NACD is accepting nominations for the 2026 Service Awards through August 31. Nominations can be made by an individual, organization, agency, or conservation district.

The Friend of Conservation Award recognizes an individual, business, organization, or agency outside the association/conservation district family for outstanding contributions to the conservation of our nation’s natural resources. Any individual, business, organization, or agency that is not directly associated with conservation districts at the local, state, or national level is eligible to receive this award.

The Distinguished Service Award recognizes an individual within a conservation district, a state association, or NACD that has made outstanding contributions to the conservation and proper management of our nation’s natural resources. Nominees are individuals involved with districts or the association at any level — board members or staff and can be nominated posthumously.

Recognize outstanding conservation work by submitting a nomination for either of these service awards. Recipients will be honored at NACD’s Annual Meeting in Las Vegas, NV.

JOIN CONSERVATION

COFFEE ON CATTLE TICKS

Join NACD's upcoming Conservation Coffee webinar on August 13 at 3 p.m. ET to hear about the Potential Impact of the Asian Longhorned Tick and Theileriosis on Cattle.

The Asian Longhorned Tick is capable of reproducing rapidly and transmitting disease to cattle. It has been detected in 27 states across the US since its first detection in New Jersey in 2017 and is moving west. Early detection is increasingly important for livestock producers.

Presented by Dr. Cassandra Olds from Kansas State University's Department of Entomology, participants will learn about prevention and treatment options as well as what beef producers and conservation professionals can do now and what to expect next.

Learn more and register here.

WHAT'S UP IN WASHINGTON?

GOVERNMENT AFFAIRS UPDATE

Senate Farm Bill Stalls in Committee

On August 6, the Senate Agriculture Committee held a markup of the Agricultural Act of 2026, Chairman John Boozman’s proposed Farm Bill. During the markup, the Committee adopted a bipartisan package of amendments addressing a range of agriculture, nutrition, forestry, and rural development issues. However, the Committee ultimately voted 10–11 against advancing the legislation to the full Senate. Disagreements over SNAP provisions remained a major sticking point in negotiations. Chairman Boozman and Ranking Member Amy Klobuchar have both indicated that they intend to continue working toward an agreement when the Senate returns from August recess on September 14. NACD will continue tracking negotiations and any changes affecting conservation programs and locally led conservation.

Senate Passes Stopgap Funding Bill

Before leaving for August recess, the Senate passed a bipartisan continuing resolution by a 90–6 vote that would generally maintain current federal funding levels through December 11. The House previously passed its own stopgap measure extending funding through December 4, meaning the chambers will still need to agree on identical legislation before the September 30 government funding deadline.

The Senate bill also includes provisions temporarily limiting certain transfers of federal funding and delaying implementation of proposed changes to federal grant requirements that would give political appointees a greater role in reviewing grants. If enacted, a continuing resolution would allow USDA, NRCS, and other federal agencies to continue operating largely at current funding levels while Congress completes work on Fiscal Year 2027 appropriations. NACD will continue monitoring negotiations and any potential impacts on conservation programs, staffing, grants, and district partnerships.

Senate Confirms USDA Rural Development Under Secretary

On August 7, the Senate voted 51–47 to confirm Glen Smith as USDA Under Secretary for Rural Development. Smith, an Iowa farmer and former Chairman and CEO of the Farm Credit Administration, will oversee USDA Rural Development programs supporting rural housing, utilities, businesses, and community development. The position had been vacant since January 2025.

SOUTHEAST REGION CONVENES IN NORTH CAROLINA, CELEBRATES LEADERS

This week, the NACD Southeast Region is convening in Cherokee, North Carolina for the 2026 Southeast Region Meeting, hosted by the North Carolina Association of Soil & Water Conservation Districts (NCASWCD) at Harrah's Cherokee Casino Resort.

Attendees participated in a roundtable discussion with NRCS Assistant Chief South Region Ken White, who responded to member questions about capacity and NRCS Chief Buckley’s priorities, while emphasizing the importance of collaboration.

The meeting’s breakout sessions focused on strengthening partnerships and building the capacity of conservation districts. Discussions explored opportunities to develop stronger relationships, expand organizational capacity, and provide districts with the tools and resources needed to address evolving conservation needs and better serve their communities.

A session and panel featuring Barbara Bleiweis, NCASWCD Past President and member of the National Conservation Foundation's Executive Committee, examined the science behind biochar and its potential applications in conservation. Participants learned about biochar’s water quality enhancement properties and explored North Carolina’s related efforts, highlighting opportunities to apply emerging science and innovative approaches to conservation. A field tour further explored biochar and stream restoration for disaster recovery and other disaster response and recovery efforts following Hurricane Helene in 2024 as well as farmland preservation efforts.

At the meeting's opening general session, NACD President Gary Blair thanked the region for its continued support and emphasized the importance of working together to strengthen the association and advance conservation.

Monday's Southeast Region Conservation Hall of Fame luncheon recognized individuals from Southeast states for their service and contributions to advance conservation and strengthen the conservation district movement. The 2026 Southeast Region Conservation Hall of Fame inductees are:

• Alabama: Kathy Walker
• Florida: Audrey Kuipers
• Georgia: Tom Mims
• Kentucky: John and Randy Seymour, Roundstone Native Seed
• Mississippi: Paul Rodrigue
• North Carolina: Millie Langley
• South Carolina: Allen Beer
• Tennessee: Carol Edwards
• Virginia: Charles Newton

Congratulations to all inductees and to Steven Meeks of Virginia who was re-elected to serve as Southeast Region Chair, Kenny Mullis of South Carolina who was re-elected to serve as Southeast Region Vice Chair, and Dr. Carol Knight of Alabama who was re-elected to serve as the NACD Executive Board member for the Southeast Region.