On Saturday, President Biden signed Fiscal Year 2024 appropriations legislation into law that provides funding for several federal agencies, including the U.S. Department of Agriculture, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, and the U.S. Department of the Interior. NACD appreciates that the enactment of final federal spending legislation prevents a government shutdown and ends temporary funding measures but is disappointed that it reduces funding for the Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS), the U.S. Forest Service, and several programs and accounts that are critical to conservation.

“NACD appreciates that Congress has ended the cycle of passing temporary spending measures to narrowly avoid government shutdowns, but we must increase funding for conservation priorities and pass appropriations bills in a more timely manner,” said NACD President Kim LaFleur. While NACD acknowledges the difficult budget environment, increasing funding for NRCS Conservation Operations is critical to supporting Conservation Technical Assistance and effectively administering voluntary, locally led conservation programs that enjoy strong bipartisan support.

As Congress begins to develop Fiscal Year 2025 appropriations bills, NACD urges lawmakers to increase funding for Conservation Operations and other important programs that allow our nation’s conservation delivery system to improve the health of land, water, and air in every part of the country. Congress must also pass federal funding bills on time to allow federal agencies to effectively budget, plan, and reach producers with this funding.

Read the full press release here.

CLIMATE-SMART PROJECT GRANT PROPOSALS DUE

THIS FRIDAY

The National Association of Conservation Districts (NACD) is proud to be a recipient of a USDA Partnerships for Climate-Smart Commodities grant. Through this program, NACD will competitively select and fund a series of locally led pilot projects across the U.S. and territories.

Proposals for Projects Grants are due this Friday, March 15, by 11:59 p.m. ET.

The application link is now live! Please carefully review and follow the instructions for submission by clicking the button below. The Request for Proposals (RFP), budget template, and other key resources are available on our website.

In addition to Project Grants, Planning & Capacity Grants are also available for up to $15,000 to support the early-stage development of a climate-smart commodities project. These grants are intended to support the participation of limited resource conservation districts and partners representing underserved producers. They may focus on community needs assessments, partnership development, and building preliminary capacity to begin programming. The deadline to apply for these grants is May 15, 2024.

An informational webinar on the Planning & Capacity Grants was recently held. If you missed it, or would like to view it again, you can watch the recording here.

ADVOCATE FOR CONSERVATION AT

NACD SPRING FLY-IN

This year's annual NACD Spring Fly-In is on Wednesday, March 20, 2024! View the agenda to see all scheduled events for the day and learn more here.

Please note that the room has changed for the evening reception. The reception will now be held in the U.S. Capitol Visitor Center, Room SVC 212-10, First Street SE, Washington, D.C. 20515. We look forward to seeing you there!

RSVP here to share with us the in-person events you plan to attend and information about your scheduled meetings with legislators.

NACD invites all Spring Fly-In participants to join virtual advocacy trainings later today Tuesday, March 12 or on Thursday, March 14 from 3:00 - 4:30 p.m. ET. The two sessions will offer the same content and will also be posted to NACD's website after for anyone who cannot attend live.

At these trainings, the NACD Government Affairs Team will provide tips on how to effectively engage with congressional representatives and support policy priorities to prepare for the 2024 Spring Fly-In meetings on March 20. Issue papers will be provided prior to the trainings.

Registration is required for these trainings.

• Tuesday, March 12 | 3:00 - 4:30 p.m. ET | REGISTER 
• Thursday, March 14 | 3:00 - 4:30 p.m. ET | REGISTER

If you have any questions, please reach out to Chris Young, NACD Director of Government Affairs, at chris-young@nacdnet.org.

APPLY FOR URBAN AG CONSERVATION GRANTS

Time is running out to apply for this round of Urban and Community Conservation (UAC) Grants! 

We are again accepting applications for up to $60,000 to support projects that promote the delivery of conservation technical assistance in urban and community-oriented settings, including projects that serve rural populations. See the full RFP online, with applications due April 1, 2024 by 11:59 p.m. PT.

With over 100 example projects already completed or active in 35 states (see NACD’s UAC Story Map), conservation districts have provided technical assistance to urban and smallholder farmers on soil health, pollinators, biodiversity conservation, native plants, irrigation and water management, and a variety of other technical topics. 

For example, the Alaska Villages Initiative is focusing on subsistence farming and addressing food security and economic opportunities. Likewise, Gogebic CD in Michigan is utilizing a planning grant to perform a community food security needs assessments.

While not a required aspect of the grants, many conservation districts have used their UAC grants to further develop their own programming related to underrepresented clients. Many grantees have addressed food security and sovereignty within their local communities, as well as supported minority farmers, migrant communities, and others who may not have traditionally accessed conservation district programming. Potential UAC applicants are encouraged to read NACD’s Board Statement on Diversity, Equity and Inclusivity to understand our commitment to equitable programming.

Any questions related to the UAC grant may be directed to Rachel Theler at rachel-theler@nacdnet.org.

WHAT'S UP IN WASHINGTON:

GOVERNMENT AFFAIRS UPDATE

On Saturday, President Biden signed half of the Fiscal Year 2024 appropriations bills into law to avert a partial government shutdown and provide funding for several federal agencies, including USDA. See NACD’s press release for more information.

On Monday, President Biden released his Fiscal Year 2025 budget proposal, which requests increased funding for several conservation accounts and programs, including NRCS Conservation Operations. NACD encourages our members to press their congressional representatives to increase funding for conservation priorities as they develop Fiscal Year 2025 appropriations bills. See here to view NACD’s 2024 issue papers. 

NACD SHINES A LIGHT ON SOIL HEALTH AT COMMODITY CLASSIC

NACD made a notable return to this year's Commodity Classic, featuring a team of staff members, officers, and four producers who showcased insights from the Economics of Soil Health Systems Project at the NACD exhibit space. As the premier farmer-led agricultural tradeshow and education event, NACD played a crucial role in keeping soil health and conservation at the forefront of discussions within the realm of commodity farming. The event, held from February 28 to March 1 in Houston, TX, boasted a record-breaking attendance of 11,500 participants and hosted more than 435 exhibitors.

This past fall, NACD and the Soil Health Institute--generously supported by the USDA Natural Resources Conservation Service-- unveiled the findings of the Economics of Soil Health Systems Project. This comprehensive release included an Executive Summary and interviews with 30 producers, featuring fact sheets, narratives, and videos. To further amplify the project's impact, four of the participating producers took center stage at the NACD exhibit space. They shared valuable insights into their experiences with soil health practices, highlighting the direct impact on their operations. Moreover, they leveraged their expertise as producers to shed light on available assistance programs for fellow producers. The participating producers invited by NACD were Ricky Dollison of Georgia, Marquitrice Mangham of Georgia, Richard Cunningham of Minnesota, and Rodney Rulon of Indiana.

For a visual glimpse into the event, a collection of photos is available on the NACD Flickr page.