Carbon is the focus of many land stewardship conversations. What are nature-based ways to sequester carbon? Who do I go into a lease agreement with? How is it measured? When is the return of my investment?

Join us for a TREAD Talk this evening, from 6:00-7:00pm, with James Clement, Senior Vice-Pres. & General Manager, Grass and Rangeland, at Earth Optics.

Register here »

CAPITAL IDEAS JANUARY 2024 newsletter by clicking here.

WHAT WILL YOU FIND IN THIS JANUARY NEWSLETTER?

• Elections in Fayette, Jefferson, Tuscaloosa, Madison, Marshall & Blount. See January 9
• Price of Gold above $2,000 per ounce on 12/22/23
• Capital Gains: “Inherited timber automatically meets the long-term holding period requirement.”
• Timber Basis and Depletion Allowance
• Deduct Operating Expenses and Carrying Charges
• Thank you, Tax Tips authors: Yanshu Li, Tamara Cushing, & Gregoy Frey
• Critical Minerals Symposium in Tuscaloosa on February 2
• “You either grow things or you mine things,” Bob Carr, Geologist & AFOA Board Member

ANNUAL MEETING APRIL 16-17 UPDATE: Make room reservations at LakePoint State Park: Group Code 6542. Call 334-687-8011 or reserve online by clicking here.

From fitting rusty blackbirds and saltmarsh sparrow with tiny Nanotag transmitters to track their behavior and movement, to acoustic bat surveys, black bear den surveys, and acquiring land for habitat management and water access sites, the work of Maine's wildlife biologists is like no other... Fascinating, remote, and incredibly important. If you have an interest for wildlife and how we are working to protect Maine's natural resources, this report is for you ». 

The Agriculture Water Sustainability Summit will create a forum for stakeholders to gather, exchange ideas and knowledge, and create a new vision of how water is used in the future.

At this first summit, we aim to be THE premiere relevant ag water event in North America, where visionary research, applications and practitioners across the US will discuss how to create water sustainability for agriculture, our state and nation.  

Come be a part of the solution with us in Lubbock, August 9-11th!

SB 220, titled the Georgia Farmland Conservation Act, proposes the establishment of a Purchase of Agricultural Conservation Easement (PACE) program, which offers owners of top ranking farm properties a cash payment in exchange for placing a conservation easement on their property. This program has seen success in 29 other states, and Georgia is poised to count itself among them should the bill be signed into law.  

While PACE programs across the country hold common goals for agricultural protection, Georgia's program is designed to prioritize the protection of farmland that faces development pressure. As our urban areas continue to expand, focusing on this geography is critical for protecting the working and legacy farms that remain.

BANGOR, Maine (Feb. 15, 2023) – Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack announced this week that the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) is making funding available for agricultural producers and forest landowners nationwide to participate in voluntary conservation programs and adopt climate-smart practices. The Inflation Reduction Act (IRA) provided an additional $19.5 billion over five years for climate smart agriculture through several of the conservation programs that USDA’s Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS) implements. NRCS is making available $850 million in Fiscal Year 2023 for its oversubscribed conservation programs: the Environmental Quality Incentives Program (EQIP), Conservation Stewardship Program (CSP), Agricultural Conservation Easement Program (ACEP) and Regional Conservation Partnership Program (RCPP).

Maine is slated for more than $3.5 million in IRA allocations for Fiscal Year 2023 financial and technical assistance under its signature conservation programs through the NRCS.

“The Inflation Reduction Act provided a once-in-a-generation investment in conservation on working lands, and we want to work with agricultural and forest landowners to invest in climate-smart practices that create value and economic opportunities for producers,” said Vilsack, who spoke Monday at the National Association of Conservation Districts annual meeting. “We know that agriculture plays a critical role in the nation’s effort to address climate change, and we’re using this funding to bolster our existing programs, maximize climate benefits, and foster other environmental benefits across the landscape.”

Nationally the IRA funding includes an additional $8.45 billion for EQIP, $4.95 billion for RCPP, $3.25 billion for CSP, and $1.4 billion for ACEP. The increased funding levels begin in Fiscal Year 2023 and rapidly build over four years. These additional investments are estimated to help hundreds of thousands of farmers and ranchers apply conservation to millions of acres of land. Additionally, the IRA provides $300 million to quantify carbon sequestration and greenhouse gases (GHG) through the collection and use of field-based data to assess conservation outcomes. Information gained through this effort will be used to improve practices and technical assistance to customers. Further guidance on this important work will be provided as the implementation of this portion of the IRA continues.

These funds will provide direct climate mitigation benefits and will expand access to financial and technical assistance for producers to advance conservation on their farm, ranch or forest land through practices like cover cropping, conservation tillage, wetland restoration, prescribed grazing, nutrient management, tree planting and more. To ensure we can quantify the benefits of these IRA investments, NRCS is working to support Department-wide work on Measurement, Monitoring, Reporting and Verification (MMRV). The IRA provided targeted funding to support this effort. In administering the Inflation Reduction Act climate investments, USDA will also support other environmental co-benefits, including – among other things – water conservation, wildlife habitat improvements, and reducing runoff.

How to Apply
NRCS accepts producer applications for its conservation programs year-round, but producers interested in EQIP or CSP should apply by March 17, 2023, for funding consideration in the current cycle. Funding is provided through a competitive process and will include an opportunity to address the unmet demand from producers who have previously sought funding for climate-smart conservation activities.

In 2006, TPWD entered a 20-year Candidate Conservation Agreement with Assurances (CCAA) with USFWS to work with private landowners to manage and improve lesser prairie-chicken habitat in exchange for assurances that no additional regulatory burden would be placed on participants if the species were listed. The 91 properties currently enrolled in the program, which cover 649,780 acres across 19 Texas Panhandle counties, are exempt from take and habitat management restrictions while they operate under a TPWD-approved wildlife management plan.

Enrollment for the Texas lesser prairie-chicken CCAA program is open until the official effective date of Jan. 24, 2023. Private landowners within the lesser prairie-chicken range are encouraged to contact the TPWD Panhandle Wildlife District prior to the effective date to initiate the enrollment process.

“The CCAA provides landowners the assurances that they can continue to manage their properties to meet their goals while also benefiting the lesser prairie-chicken,” said John Silovsky, TPWD director of wildlife. “We appreciate the tremendous collaboration with private landowners during the past 16 years and we want to continue those important partnerships for the benefit of the lesser prairie-chicken habitat.”

Join this webinar on Wednesday, September 7th to learn about new research conducted by the US Geological Survey that looks at pollinator habitat design and function.  You'll learn about new research results that highlight improved pollinator habitat values.  This webinar will highlight the pollinator habitat designs features that produced increased pollinator species use and benefits.  Learn how to make 'every acre of pollinator habitat the best it can be'.

Register for free at:
September 7th at 10:00 am CST:        Webinar Registration - Zoom

September 7th at 7:00 pm CST:        Webinar Registration - Zoom

University of Wisconsin is going to host the Farm Succession Coordinator Certification Training this fall here in North Carolina. It will be a 2.5 day training in Shelby, NC, on Nov 7th through 9th. It is the prerequisite training needed to take the Farm Succession Coordinator Certification test. This would be a good training for any land trust staff who help farmers work through succession issues with conservation easements. To register visit this website

Half-Earth Day Conservation Conference will focus on The Role of Private Lands in Texas.  This event brings together people from around the world and across disciplines to share their unique perspectives and thought leadership on how we can work together to achieve the goal of Half-Earth and ensure the health of our planet for future generations.  Thursday, October 22nd – 9:00am – 4:00pm CT  Old Parkland Dallas, TX For more information contact: Terry Beck - terry.beck@earthx.org - (817) 999-4893

Great news for land trusts and land conservation efforts in general: the Georgia Conservation Tax Credit will be reinstated officially later this year!

On Tuesday, May 10, Governor Brian Kemp signed into law House Bill 586, which contained language reauthorizing this important incentive for land conservation initiatives. His action followed a near-unanimous vote in the Georgia General Assembly to pass HB 586.

The Georgia Conservation Tax Credit (GCTC) offers landowners a state income tax credit on their qualified conservation donation of real property, either through fee-simple transactions or by applying a permanent conservation easement to their property.

The program is incredibly beneficial for conservation efforts in Georgia, given that more than 90% of land in the state is privately owned. Moreover, the tax credit allows for the conservation of additional acres without increasing the land management inventory of state agencies.

The GCTC expired on December 31, 2021. Under this law, it will resume June 1, 2022, with a sunset date of December 31, 2026. Under this legislation, tax credits not to exceed $4 million will be available for qualified private conservation projects each year.

Pollinator projects empower corporate conservation teams to address global biodiversity issues through site-based action. Providing native pollinators with host and nectar plants is an important part of such conservation efforts, but the work doesn’t stop once milkweed and bee balm have taken root. From there, participants must regularly monitor the habitat. Tying these monitoring efforts to larger citizen science initiatives provides employees and community members with an opportunity to contribute data to large-scale efforts that track species distribution and movement.

Register

The annual event, this year titled “Southern Forests: Ecosystem Services Frame the Future,” brings together the leaders of state forestry agencies from 13 southern states along with the primary federal and private partners with whom we work to conserve southern forests. SGSF provides leadership in sustaining the economic, environmental and social benefits of the South’s forests, which are numerous and varied. 

When: Jun 06, 2022 08:00 AM to Jun 09, 2022 11:30 AM
Where: Greenville, SC
Register: https://southernforests.org/news-events/events-meetings/sgsf-2022-annual-meeting

Grassland CRP signup opens from April 4, 2022 to May 13, 2022. Landowners and producers interested in CRP should contact their local USDA Service Center to learn more or to apply for the program -- for General CRP before the March 11 deadline, and for Grassland CRP before the May 13 deadline.

The USDA Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS) in Georgia has announced they are accepting applications from agricultural producers and forest landowners for the Conservation Stewardship Program (CSP). Producers and landowners looking to build on conservation efforts while strengthening their operation can apply for technical and financial assistance through CSP.

CSP provides many benefits, including increased crop yields, decreased inputs, wildlife habitat improvements and increased resilience to adverse weather. The program is for working lands, including cropland, pastureland, rangeland, nonindustrial private forest land and agricultural land under Indian tribe jurisdiction.

Plus, existing CSP participants may have an opportunity to renew their contracts in the first half of the fifth year of their five-year contract through a competitive application process.

Special provisions are available for historically underserved producers, which include those considered beginning, socially disadvantaged and limited resource as well as military veterans.

The Ocmulgee National Park and Preserve is one step closer to becoming a reality. On January 25, 2021, the National Park Service (NPS) launched public commenting on a Special Resource Study of the Ocmulgee River corridor between Macon and Hawkinsville, Georgia.

The NPS outreach supports the Special Resource Study that will assess historical, cultural, and environmental information about the corridor gathered through research and public input. The NPS study area covers roughly 50 river miles in Bibb, Bleckley, Houston, Pulaski, and Twiggs counties in middle Georgia.

This Special Resource Study is an essential step in the overall process to establish a National Park and Preserve as it evaluates the eligibility of an area for potential designation as a unit of the National Park System. The National Park Service prepares the study for the Secretary of the Interior, and the findings and any recommendations are presented to Congress.

The USDA Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS) in Texas today announced opportunities for partners to receive funding through its Texas Partners for Conservation Program. Applications must be submitted through grants.gov by June 1, 2021.

“Conservation of our natural resources can be achieved through effective collaboration with our network of partners to leverage NRCS resources and develop state and community level conservation leadership,” said Kristy Oates, NRCS state conservationist for Texas. “This partner-led approach will accelerate the development of conservation plans to address environmental quality issues on agricultural lands within Texas and improve outreach to historically underserved producers.”

Priority will be placed on Conservation Technical Assistance projects that:

• Provide high quality technical services that help customers achieve their conservation goals.
• Increase adoption of conservation in Texas.
• Increase easement outreach, training, and education.

Priority will be placed on Outreach projects that:

Provide high quality technical services that help historically underserved producers achieve their conservation goals through NRCS conservation practice standards.
Increase participation of historically underserved producers in conservation programs (technical and/or financial assistance) by at least 1 percent of the total number of participants reached.
Provide training opportunities through one-on-one consultations, workshops, conferences, or any other event that focuses on historically underserved producers.
Provide a method to follow-up with historically underserved producers to measure rate of success of their participation in both technical and financial assistance by NRCS staff.
Provide training opportunities, outreach, and education on easements through one-on-one consultations, workshops, and conferences.

There is no cost sharing or matching requirement for this opportunity, but this factor is considered in the review process. The funding floor is $25,000, and the ceiling is $75,000. These numbers refer to the total agreement amount, not any specific budget period.

All funding applications for USDA-NRCS-TX-21-NOFO0001103 must be submitted via grants.gov by June 1, 2021. For assistance with the registration process, contact grants.gov applicant support at 1-800-518-4726 or support@grants.gov.

Successful applicants are required to have an administrative and technical contact participate in the Texas NRCS training for Administration of Federal Agreements. This training is usually held within six months of the award start date.

For more information about NRCS and its conservation programs, visit www.tx.nrcs.usda.gov.

Secretary Sonny Purdue announced on Nov. 12, 2020, the signup periods for the Conservation Reserve Program (CRP) and the CRP Grasslands in 2021. Signup for general CRP will be open from Jan. 4, 2021, to Feb. 12, 2021, and signup for CRP Grasslands runs from March 15, 2021 to April 23, 2021. Both programs are competitive and provide annual rental payments for land devoted to conservation purposes. There will be a free webinar on January 14 from 7:00 p.m. to 8:30 p.m. MST. Register in advance for this meeting After registering, you will receive a confirmation email containing information about joining the webinar.  For more information, email Jeff Tranel or call 719-251-0990 

EarthX.org

Working Lands for Wildlife, Conservation Effects Assessment Project, UMT and UNL jointly hiring two research scientists
 
We seek two research scientists/postdoctoral scholars at the University of Montana and University of Nebraska-Lincoln, in collaboration with USDA Natural Resources Conservation Service and their Conservation Effects Assessment Project. Individuals will study ecological and economic outcomes of conservation investments for sustaining western rangelands. Unique opportunities exist to inform on-the-ground conservation, to utilize innovative technologies that address interdisciplinary challenges, and to join a multi-institutional network of scientists working with diverse partners.

This multi-institutional partnership offers unique advantages for highly motivated individuals:

• Immediate impact with a team of applied scientists who for a decade have helped inform millions of acres of on-the-ground conservation through the NRCS-led Working Lands for Wildlife.
• Leverage technological innovations that address the most pressing needs of rangeland conservation across unprecedented spatio-temporal scales
• Membership in the new Center for Resilience in Working Agricultural Landscapes at UNL and the Rangeland Analysis Platform (RAP) science team at UMT

Email questions to Brady Allred (brady.allred@umontana.edu) and Dirac Twidwell (dirac.twidwell@unl.edu).

