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Hosted in partnership with the California Association of Resource Conservation Districts (CARCD), NACD's 2024 Annual Meeting will take place in San Diego, California from February 10-14, 2024. Join us for great networking opportunities, speakers, and tours exploring the theme "Operation Conservation!"
Online registration and hotel reservations close next Friday, January 19.
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There is still space to join CARCD and NACD on the U.S.S. Midway for the host state welcome reception, sponsored by Warner Ranch!
The USS Midway was the longest-serving aircraft carrier in the 20th century. It is now a museum with an extensive collection of aircraft built in Southern California. Explore the ship and its flight deck, center island, and hangar bays. Enjoy a dinner buffet while networking with colleagues from across the country. A cash bar will also be available. Free shuttle bus service will bring you to the U.S.S. Midway and back to the Sheraton San Diego Hotel & Marina.
Don't miss this unique experience! Reserve your space today by adding this host state event onto your registration for $150 per person.
Explore the 2024 Annual Meeting agenda to discover available breakout sessions, meetings, and social events that will be happening throughout the week. Find everything you need to know on NACD's website.
| NEW AGRI-PULSE PODCAST EPISODE ON CONSERVATION FEATURES NACD LEADERSHIP |  | |
Today, Agri-Pulse released their fifth and final episode of their Deep Dive on Farm and Food Policy Drivers podcast series. The series, led by Agri-Pulse broadcaster Spencer Chase, explores issues in food and agriculture in 30-minute episodes.
Episode five, called “Dust in the Wind,” takes a look at the history of conservation policy and today’s opportunities to get more conservation on the ground through Inflation Reduction Act (IRA) and Partnerships for Climate-Smart Commodities funding. As Chase summarizes at the end of the episode, “Much like Hugh Hammond Bennett sounded the alarm about the need to reduce soil erosion, now, many in agriculture are sounding the alarm to focus future conservation efforts on reducing greenhouse gas emissions and to do it through the same approach Bennett prioritized in the 1930s: locally led, voluntary, incentive-based conservation.”
NACD is pleased to be a sponsor and contributor to the episode, which features NACD President Kim LaFleur speaking about conservation practices she has implemented for growing cranberries and NACD Chief Executive Officer Jeremy Peters talking about the farm bill and conservation districts.
Listen to episode five, and all of the episodes in this Deep Dive on Farm and Food Policy Drivers podcast series here.
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WHAT'S UP IN WASHINGTON:
GOVERNMENT AFFAIRS UPDATE
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On Sunday, House and Senate leaders reached a bipartisan agreement on top line spending levels for the federal government’s fiscal year 2024 budget that reflects last spring’s debt ceiling legislation. Congress has until January 19 to develop and pass appropriations bills or an additional continuing resolution before some federal agencies – including the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) – shut down.
The limited time remaining to negotiate appropriations bills and the House Freedom Caucus’ opposition to the top line spending agreement present challenges to keeping the government open. NACD encourages conservation districts to contact their local Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS) offices to review shutdown plans and procedures. The National Conservation District Employees Association (NCDEA) has also developed a helpful guide for conservation districts to navigate federal shutdowns. NACD will share additional information as it becomes available.
Last week, NACD sent a letter to House and Senate agriculture committee leaders requesting that the remaining Inflation Reduction Act conservation investments be integrated into the conservation title of the upcoming farm bill. Integrating these investments into the farm bill would increase the baseline level of funding for NRCS conservation programs over the long term.
On Thursday, January 11 at 10:00 a.m. ET the House Transportation and Infrastructure Water Resources and Environment Subcommittee will hold a hearing on "Proposals for a Water Resources Development Act of 2024: Members' Day Hearing." You can access the livestream here.
|  | JOIN NACD FOR AN INFORMATIONAL WEBINAR ON CLIMATE-SMART COMMODITIES GRANT PROGRAM | |
Join the National Association of Conservation Districts (NACD) this Thursday, January 11, 2024 from 4:00 - 5:00 p.m. ET for an informational webinar on our Request for Proposals (RFP) for Climate-Smart Commodities project grants.
Register by clicking the button below. Proposals for project grants are due by March 15, 2024. The session will be recorded and available on NACD's YouTube channel for those unable to attend live.
The RFP and key resources are posted to NACD's website. This includes submission instructions, the application template, evaluation criteria, the budget template, and guidance for developing budget narratives. A link to submit proposals online will be provided in February 2024. A separate RFP for Planning & Capacity grants will be released in January 2024.
Thanks for your interest in NACD’s Climate Smart Commodities program. Please reach out to us at climate@nacdnet.org with your questions.
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NACD Welcomes Director of Conservation Programs | |
NACD is excited to announce Dr. Kenesha Reynolds as the Director of Conservation Programs.
Dr. Reynolds comes to NACD from the Rural Coalition, where she served as an Agricultural Business Management Specialist since March 2022. Prior to her service at the Rural Coalition, Dr. Reynolds served for nearly 10 years in extension with the University of New Hampshire, Rutgers University, and Auburn University.
She holds a PhD in Applied Economics from Auburn University.
Dr. Reynolds is based in Washington, D.C. and can be reached at kenesha-reynolds@nacdnet.org.
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Economics of Soil Health Systems
Farmer Focus:
Ron Snyder
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NACD, the Soil Health Institute, and NRCS recently released economic findings from 30 farmers who adopted soil health management systems. Each week, we will be highlighting one farm from this study.
The Ron Snyder farm in the Portage River Watershed of Ohio increased yields and profitability for corn and soybean with a soil health management system of no-till production with cover crops, increasing net income by $19.72/acre for corn and $28.62/acre for soybean.
Check out a video, producer narrative, and fact sheet about this farm, and all other farms in the study, here.
| USDA & DOE Host Listening Sessions | |
The USDA and the U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) are hosting a series of listening sessions and invite perspectives on the benefits and challenges of the rapidly increasing levels of clean energy being sited on agricultural lands and in rural communities.
Government permitting and policy representatives at state, county, and local levels are invited to join on January 12, 2024, at 12:30 – 2:00 p.m. ET. Register Here.
Agricultural producers are invited to join on January 16, 2024, at 10 – 11:30 a.m. ET. Register Here.
Learn more about the sessions here.
| Listening Sessions on American Climate Corps | |
As the American Climate Corps gear up for a successful launch, they are asking to hear directly from you through a series of listening sessions.
Each session will last roughly 90 minutes and will feature a special guest and climate champion.
Sign up for a session:
January 11 - 10 a.m. ET. Register here
January 16 - 6 p.m. ET. Register here
January 25 - 6 p.m. ET. Register here
February 1 - 10 a.m. ET. Register here
If you’re unable to join, or have more to share, please send your thoughts, comments, and ideas to: ACC@americorps.gov by January 31, 2024.
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Promote your conservation district or state association's tree sale, annual meeting, webinar, field day, or other events on NACD's Calendar of Events!
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