It’s not our first rodeo; it’s our 80th! NACD invites you to saddle up and join us in San Antonio, Texas, for the 2026 Annual Meeting! Hosted in partnership with the Association of Texas Soil and Water Conservation Districts, our 80th meeting will take place on February 15-19, 2026, at the San Antonio Marriott Rivercenter on the River Walk. Help us celebrate this milestone anniversary—the Oak Anniversary—and explore the theme, "Deep Roots, Bold Horizons."

Registration is now open! Act now to get an early bird discounted rate. Full registration includes entry into the National Conservation Showcase, General and Breakout Sessions, Tuesday’s Leadership Luncheon and National Conservation Foundation Live Auction, and Wednesday's Appreciation Banquet.

This year’s NACD Annual Meeting will start one day later than past meetings. Please keep this schedule in mind as you are making travel arrangements. For our Board of Directors, this means that the first meeting of the board will be held on Sunday, February 15, not Saturday. The first general session for all attendees will be held on Tuesday morning, February 17, not Monday. The closing general session and tours will be held on Thursday, February 19.

Get ready for great learning and networking opportunities with conservation districts and partners from across the country! Stay tuned in the months ahead as we announce speakers, breakout sessions, tours, events, and much more. If you would like to present at the meeting, don't forget to submit a breakout session proposal by September 26.

All the details on registration and exclusive hotel discounts can be found on NACD's Annual Meeting webpage. If you have any questions or if you would like to explore sponsorship or exhibitor opportunities at the event, contact events@nacdnet.org.

CONNECT WITH NACD PRESIDENT BLAIR AT CONSERVATION COFFEE

Join us for the next Conservation Coffee on October 2, at 3:00 p.m. ET, to connect with NACD President Gary Blair. President Blair will welcome everyone to NACD’s new fiscal year (which starts October 1), discuss upcoming programs, and provide relevant NACD updates. If you have ideas or suggestions for NACD, this is your time to share those with your leadership!

President Blair serves as a conservation district official with the Carroll County Soil and Water Conservation District in Mississippi, and prior to starting his term as NACD President in February, he held numerous leadership roles within our organization, including as Chair of NACD Committees and on our Executive Board. He is well-versed in the operations of NACD and very interested in supporting our members. To best represent you, he needs to hear your feedback! This is a great opportunity to connect with our leadership and ensure your voice is represented at the national level.

Come learn more about President Blair and his goals for the next fiscal year, hear updates about our advocacy efforts and the work of our leadership team, and have your questions answered about our membership services.

Register online and see all past Conservation Coffees on our YouTube.

WHAT'S UP IN WASHINGTON? GOVERNMENT AFFAIRS UPDATE

Republican leaders plan to introduce a continuing resolution (CR) to fund the government at current levels through November, aiming to prevent a shutdown when Fiscal Year 2026 begins on October 1. However, passage is uncertain. The bill needs 60 Senate votes to overcome a filibuster, requiring support from some Democrats. Senate Democrats have said they won’t back any package that excludes extensions of expiring Affordable Care Act subsidies – an unpopular provision among Republicans and the White House. The Senate is set to recess next week for Rosh Hashanah, with the shutdown date falling early in the week after. While the risk of a shutdown remains high, a compromise could still emerge.

On Monday, September 15, Agriculture Secretary Rollins and Interior Secretary Burgum issued a memorandum from the USDA and Secretary Burgum on coordinated wildfire work. The policy, directed by Executive Order 14308, is designed to modernize federal wildfire systems, strengthen coordination with states, Tribes, and local partners, and expand tools for fuel management and community protection.

Upcoming Events:

On Wednesday, September 17, from 2:00 – 4:00 p.m. ET, USDA’s Urban Agriculture and Innovative Production Advisory Committee (UAIPAC) will hold their second public meeting of the month. Interested parties must register beforehand to access the meeting. The public comment period will remain open until September 30, and written comments will be accepted via email. For more information on the Advisory Committee, check out the accompanying Federal Registrar announcement.

On Thursday, September 18, at 10:00 a.m. ET, the House Agriculture Commodity Markets, Digital Assets, and Rural Development Subcommittee will hold a hearing titled “USDA’s Rural Development: Delivering Vital Programs and Services to Rural America”. A livestream of the hearing and access to a full recording can be found here.

On Thursday, September 18, at 12:00 p.m. ET, the Agriculture Department will hold a virtual meeting of the Tribal Advisory Committee for administrative matters, ongoing Agriculture Department or related federal activities, and member deliberation on committee recommendations. Registration is required to attend this meeting.

PACIFIC & SOUTHWEST REGIONS MEET IN COLORADO

Last week, the Pacific and Southwest Regions met for their Joint Region Meeting in Golden, Colorado. Hosted by the Colorado Association of Conservation Districts, the meeting started on Sunday with leadership development training that focused on resiliency and youth engagement. The Monday welcome session included presentations from NACD President Gary Blair, National Conservation District Employees Association Executive Director Tim Riley, Colorado Department of Agriculture Commissioner Kate Greenberg, and NRCS Colorado State Conservationist Clint Evans. This led into a day full of breakout sessions, ranging from agrivoltaics, weed and invasive species management strategies, wildfire preparedness, and a session discussing conservation efforts in Guam. A keynote presentation during lunch focused on succession planning, and the evening culminated in a cornhole tournament and celebration of the Colorado Association of Conservation Districts’ 80th anniversary.

Retired Air Force Colonel Kim “KC” Campbell shared the value of creating a “wingman culture,” on Tuesday, where trust, collaboration, and mutual support are essential to fostering high-performance teams. Each region then held strategic planning and business meetings. Attendees enjoyed a day in the field on Wednesday, with farm tours, including a visit to NACD board member Bob Warner’s Ranch. While there, participants explored his sustainably raised beef operation and innovative conservation infrastructure for both productivity and environmental stewardship. The Pacific-Southwest Joint Region Meeting was a successful showcase of Colorado conservation and collaboration between regions!