Applications due December 1, 2019

Attend a workshop on Preparing Landowners for Energy Development
November 14th, 2019 10:30am-2:00pm
Espino Conference Center, Sul Ross State University
Learn More and Register »

We are looking for a seasoned and dynamic Conservation Director to expand our protected lands, manage a team of stewardship and conservation staff, develop community and political relationships, and lead the lands committee of our Board of Directors.   Click for full description

Find the resources they need to make smart, sustainable decisions to protect their land for you to enjoy.  Donate to the Maine Land Conservation Assistance Network today!  Learn more »

SEALED proposals for qualified and experienced firms to provide Purchase of development Rights and Land Conservation Programs will be accepted by the James City County Purchasing Director or a designated representative on October 15, 2019, no later than 2pm local time in the Purchasing Office, 101-F Mounts Bay Road, Suite 300, Williamsburg, VA 23185.

Questions pertaining to this solicitation should be directed to me, via e-mail: linda.hodges@jamescitycountyva.gov no later than September 24, 2019 @ 12:00 P.M.

Solicitation documents are available for download here.

Hill Country Soil & Water Conservation District Presents Ag & Wildlife Symposium

September 6, 2019
9AM - 4PM
Grace Fellowship Church
2974 US-281 Lampasas, TX 76550

Doors open at 8 AM for Sign In and Local Vendor Booths
5 CEUs available for TDA Private Pesticide Applicators License Holders

For questions, please contact Lee Gernentz at (512) 556-5572, ext 3 or Lee.Gernentz@tx.nacdnet.net.

Register Online

Download Agenda Download Flyer

Virginia is making a record amount of money available this year to help farmers implement conservation practices.

Gov. Ralph Northam announced in a press release Tuesday $73 million in funding for the Virginia Agricultural Best Management Practices Cost-Share Program. Practices that may be funded through the program include controlling erosion, preserving wetlands and managing nutrients. Northam says the money will help ensure more producers can participate.

State officials say that more than $200 million has been distributed to farmers and landowners since the program began in 1984.

Individuals, partnerships, trusts and other businesses that operate farms in Virginia may qualify. Applications are first-come, first-served.

USDA announced today it is offering $75 million in funding for the eradication and control of feral swine through the Feral Swine Eradication and Control Pilot Program (FSCP) in a joint effort with USDA’s Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS) and Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service (APHIS). The 2018 Farm Bill included this new pilot program to help address the threat that feral swine pose to agriculture, ecosystems and human and animal health. Learn More »

The deadline for 2019 conservation easement applications for Agricultural lands and Wetlands is coming up on Friday, April 12. USDA’s Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS) is accepting applications for the Agricultural Conservation Easement Program (ACEP), which offers two types of conservation easement options: Agricultural Land Easements (ALE) and Wetland Reserve Easements (WRE).

 

USDA’s Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS) announced today it is seeking public input on its existing national conservation practice standards as part of implementing the 2018 Farm Bill. NRCS offers 150-plus conservation practices to America’s farmers, ranchers and forest landowners to help them meet their business and natural resource needs on their working lands. NRCS is requesting public comments on how to improve conservation practice standards that support programs. The comment period ends April 25, 2019.  Learn More »

Washington, D.C., December 12, 201 – U.S. Secretary of Agriculture Sonny Perdue today hailed the passage of the 2018 Farm Bill. The House of Representatives approved the conference report on the bill this afternoon, following the Senate’s passage yesterday. Read Secretary Perdue's here.

Bookcliff, Mount Sopris and South Side Conservation District have partnered with Garfield County CSU Extension to offer Ag Expo! Featuring a walk through of Western Colorado History provided by George Cutting! This event will offer exhibitors, speakers, kids corner, scholarship, lunch and much more! Children under eight are free! Many options to choose from for a great winter day!

When
Sat, February 2, 2019
8:00 AM – 3:00 PM MST

Where
Garfield County Fairgrounds
1001 Railroad Avenue
Rifle, CO 81650

Click Here to Register

The Sonoma County Agricultural Preservation and Open Space District (Ag + Open Space), a special district of the County dedicated to protecting our working and natural lands forever, has acquired a conservation easement covering 1,600 acres of forest land owned by Rip Goelet along the South Fork Gualala River in northwest Sonoma County. Read more here.

The California Department of Forestry and Fire Protection (CAL FIRE) announced the availability of up to $155 million for Fire Prevention and Forest Health projects. CAL FIRE is soliciting applications for projects that will help prevent catastrophic wildfires and restore forest health while also sequestering carbon and reducing greenhouse gas emissions.
 
Official Call for Applications:

• Forest Health Program: The call for applications opened October 1 and will be due by 3:00 PM on January 29, 2019. Public workshops will be held throughout California starting October 2.
• Fire Prevention Program: The call for applications will open on October 17, 2018 and will be due by 3:00 PM on December 19, 2018. 

Do you think land conservation is important? Do you like beer? Then come drink for a good cause! The Land Conservation Assistance Network is hosting a fundraising event at Rising Tide Brewery, $5 gets you two drink tickets and all proceeds help support our national conservation efforts!  Learn More

Participate to learn about the Rangeland Analysis Platform (RAP) - a free, online tool that helps landowners and natural resource managers track vegetation through time and plan actions to improve America's grazing lands. 

When: Sep 25, 2018 12:00 pm US/Eastern
Length: one hour
Pre-registration not required.

The Rangeland Analysis Platform (RAP) is a free, online tool that helps landowners and natural resource managers track vegetation through time and plan actions to improve America's grazing lands. The RAP can be used to provide strategies to improve productivity of grazing lands, manage weeds, mitigate impacts of wildfire and drought, and benefit wildlife habitats. Learn more abouth the tool here.

This webinar is presented by USDA NRCS Science and Technology. Contact Candy Thomas, Science & Technology Training Library content manager, for more information about this webinar.

Senate Ag Chairman Pat Roberts (R-Kan.) was hopeful that the Senate last week would vote to start formal farm bill conference talks and name its conferees. That may have kept Congress on track to pass a farm bill by the Sept. 30 deadline. That didn’t happen.

Agriculture Secretary Sonny Perdue today announced that agricultural producers affected by hurricanes and wildfires in 2017 now may apply for assistance to help recover and rebuild their farming operations. Signup begins July 16, 2018, and continues through November 16, 2018.

“Hurricanes and wildfires caused billions of dollars in losses to America’s farmers last year. Our objective is to get relief funds into the hands of eligible producers as quickly as possible,” said Secretary Perdue. “We are making immediate, initial payments of up to 50 percent of the calculated assistance so producers can pay their bills.”

Additional payments will be issued, if funds remain available, later in the year.

Paul Birdsall was a longtime leader in the Maine Organic Farming and Gardening Association community and was a pioneer of Maine land conservation, helping to found both the Blue Hill Heritage Trust and the Belfast-based Maine Farmland Trust. Over the years, those two nonprofit agencies have protected many thousands of acres of working farms and other land for the benefit of farmers and the public.

NRCS Idaho’s field office in Pocatello is leading the project, which will use the Environmental Quality Incentives Program to target water quality concerns along the southeastern Idaho creek. Learn more here.

Officials at the Maine Department of Agriculture, Conservation and Forestry (DACF) report that emerald ash borer (EAB) has been found in Maine. Despite an aggressive search for at least a decade, the destructive forest insect from Asia had not been detected in Maine previously. It has killed hundreds of millions of ash trees in thirty-four states throughout the country. The estimated commercial (unprocessed) value of Maine ash trees is approximately $320 million. Learn more here.

The USDA Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS) in California, in partnership with DOI's Bureau of Reclamation, is providing funds to improve the efficiency of agricultural water use in portions of six water/irrigation districts in California. This partnership combines on-farm conservation enhancements, through NRCS's Environmental Quality Incentives Program, with water-supply infrastructure upgrades, funded through Reclamation's WaterSmart program. Funding decisions for these on-farm conservation improvements will be made on June 22 and July 27, 2018. Learn more here.

May 23, 2018, Cameron Parish, LA - The Gulf Coast Soil and Water Conservation District is leading a revegetation program on Holly Beach this week. With the help of volunteers, they are planting thousands of plants along the Louisiana coastline all in an effort to make the state they live in a better place. Learn more here.

The Virginia Environmental Endowment awarded $284,612 to 14 organizations dedicated to protecting and improving the state’s natural resources and environment. When combined with matching funds, the endowment has provided more than $86 million in environmental improvement support since it was founded in 1977. Learn more about the grant recipients.

About 200 other fifth-graders from across Bonner County braved the rain Thursday to learn about water, bugs, fish and other wildlife during the 23rd annual Pend Oreille Water Festival. Learn more here.

The Maine Coast Heritage Trust has launched a $4.4 million fundraising campaign to purchase 126 acres for conservation on Clark Island in St. George. Read the article here.

A small group of local landowners interested in restoring quail populations joined Arkansas Game and Fish Commission, Quail Forever and the Boone County Natural Resources Conservation Service Thursday evening, May 5, at the  Harrison Federal Building for a meeting devoted to bringing back the northern bobwhite. Learn more here.

Northern Maine Sheep Breeders will hold a sheep and goat health education seminar on Saturday, May 12, from 8:30 a.m. to 3:15 p.m. at the University of Maine Cooperative Extension, 7 Houlton Road, Presque Isle. Learn more here.

Thanks to a tip phoned into Idaho’s Citizens Against Poaching hotline, Idaho Fish and Game (IDFG) officers have apprehended two long-time elk poachers. Jonathan Blaschka and Charles McCall were charged with poaching elk during multiple seasons spanning September 2016 to September 2017. Both men will lose their hunting privileges, pay thousands of dollars in fines and restitution and serve time in jail, the Idaho State Journal reports. Read more here.

The current farm bill expires in September 2018. So that’s the hard line in the sand to pass a new farm bill or extend the current one. “The 2018 farm bill could look mostly like 2014 farm bill,” says Pat Westhoff, director of the Food and Agricultural Policy Research Institute (FAPRI) at the University of Missouri. “A lot of people are reasonably happy with what they have, and it is hard to agree on alternatives.” Read about the seven obstacles here.

One year after Gov. Jerry Brown called off the state’s historic drought emergency, area farmers are still finding innovative ways to continue conserving water. In one district, farmers are using a system known as drip tape irrigation, which has helped save millions of gallons of water. Learn more here.

Years of deferred management on national forests in Idaho is slowly being addressed through a partnership between the state, private landowners and the Forest Service. The partnership, called the Good Neighbor Authority (GNA), is responsible for timber sales in the Nez Perce-Clearwater and Panhandle national forests, including two sales set this year near Priest Lake. Learn more here.

Come and enjoy the Garden Marketplace, seminars and workshops, plant advice, door prizes, special youth classes and so much more.  Location: Southwest Virginia Higher Education Center, Interstate 81, Exit 14, One Partnership Circle, Abingdon, VA 24210. Event hours: Friday 9:30am - 6:00pm, Saturday 9:30am - 5:00pm. Learn more here.

April 2, 2018, the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers and the Louisiana Coastal Protection & Restoration Authority (CPRA) announced an update to the permitting timeline for the Mid-Barataria Sediment Diversion. Restore the Mississippi River Delta, a coalition of national and local conservation groups, has long advocated for sediment diversions, including the Mid-Barataria Sediment Diversion, as critical to addressing Louisiana’s land loss crisis and maintaining a healthy, productive ecosystem. Learn more here.

FARMINGTON - You are invited to attend the 70th Annual Meeting of the Franklin County Soil and Water Conservation District Friday, April 6 at W G Mallett School on Middle Street. The evening will begin with a welcome and a complementary buffet style dinner. At 6:15 p.m. a presentation will be given by Ranger Solar’s permitting director, Aaron Svedlow. Learn more here.

JACKSON, MS (Mississippi News Now) - Gov. Phil Bryant announced Thursday that he will appoint Rep. Andy Gipson as Mississippi Commissioner of Agriculture and Commerce. Gipson will replace Cindy Hyde-Smith, who Gov. Bryant appointed to the U.S. Senate. Learn more here.

The Hill Country Conservancy and the Hill Country Alliance are joining forces to host a landowner workshop from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m., Friday, April 20, 2018, at Texas A&M AgriLife Extension Service office, 607 N. Vandeveer, Burnet, TX 78611.

This workshop will focus on conservation easements—a tool available to help landowners steward and protect their land investment and family legacy for the long term. Learn more and register online.

Women fill many roles in agriculture. They are farmers and farm workers, ranchers, agricultural researchers, educators and agri-business people. According to the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA), there are 22,228 women farmers in Arkansas. A local agriculture producer will be recognized in DeWitt as “Woman of the Year” in agriculture. Learn more here.

Local Wood Works is honored with the Source Award for Forester, based on its efforts to connect consumers to local wood products.“From the beginning, as we articulated our mission it was to both support long-term conservation and advance forest-based wood economies,” said Theresa Kercher, the executive director of the Kennebec Land Trust. Learn more here.

Quail restoration in Arkansas is progressing glacially, but the Arkansas Game and Fish Commission is comfortable that it is on the right path...Arkansas lost most of its bobwhite habitat to modern agricultural practices, residential and commercial development, and a conditioned aversion to prescribed burning. Read more here.

Today, the U.S. Department of the Interior announced $22,792,554 in funding to Louisiana to support critical state conservation and outdoor recreation projects. The announcement is part of $1.1 billion in annual national funding going to state wildlife agencies from revenues generated by the Pittman-Robertson Wildlife Restoration and Dingell-Johnson Sport Fish Restoration (PRDJ) acts. Read the article here.

COEUR D'ALENE, Idaho – A diversity of stakeholders in the West's national forests are coming together for a two-day workshop in Idaho.

The "Resilient Landscapes, Thriving Communities" conference is taking place in Coeur D'Alene today and tomorrow in the spirit of collaboration between conservationists, the timber industry, the U.S. Forest Service and local elected officials. Read more here.

The data in it confirms what organizations like The Nature Conservancy have been saying all along — that conserving land on the Eastern Shore pays off in dollars and cents — according to Jill Bieri, director of The Nature Conservancy's Virginia Coast Reserve. About 33 percent of land on Virginia's Eastern Shore is considered to be conserved and 10 percent is in conservation easements, according to the Coastal Zone Management Program. Learn more here.

The GROW Act invests in conservation on working agricultural lands by maintaining current acreage and funding levels for the Conservation Stewardship Program, Environmental Quality Incentives Program, and Conservation Reserve Program, and doubling the acreage that can be enrolled in the CRP Grasslands Initiative. Learn more here.

The Maine Legislature’s Agriculture, Conservation, and Forestry Committee has released its report on conservation lands owned by nonprofit organizations, which it was authorized to undertake by a provision in the General Fund Biennial Budget for 2018 and 2019. The report gives high marks to our land trust community and includes some interesting recommendations. Read the article and full report.

The McIlhenny family has been producing Tabasco hot sauce for 150 years on Louisiana's Avery Island—first in old cologne bottles capped with a special dispenser that allowed only a few drops at a time. But climate change could put that in jeopardy. Read the article here.

