservation delivery system and putting effective conservation practices on the ground in all parts of the country.” 

Providing strong funding for CTA is now more important than ever as NRCS and partners work to administer historic investments in voluntary conservation programs, including the Environmental Quality Incentives Program and Conservation Stewardship Program. The letter also urges Congress to reject any reductions in mandatory spending for these important USDA conservation programs. Maintaining funding is required to reduce persistent backlogs in these programs and help an increasing number of producers voluntarily implement conservation of their lands.

Read NACD's full press release here.

FSH SEEKING FARMERS FOR COVER CROP ASSISTANCE

Farmers for Soil Health (FSH) is on a mission to improve soil health and farm profitability. Working with farmers to expand their adoption of cover crops, FSH aims to have 30 million U.S. acres in cover crops by 2030.

As a partner, NACD is excited to share that FSH is currently accepting enrollments from farmers seeking assistance planting cover crops in 20 states: Delaware, Illinois, Indiana, Iowa, Kansas, Kentucky, Maryland, Michigan, Minnesota, Missouri, Nebraska, New York, North Carolina, North Dakota, Ohio, Pennsylvania, South Dakota, Tennessee, Virginia, and Wisconsin.

If you are a farmer interested in this opportunity, visit FSH’s enrollment page. Funding for technical and financial assistance is made possible by the USDA’s Partnerships for Climate-Smart Commodities initiative.

More information, including an extensive Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ’s) are available on FSH’s enrollment page. The online initial enrollment step is relatively short, with a follow up step to provide more farm information later in the process. Each of the states also has a designated Technical Assistance organization to provide help to producers.

Please help spread the word and share this opportunity with farmers in eligible states!

WHAT'S UP IN WASHINGTON:

GOVERNMENT AFFAIRS UPDATE

The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service announced the release of three final rules to amend regulations implementing key sections of the Endangered Species Act (ESA). These revisions alter sections of the ESA that regulate the listing of critical habitats, consultation requirements, and prohibitions for threatened species. NACD signed a signed a comment letter highlighting concerns that the rules may not provide regulatory clarity nor improve certainty. 

JEFFERSON CONSERVATION DISTRICT LEADS FORESTRY RESILIENCE INITIATIVE

Jefferson Conservation District (JCD) in Colorado, in collaboration with partners, has secured federal grants totaling over $19 million to address forest restoration, wildlife habitat preservation, and wildfire mitigation across the Northern Front Range.

This initiative will tackle the issue of dense forests, a consequence of historical wildfire suppression, which has exacerbated wildfire management challenges. By selectively removing trees, the project seeks to decrease the intensity of future wildfires, benefiting both communities and ecosystems.

The forests of the Northern Front Range have undergone significant changes over the past century due to the suppression of natural wildfires. Prior to human intervention, wildfires occurred periodically, maintaining diverse forest habitats and preventing excessive fuel buildup.

However, with the suppression of these fires, forests have become densely populated with trees, leading to more intense and damaging wildfires, such as the Hayman Fire of 2002 and the Cameron Peak Fire of 2020. The increasing population residing in these forests amplifies the impact of wildfires, affecting not only rural areas but also urban communities along the Front Range corridor.

The JCD’s forestry programs play a crucial role in helping landowners manage their forested lands to mitigate wildfire hazards and restore ecological balance. Looking ahead, JCD aims to expand its capacity by adding two new forestry staff members and expand their acres treated. As leaders on the Front Range, JCD and its partners are committed to promoting conservation practices essential for healthy, well-managed forestlands in collaboration with active involvement from landowners and the community.

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