OUACHITA NATIONAL FOREST, Ark. - There are more than five-thousand wild black bears in Arkansas, and biologists are working hard to keep that number steady. The Arkansas Game and Fish Commission hopes to preserve the population one family of bears at a time. Watch the video and learn more here.

When the landscape is free of foliage in late winter, it’s a good time to walk your property in search invasive plants including woody growths like Asiatic bittersweet that just might choke the life out of your trees come spring. Learn more here.

“Our family is very happy to work with [the Marin County Open Space District] and [the Marin Agricultural Land Trust] on re-establishing agriculture and maintaining the scenic corridor of the ranch. We believe this is a huge community benefit, and one of our goals is to keep agriculture on the ranch for a very long time,” said the Hetfields. Learn more here.

The James River Association, in partnership with Robert E. Lee and Thomas Jefferson Soil and Water Conservation Districts, will be planting 3,000 native tree seedlings at eight farms in Albemarle, Amherst, and Nelson counties this spring with volunteers as part of the James River Tree-Athlon. Read the article here.

That brings the county’s total easements on private land to 104,873 acres, the most for any Virginia jurisdiction. The total represents about one-quarter of Fauquier. Read more here.

PALACIOS - A Texas Watershed Steward workshop on water quality related to the Carancahua Bay and Tres Palacios watersheds will be from 1-5 p.m. Feb. 15 at the First United Methodist Church, 209 Lucas Ave., Palacios. Learn more here.

The Adams County Soil and Water Conservation District annual tree sale is planned for Friday, Feb. 9th. Local sponsors again plan to give out free loblolly pine seedlings to the public at the USDA Service Center, 110 Northgate, Natchez. Read the article here, and for more details contact Adams County SWCD District Coordinator Theresa McGaughey at (601) 442-1790.

Farmers.gov will have multiple features added over the coming months to allow agricultural producers to make appointments with USDA offices, file forms, and apply for USDA programs.

The Marin Agricultural Land Trust edged closer to its goal of protecting 100,000 acres by 2040 when the Board of Supervisors last week approved close to $1.9 million in Measure A funds toward the purchase of a conservation easement on the 705-acre Taylor Ranch. The $3.59 million deal, which will close in early March, will connect 9,000 acres of protected farmland land between Marshall and Point Reyes Station. Read more here.

The 850-acre farm had the potential to be developed into 46 parcels.  However, thanks to the conservation leadership of Shannon and Katherine Tillman, this conservation easement donation to the Land Trust of Virginia drastically reduces that number to three total parcels, a wonderful contribution to conservation and to the community. Read the article here

There no figures kept at the state level but according to the Maine Department of Agriculture, Conservation and Forestry, invasive species cause more than $100 billion in harm nationwide to agriculture, natural resources and human health. Read the article here.

This year's event will be Wednesday, Jan. 31, at First National Bank Arena, 217 Olympic Drive, on the A-State campus. Producers from Arkansas and surrounding states are expected to attend. A number of speakers from agricultural agencies and private interests will gather to share their thoughts on the latest issues and trends in soil and water conservation. Learn more here.

Check out this article from the Mississippi State University Extension Service highlighting (with statistics) some of the challenges of reaching landowners with conservation efforts. 

Jan. 11 - Governor Terry McAuliffe today announced the fiscal year 2018 farmland preservation grant recipients. The Virginia Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services’ Office of Farmland Preservation has awarded a total of $308,076 to five localities. Localities must use the grants to permanently preserve working farmland within their boundaries through local Purchase of Development Rights programs. Learn more here.

The Texas Parks and Wildlife Foundation (TPWF) has selected the honorees for the 2018 Texas Conservation Hall of Fame: Texas and Southwestern Cattle Raisers Association (TSCRA) and Dr. Dale Rollins. Read more here.

The deadline for the FY2018 Agricultural Conservation Easement Program-Agricultural Land Easement (ACEP-ALE) with the USDA Natural Resources Conservation Service is quickly approaching. The conservation tool helps landowners and partners engage in long-term protection of Colorado's farmland, ranchlands and grasslands. The application deadline for ACEP-ALE is Jan. 31, 2018.  Learn more here. 

The deadline for the FY2018 Agricultural Conservation Easement Program (ACEP) with the USDA Natural Resources Conservation Service is quickly approaching. The conservation tool helps landowners and partners engage in long-term protection of California's farmland, wetlands and grasslands. The application deadline for ACEP is Jan. 19, 2018.  Learn more here. 

The deadline for the FY2018 Agricultural Conservation Easement Program with the USDA Natural Resources Conservation Service is quickly approaching. The conservation tool helps landowners and partners engage in long-term protection of Idaho's farmland, wetlands and grasslands. The application deadline for ACEP is Feb. 16, 2018.  Learn more here. 

The deadline for the FY2018 Wetlands Reserve Easements program with the USDA Natural Resources Conservation Service is quickly approaching. The program helps landowners protect and restore wetlands across the state and in three special project areas. The application deadline for WRE is Jan. 26, 2018.  Learn more here. 

The deadline for the FY2018 Agricultural Conservation Easement Program with the USDA Natural Resources Conservation Service is quickly approaching. The conservation tool helps landowners and partners engage in long-term protection of Maine's farmland, wetlands and grasslands. The application deadline for ACEP is Jan. 31, 2018.  Learn more here. 

 

“Family farm” can be one of the most controversial terms and concepts in modern agriculture. “America’s Diverse Family Farms: 2017,” a report from the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s Economic Research Service, or ERS, won’t resolve the controversy. But the new report does offer insight and conclusions. Read the article.

The 2018 EE Local Grant Program includes support for projects that reflect the intersection of environmental issues and agricultural best-practices, conservation of natural resources, food waste management, and natural disaster preparedness. Learn more here.

Kennebec Land Trust member Stewart Myers donated a 238-acre conservation easement to the Kennebec Land Trust on Dec. 19. This easement, which encompasses most of the shoreline of Egypt Pond, will protect natural scenery, water quality, working woodlands and farmland, and wildlife habitat. Learn more here.

The LSU AgCenter, the Louisiana Master Farmer Program and the Natural Resources Conservation Service are planning two agriculture conferences this month featuring information on soil health, cover crops, and other row crop and forage issues. The first will be on Jan. 23 at the Hampton Inn in West Monroe, and the second is scheduled Jan. 24 at the DeWitt Livestock Show Facility near the LSU Alexandria campus. Both are 8 a.m. to 4 p.m. Preregistration required.

Small farms and ranches got a big boost from the Pitkin County Open Space and Trails program in 2017 and even bigger things are planned this year. Read on here.

In Arkansas, three watersheds are included in the NWQI for FY17 financial assistance. The three watersheds are Cousart Bayou-Little Cypress Bayou, Upper Deep Bayou and Lower Deep Bayou in portions of Jefferson and Lincoln counties. Producers in these watersheds have until Jan. 30, 2017, to apply for funding consideration at their local NRCS office. More than $1.4 million is available in Arkansas. Read the news release.

Future funding for successful Chesapeake Bay conservation programs are set to be slashed at the state and federal level under proposed budgets for the new year. Learn more here.

Leslie "Les" Hyde, a University of Maine educator with Cooperative Extension who never outgrew his contagious sense of fun or his ability for making the improbable seem possible, died on Christmas Day, leaving behind a legacy of successful nature education and land conservation projects that he championed — including launching the Georges River Land Trust and Tanglewood 4-H Camp in Lincolnville. Read on here.

Matt Germino, supervisory research ecologist with the U.S. Geological Survey in Boise, ID, is overseeing an innovative research project to use weed-suppressive bacteria to control non-native invasive cheatgrass and medusahead. Continue reading here.

The Maine Master Naturalist Program is now taking applicants for its upcoming course, which will be held at Maine Audubon’s Gilsland Farm in Falmouth starting in April. The cost is $500 per person and applications are due by Jan. 2. Interested? Learn more and apply here.

Make plans now to join farmers and ranchers at the 2018 Farming Evolution event. The Farming Evolution will be held Tuesday and Wednesday, February 13 & 14, 2018, at the Phillips County Event Center in Holyoke, CO. If you farm or graze cropland you will want to plan to be there. Bring your questions about no-till, cover crops and grazing livestock on cropland. Learn more and register here.

“This legislation would bolster our Wildlife Action Plan which seeks to conserve our wildlife and its habitat,’’ Louisiana Department of Wildlife and Fisheries Secretary Jack Montoucet said. “Going from $600,000 to $19 million annually would give us the capacity to fully implement that plan for non-game and threatened species and habitat in our state.’’ Learn more here.

The role farmers' markets play in the increasingly active local foods economy will be the theme at the 10th annual Maine Farmers' Market Convention in January, which is being held in conjunction with the Maine Agricultural Trades Show at the Augusta Civic Center this year. Registration, which closes Jan. 2, is required to attend. Learn more here.

Among other projects, Eagle Valley Land Trust, in partnership with Eagle County and our generous landowners, protected forever more than 3500 acres, expanded recreational access to protected lands, and won the National Land Trust Alliance's "Land is My..." video contest. Learn more here.

The Maine Natural Resource Conservation Program is giving more than $1.4 million to fund nine projects designed to restore and protect wetlands and natural areas around the state. Read on here.

As the world tries to combat climate change, interest in Solar energy is on the rise, but arrays of photovoltaic panels take up a lot of space and can compete for prime food-producing land. Now researchers, have found plenty of places to install solar devices without taking up arable land, while generating enough power to help regions meet their energy goals. Learn more here.

McPherson served six full terms as a state senator, including from 1984-96 and 2000-12. During his time in the Louisiana senate, he authored bills several bills for outdoors causes, including the creation of three wildlife management areas. Read more here.

Conservation benefits for California through the federal Farm Bill’s Environmental Quality Incentives Program (EQIP), totaled more than $84 million in fiscal year 2017. The largest investments were in air quality, water conservation and water quality and forest-related conservation for both proactive and post-fire assistance. Learn more here.

To date, the Farming 101 series has shared what the Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS) is, the importance of a conservation plan and funding opportunities available. Now that you know what is available, NRCS offers these five steps to getting assistance.

Stuart, Virginia: The population is growing, and forests are shrinking. The commonwealth has a plan to try to stave off the destruction of forests which happens alongside the spread of development: Conservation easements. Read more here.

In the next decade, more than 400,000 acres of Maine farmland will transition in ownership. Farmers, landowners, and farm advocates are invited to the third annual Farmland Access Conference on December 4, 2017 at the Augusta Civic Center, Augusta ME co-hosted by Maine Farmland Trust and Land For Good. Learn more and register here.

The Northern Fauquier Community Park, Virginia Cooperative Extension (VCE) Master A free “Composting and Water Conservation Basics” workshop will take place at 10 a.m. Saturday, Dec. 2 at Marshall Schoolhouse 18 east of Marshall. Learn more and register here.

Recognizing early the need for conservation and wise use of farm resources, he became a first proponent of techniques that employed new ideas and technology to produce more grain with fewer inputs. Read more here.

The U.S. Department of Agriculture's Natural Resources Conservation Service encourages people and groups wanting to protect critical wetlands, agricultural lands and grasslands to consider enrolling their property into conservation easements through the Agricultural Conservation Easement Program. Read more here.

With the goal of increasing the pace, quality and permanence of conservation in western Colorado, Mesa Land Trust and Montrose-based Black Canyon Regional Land Trust are entering into an innovative partnership, the Colorado West Land Trust, to better serve the region. Learn more here.

Land Trust for Louisiana is a 501(c)(3) non-profit land conservation organization dedicated to preserving valuable natural lands in rural areas and urban communities of Louisiana through donations, purchases and conservation easements. The Executive Director is responsible for overseeing the administration, programs and strategic plan of the organization. Other key duties include fundraising, marketing, and community outreach. At least a 4-year degree desired, preferably in natural resources management, business administration or a related field and/or experience in resource management, business, non-profit management, fundraising, real estate, marketing or a related field. Inquiries may be sent to info@landtrustforlouisiana.org.

LITTLE ROCK, Ark. (November 1, 2017) - With the recent announcement of current director Jeff Crow stepping down in February, the Arkansas Game and Fish Commission has begun the process of advertising and recruiting its next leader. Learn more here.

The land has been in the family for six generations and is a noted habitat for the California condor, red-legged frog and tule elk. Read on here.

The Freeport Conservation Trust will celebrate 40 years of preserving, connecting and sharing town lands on Saturday, Sept. 30.

The party, open to the public, will take place from 2-5 p.m. at the Tidebrook Preserve, 38 Bartol Island Road, and will include food, drinks, games, trail walks and live music from The Wabacs. Learn more.

Congressman Ralph Abraham, R-Alto, has scheduled what he is calling a "listening session" at 8:30 a.m. Friday, September 29th at Rayville High School. Farmers and ag leaders from throughout the state are invited, he said. Learn more here.

Some Texas landowners may be eligible to be reimbursed for their cost of prescribed burning. Texas A&M Forest Service is now accepting grant applications from private property owners who use strategically-planned prescribed fires to help reduce wildfire risk and restore natural ecosystems. The deadline for application submission is Friday, October 13, 2017. Learn more and download application here.

The USDA Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS) is accepting applications for the Agricultural Conservation Easement Program (ACEP), which provides financial and technical assistance to landowners and Native American Tribes with conservation efforts on agricultural lands and wetlands. The deadline to sign-up to be considered for consideration in ACEP’s fiscal year 2018 funding period is October 27, 2017. Learn more here.

Soil health practices such as cover crops and no-till can result in an economic return of over $100 per acre, according to a set of case studies jointly released by the National Association of Conservation Districts and Datu Research, LLC. Read the press release.

September 8, 2017 – Virginia farmers and forest landowners can now apply for assistance to protect the health and productivity of their land under the Environmental Quality Incentives Program (EQIP) administered through the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS). Learn more here.

BELTON - Texas A&M AgriLife Extension, along with many area partners, will host the 2017 Conservation Expo Thursday, Sept. 21, at the Bell County Expo Center, 301 W. Loop 121. Program topics will be geared toward answering the questions and discussing the concerns of many new landowners and small acreage landowners in Central Texas. Learn more here.

Mark your calendars! The York Land Trust welcomes you to join them at their new home for a full day of activities on Sunday, September 17th. Activities will include a free open house and fundraising supper in the evening. Learn more here.

While the Farm Bill is crucial policy for agriculture, it's also quite literally for the birds. The "State of the Birds 2017" report from the North American Bird Conservation Initiative says farm bill conservation programs are helping farmers and ranchers keep their land productive, while supporting birds and other wildlife species. Listen or read the report here.

Idaho Ag Today - Every time I turn around I get some memo or email from an agency stressing how important soil and water conservation are to landowners. Idaho rancher Chris Banks says that taking strong conservation measures does not need to be dreary and can add to the bottom line. Listen to the report here.

Maine conservation and forestry officials are going around the state in August and September to educate the public about how to recognize and help control invasive forest pests.  The next one is scheduled for Aug. 30 in Belgrade Lakes. View the event flyer here.

With a mission to empower farm women to be better business partners through networks and by managing and organizing critical information, Annie’s Project is coming to Stephenville beginning in September. 

Classes will be held in Stephenville at the District 8 Texas A&M AgriLife Research and Extension Center (1229 N US Hwy 281) on Sept. 7, 14, and 21 and Oct. 5, 12, and 19 from 6-9 p.m. Learn more here.

USDA researchers recently looked at how connecting conservation compliance with crop insurance in the current Farm Bill may have changed farmer incentives. Rod Bain reports. PARTICIPANTS: Rod Bain and Roger Claassen of the Economic Research Service. Listen here.

August 19, 4-8 pm, Windy Knoll Farm, Nokesville, VA - Come one, come all to a "FRESH FROM THE FARM" fundraising FARM TO TABLE dinner, sponsored by the Prince William Environmental Excellence Foundation. Learn more here.

DAVIS, Calif., Aug. 10, 2017 - In 2017 farmers with rare Tricolored Blackbirds nesting in their fields have again aided the birds' survival...During the 2017 nesting season, the partnership protected five colonies on dairy farms, totaling nearly 75,000 birds, in Kern, Merced and Tularecounties. Read on here.

BLM Twin Falls District Manager Mike Courtney says changes to sage-grouse management plans throughout the West directed by Secretary of the Interior Ryan Zinke won’t necessarily affect livestock grazing on the Twin Falls District, which includes BLM-managed land in southern Blaine County. Read on here.

First-generation farmer Robert Mills began his life as a man of the land in eighth grade agricultural class — two weeks in, he knew just what he wanted to do with his life.

He was recently awarded the 2017 Virginia Farmer of the Year for his work on his Callands farm, Briar View Farm. Read on here.

Saturday, Aug. 5, 2017 10am - 12pm

Location: Full Circle Farm, 78 South Stanley Hill Road, Vassalboro, ME

Join ReVision Energy and Full Circle Farm for a Solar Open House, where guests can learn how Full Circle Farm is locking into long-term energy savings and lowering their carbon footprint as a local business. Learn more here.

Despite some operational issues, the state’s conservation easement program has helped preserve millions of acres and provided billions of dollars in tax credits to Colorado residents, according to a new study.

The study, performed by researchers and professors at Colorado State University, was done to help state lawmakers understand the benefits the state has seen through its Conservation Easement Tax Credit Program, including matching grants provided by Great Outdoors Colorado, to protect land from future development.

“The taxpayers’ foregone revenues have been well spent, despite some of the concerns ... about the program,” CSU agricultural economics professor Andrew Seidl told the Legislative Audit Committee on Tuesday. “Given the supply and demand conditions, that is, we are not making any more land, the future returns are likely to increase. Coloradans benefit from open space. Investments are generating substantial public benefits currently, and it’s quite likely they will continue to do so into the future with continued investment.”

The audit committee has been trying to track how well the tax credit program is working, and to see if it is complying with recent recommendations issued last winter, most of which had to do with the Division of Real Estate’s ability to administer changes to the program that the committee had the Colorado Legislature approve in 2014.

According to the study, in the 22 years the conservation easement program has been in effect — it allows landowners to get tax credits for preserving their land from development — 2.1 million acres have been set aside.

That breaks down to about 300,000 acres of farmland, 270,000 acres of elk severe winter rangeland, 4,100 miles of protected stream, creek or river frontage, and 19 percent of the Gunnison sage-grouse protection areas, according to the study.

Last December, the committee heard an audit of how its changes to the program were faring, which included a recommendation to increase fees for applicants who apply for the credits to ensure the program has enough money to pay for itself.

Auditors who completed that audit said they found it difficult to determine the overall benefits of the easement programs, which is what prompted CSU to do its study.

On Tuesday, the committee heard an update to those recommendations. Since that audit, the program has caught up on a backlog of applications, and did increase its fees.

Marsha Waters, director of the Division of Real Estate that oversees the program, said one recommendation would require legislative approval. That was to share certain information with the Colorado Ownership, Management and Protection Map, the most comprehensive map of protected lands in the state.

“I don’t want there to be a perception that conservation easements equal non-productive land,” said Sen. Kerry Donovan, D-Vail, and a member of the audit committee. “There is a little bit of a misconception that a conservation easement means we just protect open space and it’s just pretty trees. For example, conservation easements in my district represent 20 percent of the active agriculture in a single county.”

Join us to learn about efforts in Summit County to protect safe passages for wildlife: 

• Learn how the Forest Service, CDOT, the county, and towns are working together with local stakeholders from across the community to restore important connections for wildlife movement. 
• Become engaged in our efforts to construct wildlife crossings and protect habitat so that healthy wildlife populations can continue to thrive.

When: Wednesday, July 26. Please come anytime from 5:30-8:00 pm. There will be a brief presentation at 6:00 pm.
Where: Elevate coSpace, 711 Granite St, Frisco, CO 80443, 970-368-6139. Visit website.
 

?Sat. Sept. 16, 2017 4 pm - 9 pm: Join Bear Yuba Land Trust for an end-of-summer Gala to be held at one of the most spectacular permanently protected agricultural lands in Nevada County, Linden Lea Ranch. Learn more and get tickets here.

BATON ROUGE, La. — Creating a transition plan to make sure a farm continues as a productive business can be challenging. But during a two-day meeting in Port Allen, professionals will help answer some of the hard questions.

The course, which is targeted at farm women, will be held July 27-28 from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. in the LSU AgCenter meeting room at 210 Turner Road in Port Allen, said Deborah Cross-Young, the Louisiana Annie’s Project state coordinator. Learn more here.

Starting in November, the Maine Department of Agriculture, Conservation and Forestry, the Maine Farms for the Future Program, and Jed Beach of FarmSmart Business Services will put on “Tilling the Soil of Opportunity,” a business planning course tailored for Maine farmers.? Learn more here.

LITTLE ROCK — The USDA’s Natural Resources Conservation Service has allocated $300,000 to assist with the implementation of woodland management practices in seven counties – including Union – in Arkansas. The deadline to apply is July 20. Learn more.

According to the Texas Agricultural Land Trust, "HB 2943 represented a win-win for the conservation of Texas' working lands AND the need to protect our state's water resources." Read the bill text here.

“This is a great day for rural economic development and the environmental and social wealth of rural communities,” said Rep. Craig Hickman. Read article.

The agency is investing in 33 projects nationwide through its competitive CIG program, which helps develop the tools, technologies and strategies to support next-generation conservation efforts on working lands and develop market-based solutions to resource challenges. Learn more.

Please join the Western Landowners Alliance at: (1) Colorado State Forest, near Walden, CO on Thursday, June 22. Tour focus will be on high-altitude forest management, including stops at various treatment and harvest sites. (2) Moore Land & Cattle Company Ranch, near Springer, NM on Thursday, July 13. This tour will focus on controlled burning for juniper management, riparian and stream habitat restoration, rangeland management, and more. Both tours provide exceptional examples of skilled land management that benefits wildlife, the bottom line, and the local economy. For details and to register, contact Virginie@westernlandowners.org.

Increasingly farmers markets and individual farmers are using social media to get information to customers and generate a broader following. Learn more.

Growing Louisiana - Last week, 43 ladies from around the country gathered in Washington D.C. for American Agri-Women’s annual Legislative Fly-In. Farmers, ranchers, teachers, and business women united to call attention to the issues that impact their rural livelihoods and meet with appointees of the new administration. Read more.

AUGUSTA COUNTY, Va (WHSV) — Senator Emmett Hanger and local agriculture leaders showcased farmers' conservation efforts in the Shenandoah Valley to celebrate Chesapeake Bay Awareness Week on June 8. Read the article from WHSV.

Capital Press - With development pressure in Idaho’s fast-growing Treasure Valley area picking up, farmland is disappearing rapidly in some areas. Read more here.

When: Thursday June 29th, 3pm-6pm (dinner to follow)

Where: Calhoun Ranch & Party Barn, 12461 Mines Road, Livermore, CA

Learn more here.

The Bath-based group will spend the funds to help support a volunteer program to monitor birds. Read more here.

Knox-Lincoln SWCD is again teaming up with Aaron Englander, Erickson Fields Farm & Program Manager for Maine Coast Heritage Trust, to offer programs of interest to farmers, those who would like to farm, as well as home gardeners interested in improving their skills. The next event - Shearing and Wool Grading? - is Sunday, April 23. Learn more and register here.

Led by the Texas State Soil and Water Conservation Board, several Texas conservation agencies and agricultural organizations are joining together in a statewide campaign to highlight the importance of voluntary land stewardship in Texas. Soil and Water Stewardship Week is April 30 through May 7. The focus this year is “No Land No Water.” Learn more here.

Women and our Woods is teaming up with Women of the Maine Outdoors to offer an action-packed workshop for women woodland owners and outdoor enthusiasts! Join us Saturday, April 29 at Pine Tree Camp in Rome, Maine for engaging, hands-on classes in a variety of forest-based topics. Learn more and register here.

FARMINGTON - At the annual meeting of the Franklin County Soil and Water Conservation District (FCSWCD) people from Chesterville, Jay and New Vineyard received awards for their commitment to conservation and stewardship of natural resources. Learn more here.

The Texas Water Development Board is calling for applications for its Agricultural Water Conservation Grants Program, with a deadline of May 10. Learn more here.

April 4, 2017 – The U.S. Department of Agriculture, acting in response to a directive from President Donald J. Trump, today authorized emergency grazing on Conservation Reserve Program lands located in Kansas, Oklahoma, and Texas – the three states which were most heavily impacted by ongoing wildfires which began on March 6, 2017. Learn more here.

March 31, 2017 – USDA Natural Resources Conservation Service state conservationist for Idaho Curtis Elke has announced a call for applications for a pool of Environmental Quality Incentives Program (EQIP) funds set aside for improving water quality in the Treasure Valley. Applications are due May 5. Learn more here.

TWIN FALLS — The U.S. Department of Agriculture’s Natural Resources Conservation Service is accepting applications for agricultural producers who want to renew existing Conservation Stewardship Program contracts. Applications are due May 5. Learn more here.

As traditional paper businesses are shifting to growing markets in food packaging and tissue — and as the pellet industry tries to grow its share of the U.S. heating market — others are eyeing new industries to breathe life into the economic engine in Maine’s woods. Read more here.

NRCS is accepting applications for agricultural producers wanting to renew existing Conservation Stewardship Program (CSP) contracts. The renewal is for an additional five years if they agree to adopt additional activities to achieve higher levels of conservation on their lands. Applications to renew expiring contracts are due by May 5.  Learn More about CSP »

The Green Bow Foundation is offering conservation classes every month throughout the rest of the year. The classes will be held from 6-7 p.m. at the Fauquier Fairgrounds. There is a $5 fee per class per student. Additional fees may apply based on the event. The first class is on April 12. Learn more here.

Heir Property Barriers will be the main topic at the "Keeping It in the Family" Sustainable Forestry and African-American Land Retention (SFLR) workshop Saturday, April 8 at the Lafayette County High School Cafeteria in Stamps. The workshop begins at 10 a.m. and will end at 1 p.m. Learn more here.

Beginning Monday, March 20, Sen. Bennet, a member of the Senate Committee on Agriculture, Nutrition, and Forestry, will hold listening sessions across Colorado about the 2018 Farm Bill. Learn more and register here.

Texas farmers and ranchers affected by last week’s wildfires should contact their USDA Farm Service Agency (FSA) office to obtain information about disaster assistance programs to aid recovery efforts. Learn more here.

This in-depth course is being offered in California as part of Holistic Management International’s Whole Farm/Ranch Land Management Series. This course was designed to help you regenerate your land for better soil health, bio-diversity, productivity and profitability through the practice of Holistic Management. Learn more and register here.

9-5 each day: March 24-25, April 7-8 and April 28-29

 

Only 72 Rappahannock County acres were placed under conservation easement in 2016, albeit the total conserved land in the county now stands at a none-too-shabby 32,417 acres.

Comparably, 523 acres in Culpeper County were put in conservation last year (18,600 total acres), 1,262 acres were added in Fauquier County (a whopping 102,332 total acres), and another 844 new acres in Madison County (15,761 total acres). Read more here.

A lot of people have to buy in to protect Southern forests: Most of the land is held in small private patches, a few dozen acres here and there that in combination form whole forests.

A new conservation program aims to manage the environment in north Louisiana and southern Arkansas by getting all those landowners pulling in the same direction. Read the article.

The California Land Conservation Conference, held at the UC Davis Conference Center, is the largest annual gathering of land trusts, agencies, foundations, and conservation professionals in the state. Our three-day event consists of thought-provoking speakers, powerful networking opportunities, and unparalleled access to decision-makers in the conservation community. Register here.

Two congressmen from opposite sides of the aisle and very different regions of the country have filed a bill aimed at making it easier for farmers to apply for conservation programs administered by USDA. Learn more here.

The first conclusive step in a long process to conserve 6,000 acres of prime ranchland in Gunnison County became a reality with the completion of the 1,447-acre Trampe Home Ranch conservation easement (CE), on Friday, February 17. Read more here.

Jackson, Miss. – The United States Department of Agriculture / Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS) is accepting applications for the Agricultural Conservation Easement Program (ACEP).  ACEP provides financial and technical assistance to landowners and Native American Tribes with conservation efforts on agricultural lands and wetlands. The application deadline to be considered for fiscal year 2017 funding is February 24, 2017. Read the release.

The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) is making available $500 million in financial and technical assistance through the Agricultural Conservation Easement Program (ACEP). Conservation easements are an important tool to help landowners and partners voluntarily provide long-term protection of our nation's farmland, ranchland, wetlands and grasslands for future generations. Read the release.

The Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS) in Colorado is currently accepting applications for enrollment into the Environmental Quality Incentives Program (EQIP). EQIP is a voluntary Farm Bill program that provides financial assistance for conservation systems such as animal waste management facilities, irrigation system efficiency improvements, fencing, water supply development, riparian protection, and wildlife habitat enhancement.  Applications must be submitted by Friday, February 17, 2017.

Farmers and landowners in five Arkansas counties have until March 1, 2017, to submit applications to receive financial assistance through the Environmental Quality Incentives Program (EQIP) to implement conservation practices in two Regional Conservation Partnership Program (RCPP) projects.  Applicants can sign up at their local USDA Natural Resources Conservation Service field service center.

CEDAR BLUFF, Miss. -- Ali Fratesi Pinion may be part of the millennial generation, but she farms more like her great-grandparents. Pinion and her husband, Dustin, operate Beaverdam Farms in Clay County on the principle that healthy soils create better foods and communities.

Read on here.

Virginia farmers and forest landowners can apply for assistance to protect the health and productivity of their land under the Environmental Quality Incentives Program, which the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s Natural Resources Conservation Service administers. Landowners should sign up by Feb. 17 to be eligible for 2017 funding.

Read more here.

Steamboat Springs — Routt County’s tradition of leveraging dedicated tax dollars to conserve working agricultural landscapes was nearing a landmark as 2017 began, and with the closing of another five pending conservation easements this year, the county’s Purchase of Development Rights program will have surpassed 50,000 acres conserved.

Read the article.

Texas Agricultural Land Trust (TALT) has announced a new campaign to raise awareness for the contributions of private working lands to the water supply.

Learn more here.

PRESQUE ISLE, Maine — In the search for a third rotation crop for potatoes, trials at the Aroostook Research Farm in Presque Isle are showing some promise for field peas, a crop that once had a successful run in the region until the 1970s.

Read on here.

There are four major must-knows about a conservation easement: It’s voluntary; it’s an exercise of the owner’s private property rights; it’s a negotiated document; and it’s permanent. “It's not for everyone, and it requires a lot of contemplation to make sure your goals are being met,” says Ken Cearley, stewardship director for Texas Agricultural Land Trust. Watch here.

Feb. 17 the Piscataquis County conservation district will host a rural energy workshop to educate homeowners, farmers and business owners about how they can more efficiently power their properties. Learn more here.

Since signup is continuous, ag producers can visit their local USDA Service Center to submit an application. However, applications not submitted before this deadline will have to wait until FY2018 for their application to be considered. Learn more about CSP and how to apply here.

TWIN FALLS — Prairie Falcon Audubon will host a program on “Fish, Birds, Bugs and Bats: Highlights from 10 years of conducting wildlife research in Idaho” at 7 p.m. Feb. 2 at the College of Southern Idaho's Shields Building, room 201. Click here to learn more.

JANUARY 19, 2017: Today, USDA announced a final rule regarding organic livestock and poultry production practices. The rule strengthens the organic standards, and ensures that all organic animals live in pasture based systems utilizing production practices that support their well-being and natural behavior. Learn more here.

The Wynne family has decided to sell off portions of their North Texas ranch — land the family has owned going back generations to The Battle of San Jacinto in 1836 — with the hope of keeping it a pristine working ranch. "The goal would be to sell it as a working ranch...There's not a conservation easement on the property, but it's ideally suited for that." Click here to learn more about the property.

WASHINGTON, Jan. 12, 2017 - Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack today invited potential conservation partners, including private industry, non-government organizations, Indian tribes, state and local governments, water districts, and universities to submit project applications for federal funding through the Regional Conservation Partnership Program (RCPP). Click here for more details.

The Texas Soil Health Short Course will be held on February 22-23, 2017 at the Region 9 Education Service Center in Wichita Falls, Texas. The short course will offer the opportunity to gain a better understanding of soil properties including water infiltration, water holding capacity, and organic matter content. Click here for more details.

Starting Feb. 1, 2017, the Northern Piedmont Beginning Farmer program will be offering two different Beginning Farmer courses. The Fauquier Education Farm also will partner with the Piedmont Environmental Council to offer a pair of workshops on land acquisition in March. Learn more here.

In Arkansas, bobwhite quail may soon be primed for recovery thanks to a new habitat-improvement program.

According to the Arkansas Democrat-Gazette, the Natural Resources Conservation Service will offer more than $600,000 to landowners in 20 counties for improving bobwhite quail habitat. These funds will be provided through the Working Lands for Wildlife program, an NRCS initiative designed to help landowners improve habitat for at-risk species. Read the article.

The Colorado Cattlemen's Agricultural Land Trust has been a pioneer since its inception in 1995 and has helped conserve more than 465,000 acres of Colorado land. Recently, the staff closed extraordinary projects with two multi-generational Colorado families, the Mays and the MacLennans, which combined will conserve over 18 thousand acres. Read the article.

The Arkansas Natural Resources Commission and the federal Natural Resources Conservation Service are getting ready to start a new cost-sharing program with some of the state's farmers to better measure how much water is used on fields. Learn more here.

The Ag Land Trust’s efforts to preserve Salinas Valley farm land extends all the way to Camp Roberts in south Monterey County.

The trust has acquired conservation easements for nearly 4,500 acres of ranch land around the historic Army base. This allows the 42,784-acre facility to operate as a California National Guard training base without encroachment from development. Read the article.

WASHINGTON, Dec. 21, 2016 – The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) today announced that starting March 20, 2017, organic producers and handlers will be able to visit over 2,100 USDA Farm Service Agency offices around the country to apply for federal reimbursement to assist with the cost of receiving and maintaining organic or transitional certification. Learn more here.

DAVIS, Calif., Dec. 21, 2016: USDA's Natural Resources Conservation Service today announced $225 million in funding for 88 partnership projects nationwide. California captured funding for four projects—three completely within the state and one shared with Nevada. Funding comes through the Regional Conservation Partnership Program, created in the 2014 Farm Bill. Learn more here.

The Arkansas darter, a two-and-a-half inch native perch found throughout Southeastern Colorado, Kansas and a few other states, is no longer on the U.S. Fish and Wildlife threatened species list. Learn more here.

RICHMOND, Va. (NEWSPLEX) -- The Virginia Department of Conservation and Recreation recognized ten farms across the Commonwealth for their conservation practices. Read more here.

The U.S. Department of Agriculture’s Natural Resource Conservation Service is making $20 million available to Arkansas landowners to restore wetlands. The program to limit future development is voluntary and funded by the 2014 Farm Bill. Read more.

USDA’s Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS) is adding 11 new projects to Working Lands for Wildlife (WLFW), the agency’s targeted, science-based effort to help producers restore and protect habitat for declining species on farms, ranches and working forests.

UNITY, ME — Morten Moesswilde, district forester for the Maine Forest Service, will speak about forest stewardship, management and restoration at 6:30 p.m. Wednesday, Dec. 14, at the Sebasticook Regional Land Trust office, 93 Main St.

Read the article.

Farmers across Arkansas and from across the country are invited to the Southern Agricultural Cover Crops, Soil Health and Water Management Conference December 13 - 14 being held at the Arkansas State University Convocation Center in Jonesboro, Ark.  For more information or to register for the Southern Agricultural Cover Crops, Soil Health and Water Management Conference, contact Debbie Moreland, AACD program administrator, at (501) 682-2915.

• Conference Registration Form (PDF)
• Conference Flyer and Agenda (PDF)

REED PLANTATION, Maine — One of the world’s largest tech companies and a top-ranked conservation organization who last year partnered to buy a large swath of land in southern Aroostook County are again joining forces to donate a conservation easement on the more than 32,400 acres known as Reed Forest. Read more here.

Richmond, VA, November 16, 2016 – USDA’s Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS) is now making $644,000 available for Virginia property owners interested in controlling non-native, invasive plants in their woodland and adjacent pastureland. Learn more here.

Beginning November 14, the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s (USDA) Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS) will accept and process applications for enrollment in the Conservation Stewardship Program (CSP), the nation’s largest conservation program. Applications will be made available in local service centers. Click here to read the news release.

The USDA Natural Resources Conservation Service is making $874,000 available to farmers in 21 Virginia localities who are interested in improving Chesapeake Bay water quality by installing livestock exclusion and forestry practices in targeted rivers and streams. Read the article here.

Steamboat Springs — The final piece of the conservation of the sprawling Coberly Creek Ranch in South Routt County was approved by the Routt County Board of Commissioners Nov. 8, and the 400-acre Trapper Jack parcel alludes to an obscure piece of local history. Click here to read the article.

Farm and Foreign Agricultural Services Deputy Under Secretary Alexis Taylor today announced that the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) will offer a new Conservation Reserve Program (CRP) Grasslands practice specifically tailored for small-scale livestock grazing operations. Small livestock operations with 100 or fewer head of grazing dairy cows (or the equivalent) can submit applications to enroll up to 200 acres of grasslands per farm. USDA’s goal is to enroll up to 200,000 acres. Read the article.

Solar-powered water systems let livestock drink more easily and take pressure off ponds and streams. Read the article.

The Texas Farm & Ranch Lands Conservation Program (TFRLCP) is now accepting applications for the purchase of conservation easements. To qualify, a landowner must partner with a land trust who will submit the application.

Applications are scored based on criteria such as threat of development, water resources protected, and the availability of matching funds. To meet the matching funds criteria, we encourage landowners to also consider applying to the Agricultural Conservation Easement Program (ACEP) through the Natural Resource Conservation Service.

In October, Winslow became the first town in Maine to receive applications for its new Voluntary Municipal Farm Support Program, which allows qualifying landowners to grant a temporary agricultural conservation easement to the town. Read the article.

Over $6 million in grants from the Virginia Land Conservation Foundation (VLCF) is going to shield 7,037 acres of at-risk land from development, including two major projects in Rockingham and Augusta County. Read on here.

The federal government and non-profit partners plan to spend another $360 million to spur states, landowners and developers to save the imperiled greater sage grouse across a Texas-sized area of sagebrush steppe spanning 11 Western states.

Read the full article here.

The combination of dwarf mistletoe disease and bark beetles have threatened thousands of trees in and around Idaho's Boise Nation Forest. These two pests attack trees every year, but "typically they'll kill three to ten trees at a time," said Stephaney Kerley with the Forest Service. "What we're seeing right now is bark beetles are killing pockets of fifty to one hundred trees at a time."

Learn more here.

"I think that CRP is one of the most successful federal conservation programs that this government has ever administered in the field because it provides a direct and significant benefit, not only to farmers and ranchers, but to city dwellers and others who enjoy the habitat that's created by CRP lands; the carbon sequestered; the thousands of miles of riparian buffers and stream buffers that are prepared by CRP," said Val Dolcini, Administrator of the USDA Farm Service Agency.

Watch the video and learn more here.

Against stiff competition, two Louisiana groups received a collective $1.3 million of the $26.6 million in grants for agriculture and conservation innovation announced Thursday by the U.S. Department of Agriculture.

Learn more here.

The U.S. Department of Agriculture will steer more than $5 million to California agriculture and conservation programs as part of a $26.6-million naitonal campaign to bring innovation to the sector.

Learn more here.

The Improving Access to Farm Conservation Act would remove burdensome regulation which makes it hard for beginning and small farmers to access voluntary conservation programs offered by the Natural Resources Conservation Service.

Learn more here.

If you are a forester, private landowner, or state/federal agency habitat manager, then you will want to learn the results of a project assessing "Desired Ecological States Provided by Open Pine in Managed Forests," sponsored by the Gulf Coastal Plains & Ozarks Landscape Conservation Cooperative.  Why?  Because existing data was incorporated into HabPlan harvest scheduling software to simulate a variety of management options across 50 years.  The results identify options for providing open pine wildlife habitat conditions in managed forests across the region as well as biodiversity responses to those management options. The Society of American Foresters has pre-approved this webinar for one Continuing Forestry Education credit hour.

Register Here »

Landowners wishing to protect the habitat of the Mississippi River are invited to consider fee title acquisition or an easement program. Learn more here.

Communities across Virginia are taking steps to reverse the impacts of past development and redesign new development in ways that will protect water quality.

Read on here.

Brought to you by the American Farmland Trust, the Warrenton "Women and Land" workshops are designed to help women landowners achieve their conservation objectives. Learn more and register here.

This year's fair, which runs from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. Wednesday and Thursday, at Misty Meadows Farm features an expanded children's section and a rainfall simulator from the Natural Resources Conservation Service.

Learn more about the fair here.

In managed rangelands and agricultural areas, feral or wild pigs are a significant pest species. UCCE Livestock and Range Advisors and Wildlife Specialists need your help by filling out a short statewide survey on wild pig damage found here.

It should only take about 15 minutes to complete. Individual identities and survey responses will be kept confidential. Participation in the survey is entirely voluntary.

Shortleaf pine numbers are shrinking in the southeastern United States, but Arkansas and other states are working to restore the durable and long-living trees in the region's forests. Learn more here.

The 9th annual Conservation in Action Tour will feature pioneering conservation agriculture practices in Idaho's Treasure Valley. The program begins at 5:30 pm on Tuesday, August 23, with a reception at JUMP in Boise. Learn more about the event and click here to register.

Texas Parks and Wildlife Department, through the Great Texas Birding Classic, awarded Quinta Mazatlán a conservation grant to support its Great Homes for Great Birds project, which focuses on Purple Martins, the largest swallow species in North America. Learn more here.

Applications are now being accepted through Sept. 2, 2016, for the 2017 Conservation Legacy Awards program, which showcases farm management practices of U.S. soybean producers that are both environmentally friendly and profitable. More information here.

In its second year, Cap-and-Trade funded Sustainable Agricultural Lands Conservation (SALC) Program commits $37.4 million to shield agricultural land from development. Learn more here.

Downeast Salmon Federation is  re-opening our search for a high-energy and unstoppable person to lead our three year campaign to protect 35 miles of frontage on some of wildest rivers remaining on the east coast. Funding is available, large blocks of land are coming onto the market and the region is beautiful with rich and varied habitat--this is a campaign that will be fun--and won. 

Job description is here. Please take  look and pass on to others who might be interested.

A recent study detailing the amount of damage feral hogs are causing to water bodies in Louisiana is cause for concern, said Michael Kaller, an LSU AgCenter researcher specializing in fish and stream ecology.

Read the article here.

Aug. 4, 2016: Governor McAuliffe today discussed Virginia’s $61 million investment in agricultural best management practices at the annual Virginia Ag Expo, sponsored by the Virginia Grain Producers Association and Virginia Soybean Association in collaboration with the Virginia Cooperative Extension Service.

The Walmart Foundation has given $1 million to a partnership led by Ducks Unlimited and USA Rice to help rice producers "increase sustainability and profitability," the waterfowl conservation nonprofit announced Aug. 5, 2016.

Read more here.

"There has been a real shift toward more small ownership of woodlots in Maine," which make up 5 million of the state's 17 million forested acres, said Tom Doak, executive director of the Small Woodland Owners Association of Maine.

Read the article here.

Critical habitat for wildlife has been reduced by drought, development and other pressures. Ann Hayden of the Environmental Defense Fund talks about radical incentives for landowners to help fill the void. Read the article here.

Central Texas is home to many of the nation's fastest growing cities and counties and almost entirely privately owned, but it is also a hotspot for biodiversity, including some species unique to Texas and protected under the Endangered Species Act.

Learn more here.

To this multi-generational family, conservation and ranching are one and the same.

“We’ve increased the carrying capacity and grass production, which lets us leave more for the wildlife. Plus, we can run more cows.” -Neil Helmick

Learn how the family implemented voluntary conservation projects in partnership with the Natural Resource Conservation Service-led Sage Grouse Initiative (SGI) to ensure sensitive riparian areas and habitat remained undisturbed by livestock for wildlife and sage grouse during critical brood rearing periods in June and July.

The Maine Outdoor Heritage Fund (MOHF) conserves wildlife and open spaces through the sale of instant, scratch lottery tickets. With proceeds from ticket sales, grants are awarded twice a year, totaling approximately $700,000 annually. Grant application deadlines are March 1 and September 1 of each year.
Learn More »

If you are a forester, land manager, or landowner with pine forest and an interest in wildlife, then you will be interested in the combined presentation of two recently completed GCPO LCC-sponsored projects that address how to manage open pine savanna and woodlands to enhance wildlife habitat and biodiversity.  The first project, “Developing and Applying Desired Forest Condition (DFC) Metrics for Open Pine Ecosystems” was recently completed by Rickie White, Project Manager/Ecologist with NatureServe.  The second project, Using Wildlife Habitat Models to Evaluate Open Pine Desired Management Endpoints” was recently completed by Mike Conner PhD, Wildlife Ecologist and Lora Smith PhD, Associate Scientist, both of the Joseph W. Jones Ecological Research Center.  

Webinar will be held August 1st at 1pm CDT Register Here 

Through its Wetlands Reserve Enhancement Partnership (WREP), the USDA is awarding $44.6 million to support 10 wetland enhancement projects on private and tribal agricultural lands in 12 States. The WREP is a special option under the Agricultural Conservation Easement Program. Read the press release.

Researchers at the U.S. Geological Survey and the U.S. Department of Agriculture have published a new study that demonstrates that agricultural conservation practices in the upper Mississippi River watershed can reduce nitrogen inputs to area streams and rivers by as much as 34 percent.

On June 16th, 10-11:30 am MDT, the Western Landowners Alliance will team with Brian Kuehl and Robert Veldman from K·Coe Conservation and Jessica Wilkinson from The Nature Conservancy to bring you a conversation around private land mitigation opportunities. Register here.

May 13, 2016 - The USDA's Forest Service Chief Tom Tidwell today announced over $8.5 million to expand and accelerate technologies that promote wood product innovations that also benefit forest health. Read the news release here.

Thursday, May 12, Secretary Vilsack will deliver keynote remarks and announce a major new investment in conservation practices that improve soil, water, plant, animal, air and related natural resources on agricultural land and non-industrial private forestlands at the Center for American Progress.

Agriculture Secretary Vilsack announced the enrollment of more than 800,000 acres in the Conservation Reserve Program (CRP) through the program’s 49th sign up period. CRP helps farmers offset the costs of restoring, enhancing and protecting certain grasses, shrubs and trees that improve water quality, prevent soil erosion and strengthen wildlife habitat. Read the press release here.

If you are a farmer wanting to be certified in USDA's Good Agricultural Practices program, you may be able to join with your fellow producers in your area in getting that certification. (Gary Crawford and Chuck Parrott) Listen to radio story or read article.

Applications for the Regional Conservation Partnership Program sought with a focus on environmental markets, conservation finance. Read the new release here.

WASHINGTON, March 7, 2016 – Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack today announced the availability of up to $20 million in competitive grants through the Conservation Innovation Grants (CIG) program. The program aims to spark the development and adoption of cutting-edge conservation technologies and approaches for farmers, ranchers and other landowners. See the full news release from the USDA.

SALT LAKE CITY, Utah, Feb. 23, 2016 – USDA’s Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS), the University of Montana and other partners have used Google Earth Engine to build a new interactive online map tool that, for the first time, combines layers of data to better target invasive species that are damaging habitat and rangeland. The tool was built as part of USDA’s ongoing Sage Grouse Initiative (SGI) and presents geospatial data covering a 100 million acre landscape in eight western States.

Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack announced that $150 million in funding is available for agricultural producers through the Conservation Stewardship Program (CSP), USDA’s largest conservation program that helps producers voluntarily improve the health and productivity of private and Tribal working lands. Read the news release here.

A webinar for those interested in learning more about USDA wetland mitigation banking and this request for proposals will be held on Wednesday, February 10 beginning at 3 PM EST. Learn more here.

Texas now has a new statute offering liability protection for agritourism operations. The Act, carried as SB 610 and now codified as Texas Civil Practice and Remedies Code Chapter 75A, offers important protections of which landowners need to be aware.

Learn more here.

Albemarle Peninsula, N.C.—More than 80 private landowners in North Carolina’s five-county red wolf recovery area signed a petition, sent today to U.S Fish and Wildlife Service director Dan Ashe, expressing their support for keeping endangered red wolves on their land.

Read the press release here.

Landowners in southern Nebraska now have until February 19, 2016 to apply for funding through the Regional Conservation Partnership Program (RCPP) to help improve grazing land and habitat for grassland birds.

For more information about the RCPP and other conservation programs available from NRCS, visit your local USDA Service center or www.ne.nrcs.usda.gov.

The owner of a large, privately preserved spread in the Texas Hill Country is fighting to persuade regulators to change the route of a planned electric transmission line that could cut through the area know for wildlife habitat protection. Read the article here.

The trades show will be held in the Augusta Civic Center January 12th-14th. Click here for more information and a full schedule of events.

In a strong bipartisan action, the Senate voted 65-33 today to pass the bill that will make the tax incentive for conservation easement donations permanent. This follows yesterday’s 318-109 vote in the House. This legislation represents a huge win for conservation, for landowners and for the land trust community. Once signed into law the incentive will be applied retroactively to start Jan. 1, 2015.

Learn more here.

The Protecting Americans from Tax Hikes Act of 2015 (PATH) will make permanent a variety of individual and business tax incentives. The provisions are the enhanced Child Tax Credit, the enhanced American Opportunity Tax Credit, the enhanced Earned Income Tax Credit, the above-the-line deduction for teachers who buy school supplies, the charitable deduction of contributions of real property for conservation purposes, along with the Research & Development Tax Credit and Section 179 expensing.

General enrollment for the Conservation Reserve Program (CRP) begins today, Dec. 1, 2015, and ends on Feb. 26, 2016.  CRP is a federally funded program that assists agricultural producers with the cost of restoring, enhancing and protecting certain grasses, shrubs and trees to improve water quality, prevent soil erosion and reduce loss of wildlife habitat.

Our event Tuesday with Senator Mitchell was such a big success it made it on WMTW 8's evening news!

Watch the clip here.

Wildlife officials announced Tuesday that the greater sage grouse does not need protection as an endangered species. Read Article »

Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack announced funding from the Voluntary Public Access and Habitat Incentive Program to improve and increase wildlife habitat and public access for recreational opportunities on privately-owned and operated farm, ranch, and forest lands. Learn more here.

The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) reminds farmers and ranchers affected by the recent wildfires in Alaska, California, Idaho, Montana, Oregon and Washington State that USDA has programs to assist with their recovery efforts. Read More »

YARMOUTH, MAINE, August 5, 2015 - Today, Resources First Foundation announced the hiring of Alexandra Serra as their new Chief Strategy Officer and Executive Vice President of Public Affairs, Strategic Planning, Partnerships (CSO/ EVPPA). Click here to read the press release.

WASHINGTON, July 12, 2015 - Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack today announced the beginning Sept. 1, farmers and ranchers can apply for financial assistance to help conserve working grasslands, rangeland and pasture land while maintaining the areas as livestock grazing lands.

Click here to learn more.

With visit to Wyoming, Vilsack will have visited all 50 states as Agriculture Secretary. Read the article here.

RENO, Nev. April 21, 2015 – U.S. Secretary of the Interior Sally Jewell announced that the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service has determined that the Bi-State population of greater sage-grouse does not require the protection of the Endangered Species Act (ESA).

Read the news release here.

WASHINGTON, April 15, 2015 - The U.S. Department of Agriculture announced today that the organic industry continues to show remarkable growth domestically and globally, with 19,474 certified organic operations in the United States and a total of 27,814 certified organic operations around the world.

Read the full USDA release here.

WASHINGTON, March 31, 2015 – Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack today announced that U.S. Department of Agriculture is making available $332 million in financial and technical assistance through the Agricultural Conservation Easement Program (ACEP). USDA's Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS) will accept ACEP applications to help productive farm and ranch lands remain in agriculture and to protect the nation's critical wetlands and grasslands, home to diverse wildlife and plant species.

Private landowners, tribes, and eligible entities are encouraged to apply by May 15.

Read the rest of the press release here.

WASHINGTON, March 27, 2015 – Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack today provided farm owners and producers one additional week, until April 7, 2015, to choose between Agriculture Risk Coverage (ARC) and Price Loss Coverage (PLC), the safety-net programs established by the 2014 Farm Bill. The final day to update yield history or reallocate base acres also will be April 7, 2015.

Read the press release in full.

The new rule for the Agricultural Conservation Easement Program — which includes both the Wetland Reserve Easement Program (WRE) and the Agricultural Land Easement (ALE) program — has been released.

This is an “Interim Final Rule,” meaning that it goes into effect immediately, but there is a 60-day comment period for people to submit comments to the Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS). NRCS says they will look at all comments and come up with a final, final rule by the end of the year. The fiscal year 2015 funding allocations for each state have been sent to the state conservationists, and the actual dollars will start to flow as the new policy manual is released.

Farmers are invited to share their thoughts on cover crops - whether or not they use cover crops themselves - in a national survey, now in its third year of collecting valuable data on the increasingly popular management practice. Farmers who complete the questionnaire are eligible for a drawing for one of two $100 Visa gift cards.

Learn more and take the survey here.

The House successfully voted 279-137, demonstrating a supermajority (67%) of support, on H.R. 644, a package of charitable incentives including the conservation tax incentive. The bill passed with bipartisan support despite the Democratic leadership’s opposition. Learn More »

Tuesday, February 10 Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack is set to announce that rural agricultural producers and small business owners can now apply for resources to purchase and install renewable energy systems or make energy efficiency improvements. Learn more here.
 

The House is expected to vote on the incentive (H.R. 641) as soon as Wednesday, February 11. Learn more here.

H.R. 5771 will retroactively reinstate more than 50 tax extenders including one for IRA rollovers, one for gifts of excess food inventories and the conservation easement provision, under which private landowners forgo their development rights of the land in exchange for a tax deduction. Read More »

The act would have made permanent the incentive for donations of conservation easements. Needing 67% of the vote to pass, it narrowly failed with 65$. Learn more here.

In a piece of important conservation legislation, Congress increased the price of duck stamps from $15 to $25. It was the first such increase since 1991. Read more here.

Life on the Range highlights the work done by Lemhi Valley ranchers to improve the area's watershed, which resulted in the largest run of Chinook salmon in the river since 1960.  Read our latest blog post and watch the video ».

For the second year in a row, a national survey of farmers has documented a yield boost from the use of cover crops in corn and soybeans, as well as a wide variety of other benefits. It also details the challenges and benefits farmers expect from cover crops, data on the costs of seed and establishment, and insight into how farmers learn to manage cover crops. Read the news release and Cover Crop Survey Report.

The Service has determined that the Gunnison sage-grouse, a ground-dwelling bird found only in southwestern Colorado and southeastern Utah, requires the protection of the Endangered Species Act as a threatened species. Read the press release here.

As the U.S. Department of Agriculture's rapid implementation of the 2014 Farm Bill continues, Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack has announced proposed changes to the Conservation Stewardship Program, one of USDA's largest conservation programs for working agricultural lands. Read the full story here.

"This new partnership with NFWF leverages significant funding for restoration in these Gulf States. In addition to our many Farm Bill conservation programs, partnering with NFWF and private landowners will enable us to continue to make progress in this region and achieve our goals for a healthy Gulf ecosystem," said Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack. Read the full news release here.

Join March 4-6 in Austin for the 2015 Texas Land Conservation Conference. Click here to check back regularly for agenda developments, sponsorship and exhibit announcements, and more!

In Kansas, the application cutoff date for Environmental Quality Incentives Program funding in fiscal 2015 is Nov. 21. Learn more here.

Application deadlines for fiscal year 2015 Environmental Quality Incentive Program funding are now being announced across the country. Idaho's is November 21. Learn more about Idaho EQIP here.

USDA Secretary Tom Vilsack today unveiled highly anticipated new programs to help farmers better manage risk, ushering in one of the most significant reforms to U.S. farm programs in decades. Learn more here.

H.R. 5078 or "Waters of the United States Regulatory Overreach Protection Act of 2014" was passed by the House 262-152. This bill will prevent enforcement of the recently passed EPA Rule clarifying what waters of the U.S. are and what farmers and ranchers need to do to protect water resources.

Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack to host media call to make major announcement on conservation funding to protect and restore key farmlands, grasslands and wetlands. View conference call details here.

Our Louisiana Conservation Connection officially was unveiled Thursday, September 4 by RFF President Amos Eno at the Louisiana Wildlife and Fisheries Commission's monthly meeting. See the full press release here.

Herbicide-resistant weeds have been invading farmland across the U.S. in recent years, most notably palmer amaranth in the South and Midwest. This superweed is a result of herbicide overuse, which drives resistance because some weeds inevitably have genetic characteristics that thwart the chemicals; the plants then produce similarly robust offspring. But Australia has been dealing with herbicide-resistance for far longer, and a farmer there has built a machine that that could help curb superweeds. His tactic: destroy their seeds before they sprout. Read full article here

Rolling Stones panist Chuck Leavell talks to the WSJ about 70% of his 3,000 acres is used to grow and harvest trees. He's "always had a special feeling for wood and how different kinds affect the sounds of musical instruments. Trees and songs have an interesting correlation. Both are built to last, both have external texture and internal patterns, and no two are alike, which is sort of miraculous when you think about it." Read more here. 

Two weeks ago RFF wrote about the work Terry Messmer is doing to conserve sage grouse and sagebrush-steppe habitat with private landowners in Utah. This week we spoke with one of those ranchers, Jay Tanner of Grouse Creek. Read RFF's discussion with Tanner on our blog.

The House passed HR 4315 "The Endangered Species Transparency Act" to increase federal reporting requirements when listing species as threatened or endangered. Under the Act, the government must make public all data it uses when listing a species, how much it spends on litigation costs, and caps hourly fees lawyers can collect for challenging ESA listings. Read More Here.

The House passed by a bipartisan vote of 277-130 H.R. 4719 - "The America Gives More Act," will make an enhanced tax incentive for conservation of farmland, rangeland, woodlands and other important open spaces permanent. Read More Here.

The USDA released an Interim Rule for crop insurance reflecting the 2014 Farm Bill conservation compliance and regional sodsaver provisions. For the 2016 reinsurance year, a producer must file an AD-1026 for Highly Erodible Land (HEL) and wetlands; follow a conservation plan on HEL; not convert a wetland for the purposes of farming an annually tilled crop; and not plant an agriculture commodity on a wetland converted after February 7, 2014.

Christian Freitag, the Executive Director of the Sycamore Land Trust in Indiana, recently presented on the nature of forever promises associated with conserving land. His moving and thoughtful presentation can be viewed here (Youtube).

USDA's New Farmers website has in depth information for new farmers and ranchers, including: how to increase access to land and capital; build new market opportunities; participate in conservation opportunities; select and use the right risk management tools; and access USDA education, and technical support programs. Click Here to Learn More

Rep. Kevin McCarthy (R-Bakersfield) was elected as House Majority Leader this week. Western Growers see this as a positive step for agriculture because he has provided critical leadership on important industry issues, including Farm Bill provisions for fruit, vegetables, and tree nuts, negotiations for solutions for the water crisis, and immigration. Read more in Western Farm Press.

This month the best soccer players from 32 countries will be competing in the 20th FIFA World Cup in Brazil. Modern Farmer takes a look at farming in some of the countries hoping to bring home the golden trophy and does a side by side ranking of their soccer and agricultural prowess! See it here.

The USDA will begin accepting renewal applications for the Conservation Stewardship Program (CSP) on July 11. Farmers and ranchers that enrolled in the program in 2010 are eligible to apply. Read more here.

CRP continuous sign up started June 9th. Producers can enroll in 10-15 year contracts or producers with CRP contracts expiring this September can apply for a one-year extension. The new grassland provisions allow producers to graze enrolled land with more flexibility. Learn More Here.

Scenic Hudson's groundbreaking Foodshed Conservation Plan is a blueprint for ramping up collaborative farmland-protection efforts. It's the first study in the Northeast to develop a comprehensive, data-driven methodology for strategically protecting farmland. By prioritizing unprotected farmland throughout the valley, it enables stakeholders to direct available resources to conserve those clusters of farms that will make the biggest difference in meeting increasing demands for local food. Read full article here.

The American Forest Foundation has just released this infographic describing the important role forests play in carbon storage and what can be done to get more out of forests. Click here.

Congress passed the Water Resources Reform and Development Act of 2014 in the House (412-4 vote) and Senate (91-7 vote). This Act would improve our country's inland waterway system and streamline the Army Corps of Engineer permitting process to reduce costs and delays of infrastructure projects that are needed to improve the transportation of grains and other goods. Read More Here.

This month is the 24th anniversary of American Wetlands Month, a time when EPA and its partners in federal, state, tribal, local, non-profit, and private sector organizations celebrate the vital importance of wetlands to the Nation's ecological, economic, and social health. It is also a great opportunity to discover and teach others about the important role that wetlands play in our environment and the significant benefits they provide — improved water quality, increased water storage and supply, reduced flood and storm surge risk, and critical habitat for plants, fish, and wildlife.

The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service released a report analyzing the economic impact of Partners for Fish and Wildlife and Coastal programs. It found that these programs return over $15 for every program dollar put on the ground. Since the programs began 25 years ago, more than 45,000 landowners and 3,000 organizations have completed 29,000 restoration projects resulting in the voluntary restoration of 3,176,000 upland acres, 939,000 wetland acres, and 8,712 riparian miles. To download the report click here.

After receiving comments from brewers and livestock owners that restrictions requiring increased inspection of spent brewers grain before selling or giving it to livestock for feed would result in increased costs for beer, beef, and dairy the FDA withdrew the provision from the Food Safety Modernization Act.

The proposed Food Safety Modernization Act challenges a century-old harmony by placing restrictions on brewers that sell or give used grain to farmers to feed their livestock. Many are speaking up against this provision arguing that the safety requirements would be an overwhelming burden on small and mid-sized farmers that rely on this cheap feed, while not preventing a real risk. Read more here.

Today is Earth Day and the U.S. Forest Service announced that it is seeking proposals that expand wood energy use and support responsible forest management. Also today, the Forest Service released a Wood Energy Financial App for use by community and business leaders seeking to replace fossil fuel with wood energy. Read more here!

This year marks the 100th anniversary of the Smith-Lever Act, which established the university cooperative extension system that has promoted education across rural communities. Throughout April and May, individual states will honor their own extension programs, long-time agents and commitment to research. Read more here.

The Agricultural Conservation Easement Program (ACEP) provides financial and technical assistance to help conserve wetlands under the Wetlands Reserve Easements component. The California NRCS will be accepting applications for WRE until May 15! Read more here.

The USDA's National Institute of Food and Agriculture will provide over $19 million to organizations that apply for grants to provide education, training, technical assistance and outreach for U.S. farmers, ranchers, and managers of non-industrial private forestland. Apply by June 12!

The USDA announced that producers can sign up for disaster assistance programs starting April 15th. Programs available target livestock, honeybees, and fruit growers. Read more here.

A newly proposed EPA rule clarifying waters of the United States for Clean Water Act purposes preserves agricultural exemptions and exclusions, and exempts an additional 50 conservation practices from CWA permitting. Find out more here.

Today, March 25th, is National Agriculture Day- a day to celebrate the abundance provided by agriculture. Read more about celebrations taking place in your community here.

The Forest Landowners Association Awards Program recognizes outstanding landowners and forestry professionals contributing to the stewardship and sustainability of private forests – and protecting the rights of the families who own them. Nominate someone you think deserves to be honored for Forest Landowner of the Year, Extension Forester of the Year, or Young Forest Landowner of the Year here.

The World Resources Institute (WRI), Google, and a group of more than 40 partners launched Global Forest Watch (GFW), a dynamic online forest monitoring and alert system that empowers people everywhere to better manage forests. For the first time, Global Forest Watch unites the latest satellite technology, open data, and crowdsourcing to guarantee access to timely and reliable information about forests. Read More Here.

During National FFA Week activities are held to raise awareness about the role the FFA Organization plays in developing the future leaders of the agricultural industry and the importance of agricultural education. It started in 1948 and encompasses George Washington's birthday to remember his legacy as an agriculturalist and farmer. Read More Here.

Katie Uhlaender, Team USA’s Skeleton-Racer is also a farmer. In between her training and competition, she raises cattle on her family’s farm in northwestern Kansas. Modern Farmer caught up with Uhlaender by phone from Sochi, Russia before the olympics started. Read more here.

Friday, February 7th the President signed the Agricultural Act of 2014 into law at Michigan State University's campus. The Farm Bill's investment in risk management and a wide array of programs will create $14.2 billion in jobs and reduce the deficit by $23 billion. Read more here.

The Senate approved the farm bill by a vote of 68-32 Feb. 4. The measure passed the U.S. House of Representatives last week. Goes to President Obama for final hurdle. Read More Here.

"House and Senate agriculture leaders announced a bipartisan, bicameral agreement on a five-year farm bill that will reduce the deficit, grow the economy and provide certainty to the 16 million Americans whose jobs depend on agriculture. The Agricultural Act of 2014 contains major reforms, including eliminating the direct payments program, streamlining and consolidating numerous programs to improve their effectiveness and reduce duplication, and cutting down on program misuse. The bill also strengthens our nation's commitment to support farmers and ranchers affected by natural disasters or significant economic losses; and renews a national commitment to protect land, water, and other natural resources." Read More Here.

On January 23, 2014, Secretary of the Interior Sally Jewell and U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service Director Dan Ashe annouced $16.5 million in grants to support 21 critical coastal wetland projects in 12 states and Puerto Rico under the National Coastal Grants Wetlands Conservation Grants Program. Read more from the Department of the Interior.

Senator John Thune (R- S.D.) stated that the Conservation Reserve Program will likely take a major hit in the new Farm Bill. The proposal caps the amount of acres allowed to be enrolled nationwide to 24 million, which is down from 32 million in the 2008 Farm Bill. Read More Here.

House Agriculture Committee Chairman Lucas conceded that final action on a Farm Bill conference report is now likely to slip into late January. However, the government still is taking applications for popular grant programs that will most likely receive funding in 2014: REAP, EQIP, CSP and VAPG.

Freezing weather across the U.S. will damage crops from winter wheat to oranges and is threatening livestock, sending cattle futures to an all-time high. Hard-freeze warnings and watches stretch from Texas to central Florida, and 90 percent of the contiguous U.S. will be at or below the freezing mark. Read More Here.

A Modern Farmer article explains the 10 Top Food and Agriculture Stories in 2013 through a series of maps. Read More Here.

Once considered a fixture of the American West, ranching may not make it to the next generation. "A Handful of Dust" is a developing still and motion picture documentary about the future of ranching in America. The movie will be released in 2014, outlining the increasing grazing fees, competition with recreation and energy exploration, expanding agriculture, and water rights. Read More Here.

While the Ryan-Murray budget agreement avoids government shutdown and replaces sequestration, it imposes an NRCS technical assistance user fee on landowners. This fee, which would cost landowners about $150 for implementing conservation management plans, can be waived. However, the NACD argues that the administrative costs associated with administering waivers would far outweigh the savings from the fee. Read the NACD's statement here.

Congress passed an extension of the current Farm Bill after the committee recognized they will not be able to reach a consensus in time for the Dec. 31st deadline. According to a recent study, a comprehensive Food, Farm and Jobs Bill is essential for the conservation of working landscapes that provide natural resource protection, recreation, and the food, energy, and fiber our country relies on.  Read More Here. 

The NRCS has opened the CSP for new enrollments for 2014. The CSP is a Farm Bill conservation program that helps established conservation stewards take their natural resource management to the next level by granting higher payments for higher performance. The program helps producers improve both their agricultural production and conservation benefits, such as cleaner and more abundant water, healthier soils, and better wildlife habitat. Learn more about CSP by visiting the NRCS website or a local NRCS field office and apply by Jan. 17!  

It's not a genetically modified plant, but a result of good old fashion grafting. The TomTato grows cherry tomatoes on top and potatoes on the bottom, resulting in a steady stream of tomatoes all summer and potatoes ready to harvest in the fall. Read more here!

Negotiations between the House and Senate Ag Committees continues and it has been reported that they are making progress. Many are crossing their fingers as the current Farm Bill extensions will expire December 31. Some of the provisions being negotiated include: crop insurance (with or without conservation compliance), SNAP (or food stamps), whether to make the bill permanent law, and changes to the diary program. Read more here.

The EPA has issued a proposed rule that would reduce the volume requirements and percentage standards of renewable fuel in cellulosic biofuel, biomass-based diesel, advanced biofuel, and total renewable fuel. Read more here.

The Kentucky Home Grown by Heroes initiative identifies farm products produced by veterans. This week, it was announced that the Farmer Veteran Coalition will administer the program on the national level. “The veterans we work with have served their country twice — once by defending it, and now by feeding it,” said Michael O’Gorman, executive director of the Farmer Veteran Coalition. “When Kentucky became the first state to honor them for that service in the marketplace, we were anxious to see every farmer veteran in America get that same recognition.” Read More Here.


Oscar-winning James Moll turns his cameras on the lives of 21st century agrarians in his latest feature "Farmland." This documentary exposes a spectrum of young and old farmers who are using technology to battle a wavering economy and fragile environment to keep America's most vital resources alive. Moll produced the film with support from the U.S. Farmers & Ranchers Alliance. Watch the Trailer Here!


The USDA has started distribution of land conservation and other program payments after being delayed due to the government shutdown. CRP and ACRE payments were released last week. As such, farmers and rural landowners across the country will receive payments on almost 700,000 Conservation Reserve Program contracts on 390,000 farms covering 26.8 million acres.

This month is National Energy Action Month, a month dedicated to building on the progress we have made by recommitting to increasing our energy security, strengthening our economy, combatting climate change, and improving the environment. While we have made significant progress, more work remains. To transition to a secure energy future, we must increase our production of clean energy, minimize waste and maximize efficiency, further reduce our oil imports, eliminate inefficient fossil fuel subsidies, and continue to develop more energy sources here at home. Read the Presidential Proclamation here.

NRCS offices across the U.S. are available to help farmers and ranchers with whole-farm conservation planning and technical assistance. In addition, the Oct. 16, 2013, Continuing Resolution provides funding for several Farm Bill conservation programs, including the Environmental Quality Incentives Program (EQIP). For more information, and to find the right conservation assistance for your farm or ranch, contact your local USDA Service Center or visit www.nrcs.usda.gov.

It is estimated that five-percent of the herd in the western part of South Dakota may have been lost in a record-breaking storm that dumped four-feet of snow on the area. If that estimate holds – that would mean 75-thousand dead cattle. Many cattlemen are worried that without a Farm Bill and uncertain progress on agricultural programs, they will not have the safety net they need to recover from this and other livestock disasters. Read more here.

In a letter to House Speaker John Boehner, Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid suggested that the farm bill be included in a much larger government package. American Farm Bureau Federation lobbyist Mary Kay Thatcher said she was heartened by Reid's statements. "It appears likely that the farm bill may not be able to pass as a stand-alone bill, so if Majority Leader Reid believes we can get a good bill that combines nutrition and agriculture into one package and can pass by adding it to other bills, that is good news. The sooner we can pass the farm bill, the better..." Read More Here.


Due to the government shutdown, government offices including the USDA, NRCS and Conservation Districts will be closed until the government reaches an agreement on the federal budget. Furthermore, long term funding for conservation and agricultural programs through these offices remain in limbo as the House and Senate work on producing a new farm bill. Read More Here, Here  and Here.

In a PERC Case Study, Warren Meyer explores a radically different model for operating public parks—one in which park agencies partner with private companies to substantially reduce costs while providing more accountability and customer service. Although both parks are similar, the state-operated Red Rocks Park costs more than twice as much to operate as the privately operated Crescent Moon Ranch, which remains fully maintained and generates a return for the U.S. Forest Service. See more here.

House passes food stamp cuts by vote of 217-210. By passing a separate nutrition bill, the House and Senate will have to work to reconcile the differences between the House and Senate farm bills in order for a farm bill to be passed. Read More.

At one time, organic agriculture may have been considered by some to be a fringe sector of the industry with a narrowly-focused market base. That simply isn’t the case anymore as organic foods are a mainstream consumer item that continues to rise in popularity. Governor Kitzhaber has proclaimed September 15-21 to be Organically Grown in Oregon Week, another indicator that organic agriculture is something to celebrate. Read More.

This week the USFS will announce that it is formalizing its ecological restoration policy to provide direction for restoring our National Forests and Grasslands. The policy will provide clear, comprehensive and science-based guidance on how to restore lands to ensure they provide clean water, wildlife habitat, recreation, and economic opportunities for local communities. Read More Here

With the Rim Fire still burning, Tuolumne County farmers, ranchers and loggers now focus on gathering cattle, harvesting crops and protecting timber, while repairing damage to their operations. The wildfire, one of the largest in state history, destroyed grazing land, killed livestock, consumed private timber and damaged essential infrastructure. Read More and find out ways to help.

Over 2,500 politicians, business leaders, innovators, thought leaders and practitioners are gathering in Stockholm for the 23rd World Water Week this week, where they will work together to build vital partnerships, advance existing cooperation over water and find solutions to the world’s most pressing water challenges. In over 100 seminars, workshops and events spread throughout the week, participants will meet under the theme “Water Cooperation – Building Partnerships”. They will be encouraged to think out of the “water box” and come up with innovative ways to move toward a water wise future where water is managed equitably and sustainably. Visit the Event Website.

USDA’s Conservation Reserve Program (CRP) engages farmers in long-term (10- to 15-year) contracts to establish conservation covers on environmentally sensitive land. An important provision within CRP is that in times of drought, farmers and ranchers can utilize their CRP lands for emergency haying and grazing. During 2012, farmers conducted emergency haying and grazing on almost 2.8 million acres, which is over 1.5 million acres more than what was allowed in 2011. Read More.


The NRCS has recently reported that over 700 ranchers have enrolled 2.5 million acres to benefit the sage-grouse. NRCS has invested $145 million while partners matched $70 million to assist ranchers to implement critical conservation measures. Read the report here. 

Many, such as billionaire T. Boone Pickens, are predicting that water will become a premiere market good. This is due to the fact that the US water supply is deteriorating, piping and transporting water is not thought to be effective, and the water table is rapidly dropping in many areas. Will water become a commodity more effectively traded on the open market than carbon? Read More Here.

The EPA has announced the final rules for the Renewable Fuel Standard, which reduces the cellulosic mandate and extends the compliance period. Read More here. 

Farmers markets are an important public face for agriculture and a critical part of our nation's food system. They provide a direct marketing opportunity for farmers and supplement consumer's demand for fresh, healthy foods. Support your community farmers market this week and celebrate your community. Use the USDA's Farmer's Market Directory to find a market near you! Read More. 


The USDA/NRCS announced that 1.7 million acres will be enrolled in the Conservation Reserve Program (CRP) this year, however contracts for 3.3 million acres will expire in October. With only 25 million acres enrolled for the year, this marks one of the smallest amounts of lands preserved under the program in 25 years. Many speculate that private landowners are not enrolling in the program because of record high commodity prices. Read More.

The Senate and House Agriculture Committees began discussions on the Farm Bill and steps were taken to request a formal conference. Due to a motion by Stabenow, SNAP is a qualified subject for the House and Senate conference. Read More. 

The House narrowly passed (216-208) a pared-back farm bill after Republican leaders stripped out the nutrition title (SNAP) to win back conservative votes. The bill contains significant reforms, including the termination of direct cash payments to producers. But the commodity title goes much further than the Senate in using government-set target prices as a safety net for farmers. Read More Here. 

Through the Sentinel Landscapes partnership, the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA), U.S. Department of the Interior (Interior) and Department of Defense (DoD) will work together in overlapping priority areas near military installations to help farmers and ranchers make improvements to the land that benefit their operation, enhance wildlife habitat, and enable DoD's training missions to continue. Read More. 

The Conservation Legacy Awards honor farmers that have implemented outstanding environmental and conservation practices on their land, while continuing to keep their farms profitable. The deadline to apply is August 5, 2013. Read more about the awards here. 

Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack issued the following statement on the Senate passage of the Immigration Bill: “Today’s strong bipartisan vote in the U.S. Senate to fix America’s broken immigration system is good news for farmers and ranchers, good news for farm workers, and good news for rural America. The Senate plan would ensure the stable agricultural workforce that U.S. producers need in order to remain competitive with other nations and maintain our abundant, affordable food supply. For millions of farm workers who today live in the shadows, it will provide an appropriate opportunity to earn legal status by contributing to America’s agricultural economy. In addition to being a strongly pro-agriculture bill, the Senate plan would grow the U.S. economy, strengthen the Social Security system and reduce our deficit. Following today’s strong bipartisan vote by the Senate, the House of Representatives must continue the momentum toward passage of comprehensive immigration reform as soon as possible.” See Fence Post Update.

The House Farm Bill (FARRM) failed by a vote of 234- 195 Thursday. The failure of the House to pass a farm bill means an uncertain future for farm policy. Some say that the hopeful start was quashed in part by a food stamp amendment that would have given states the ability to impose more requirements on food stamp recipients. Read more here. 

Monday, the Senate passed the Agriculture Reform, Food and Jobs Act of 2013 (S. 954), also known as the farm bill. The bill will cost nearly $955 billion over the next ten years, which is a $2.4 billion a year cut from current spending levels. Click Here. 

Landowners are encouraged to apply to the Wetland Reserve Program and Grassland Reserve Program to receive funding to restore wetlands and grasslands on their land. Deadlines vary by state, but the sooner you apply the more likely you will be able to receive funds to initiate valuable conservation practices! Click here to read more. 

Both the Senate and House Agricultural Committees have approved versions of the Farm Bill. Debate over these bills will likely focus on direct payments, crop insurance, SNAP funding, and dairy, sugar, organic and tobacco policies. Click Here to read more. 

Robin Schiele, a dedicated conservationist and talented painter of exotic birds has generously agreed to donate 20% of the sale of his paintings to help support our conservation efforts.  Visit Resources First Foundation's Shop for Conservation Art Sale and put a life-size original watercolor of an endangered, endemic or rare bird from the Neotropical forests of Central America on a wall in your home or office.

Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack today annouced that the Natural Resources Conservation Service's Conservation Stewarship Program will provide nearly $175 million in funding for up to 12.6 million additional acres of enrollment this year. Read More

Both the House and Senate plan to markup the 2013 Farm Bill in May. Read more. 



The agricultural portion of the immigration legislation introduced in the Senate last week includes two critical principles: a "Blue Card" program for experienced workers, and establishment of an agricultural visa program for future guestworkers. Read more here. 

We are pleased to announce our listing of King Land & Water LLC as PLN's preferred provider of conservation real estate in Texas. King Land & Water has an unmatched history of connecting individuals and charitable organizations with ranches and other conservation properties that perfectly suit their ideals and aspirations. Find out more about King Land & Water here. 

On April 5th the Maryland General Assembly passed the Forest Preservation Act of 2013; HB 706, stating Maryland will have to maintain its current 40% of the state covered by tree canopy. The “no net forest  loss” is a first in the nation providing a pathway for Maryland’s future tree and forest resources. Read More Here. 

Sen. Gillibrand (D-NY) and Sen. Collins (R-ME) are introducing the Dairy Pricing Reform Act to set a higher floor for the Farm Bill's proposed dairy margin insurance. Click Here to read more. 

The proposed Catastrophic Wildfire Prevention Act of 2013 is legislation that would renew and reform the government’s ability to partner with private industry to implement thinning and ecological restoration projects, streamline the bureaucratic review process, and allow the Forest Service to partner with State Foresters to treat national forest land. Read More. 

Senate Bill 526 has been proposed to make the enhanced conservation easement tax incentive permanent and prohibit charitable deductions for the donation of conservation easements on golf courses.Click Here to read more. 

Yarmouth, ME – March 7, 2013 - With state and federal budget cuts potentially impacting conservation programs nationwide, Resources First Foundation (RFF), is preparing to launch the Louisiana Conservation Connection in December to further bottomland hardwood conservation in the Delta and private stewardship initiatives throughout Louisiana. Read More

With U.S. Congress and the Obama administration unable to prevent the March 1 trigger of automatic spending cuts to the federal budget, known as sequestration, agency officials must now decide where the cuts should be made, the effects of which aren't likely to become apparent until the end of the month. Read More Here.

Proposed legislation entitled the Farm Program Integrity Act would place a hard cap on farm program payments and close current loopholes to ensure payments go to working farmers. Due to current program eligibility loopholes, mega-farms and absentee investors can currently receive a virtually unlimited government check through farm programs. Read More. 

The US Department of Agriculture census was due on February 4, however those who have not responded will be sent another copy and are encouraged to get counted. “Accurate and comprehensive information from all farmers and ranchers is important so that the census can provide a true picture of U.S. agriculture today and help everyone plan appropriately for future,” said Vilsack.

Senate Democrats introduced the American Family Economic Protection Act in an effort to end sequestration. Expected to be debated the week of February 25, the proposal would save $27.5 billion over 10 years by cutting farm subsidies and extending certain farm bill programs that were left out of the recent farm bill extension. Additionally, it would provide an additional $3.5 billion to extend disaster assistance, renewable energy, rural development, conservation, hunger prevention, agriculture research, organic certification, and specialty crop programs. Read More.

The USDA has issued two reports that analyze the effect of changing climate on agriculture and forestry. Included is a consideration on shifting weather patterns and crop's ability to adapt, pest control with warmer winters, and fire hazards. Click here.

A case pending before the US Supreme Court debates whether logging and agricultural culverts are point sources under the Clean Water Act, which would require these operations obtain NPDES permits. The EPA addressed this by issuing a regulation that would allow the EPA to consider each farm or timberland separately. Read More. 

A 2013 Superbowl commercial quoted Paul Harvey's emotive speech on the importance and revere of the family farmer. Listen to Harvey's 'Farmers Tribute: So God Made A Farmer' here. 

For more than two decades, the share of farms operated by beginning farmers has been in decline.  Beginning farms and ranches accounted for 22 percent of the nation’s 2 million family farms and ranches in 2011 – down from about 38 percent in 1982. Consistent with this trend, the average age of principal farm operators in the United States has risen in that period, from 50 to 58. Read More!

Rep. Martha Roby introduced H.R. 349- Preserving Marginal Lands and Protecting Farming Act- which would allow more farmland to be used for production, rather than laying dormant through the CRP. The bill restricts the practice of paying landowners to idle cropland, specifically land that is high-quality and highly productive. Click here.

Senate Majority leader Harry Reid introduced a placeholder farm bill, which will hopefully be replaced by an updated version of the Farm Bill that was passed by the Senate in June 2012. Read More. 

At their annual meeting, AFB delegates voiced support for a bipartisan, reform-minded farm bill, crafted around broad, flexible, crop-insurance-based program, including risk-management protection for peanuts, rice, forage and specialty crops. Read More. 

For a summary of the provisions included in the Act, and left out, that concern agriculture click here! 

Both the House and Senate have approved extending provisions of the 2008 Farm Bill until the end of the fiscal year. Included in fiscal cliff legislation, this extension will avoid a dramatic increase in milk prices. (For an overview of the fiscal cliff legislation click here.) However, many argue that the "deal is blatantly anti-reform" and that many smaller programs that fund rural jobs were left out completely. Read More. The general consensus seems to be that "while the extension is certainly preferable to the alternative of no bill at all, and prevents outdated permanent agricultural law enacted in the 1930s and 1940s from going into effect, it is only a stopgap measure, which does not provide the long-term certainty and stability that farmers need."  Read More. 


   

In its two decades of existence, USDA’s Wetlands Reserve Program (WRP) has restored more than 2.6 million acres of wetlands habitat across the U.S., creating prime wildlife habitat and cleaner water. 

USDA’s Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS) administers the voluntary program that works with landowners to protect, restore and enhance wetlands on private and tribal lands, a mission that helps rural and urban communities throughout the country by reducing flood damage, contributing to groundwater recharge and carbon sequestration, and providing recreational opportunities. Seventy-five percent of wetlands in the U.S. are located on private lands. Read more »
 

The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) and NRCS have made more than $27 million available for drought-stricken farmers and ranchers to invest in conservation projects on their land.
Over 2,000 producers from 22 states have applied these conservation dollars to revitalize their property and to improve its drought resiliency in the years to come. These conservation practices are actively building healthier soil and will lead to better harvests for one million acres of American farmland.
For more information about this program and others, visit the resources below:

• See the total NRCS drought assistance received by each state.
• Producers and landowners are encouraged to visit the NRCS website or stop by their local NRCS office to find out if they are eligible for drought assistance.
• Learn more about WHIP and EQIP and other NRCS programs.

The Bren School of Environmental Science & Management at the University of California, Santa Barbara is now accepting applications for their new Walton Family Foundation Sustainable Water Markets Fellowship Program. This program offers a rich education in science, economics, policy, business and law, augmented by specialized training in innovative approaches to sustainable water resources management and conservation planning. Fellows will receive career-oriented training, including preparation in collaborative problem solving and development of leadership and project management skills.

The Sustainable Water Markets Fellowship program provides full and partial fellowship support for up to four highly qualified students who are pursuing a two-year Master of Environmental Science & Management (MESM) degree with a specialization in Water Resources Management, including water policy and environmental markets, Conservation Planning, Economics and Politics of the Environment, Pollution Prevention & Remediation, and/or Energy and Climate. Additionally, two partial or full fellowships will be awarded to outstanding applicants for the PhD program at the Bren School, who demonstrate a commitment to basic research in water resources management, including water policy and market-based water management, conservation planning, economics and politics of the environment, pollution prevention and remediation and/or energy and climate.

The US Farmers & Ranchers Alliance (USFRA) is looking for the “Faces of Farming & Ranching” to help put a real face and even a "heart" on agriculture.  USFRA is kicking off a nationwide search of farmers and ranchers who can serve as the Faces of Farming and Ranching for a number of various national media, influencer and other public-facing opportunities.  DEADLINE for submissions: September 8, 2012.

When it comes to today's agriculture, there are many examples of great farmers and ranchers all over the country doing wonderful things to bring food to the table for those around the world. But few of those farmers and ranchers are recognizable by consumers, mainstream media and influencers. In fact, the pictures and perceptions of farmers and ranchers often don’t match reality – USFRA wants to change that.

USFRA has started a movement to bring more farmers and ranchers together to answer people's questions about how their food is grown and raised. Many voices are leading conversations about food -- and often leaving the people who grow and raise our food out. We need a national face to be part of these conversations and represent the real farmers and ranchers of America.

Winners will have amazing opportunities to share their knowledge and experiences with national media, influencers and the general public. Plus, you’ll receive:

• A $10,000 Stipend – to limit the burden of time away from the farm (no more than 30 days over the course of 2013)
• A $5,000 Charitable Donation – to give to a local or ag-related charity of your choice
• Professional Media/Speaker Training – to help you effectively tell your story to any audience

Find the full details below and read the official rules here

The harvesting and marketing of pinestraw has become extremely lucrative across much of the southeast. Longleaf is regarded as the king of all North American pines in regards to the quality of its pinestraw. Some longleaf plantations are commercially viable as early as seven years post planting. Tragically, most landowners are under the impression that they must remove all native ground cover to harvest pinestraw. This webinar will examine the ecological costs and the economic benefits of raking pinestraw with various techniques. Learn how some landowners and land managers have been able to keep their native groundcover while raking in excess of $100.00 an acre annually.

Who should participate? Foresters, Landowners, Land Managers, Natural Resource Professionals, Pinestraw Producers

Presenters/Authors: Mark Hainds, The Longleaf Alliance

To learn more or participate, click here.

July 20, 11am to 12pm CDT

There is growing interest among private landowners to diversify the benefits from their property through multiple use management. However, small-scale private landowners often have limited information regarding how to plan for management of these benefits. A map is one of the most important tools a rural or urban forest landowner needs for planning and management especially when planning for multiple uses. A project was started in 2011 to compile outreach information and examples of online mapping and spatial resources that can be used by landowners and forest land managers, such as consulting foresters and wildlife biologists, to help them maximize benefits of planning and evaluation of multiple use management on small-scale forests with limited or no capital outlay. The information is organized in a booklet tutorial with examples of online spatial resources to help landowners and conservation professionals make maps and utilize aerial photography, topographic layers, soils information, data collected with GPS units, and even visual simulations for an area of interest (timber stand, agriculture field, pasture, etc.). The booklet is designed for beginners and provides keywords, homepage links, tutorial information, examples, and screenshots for online programs like the USDA/NRCS Web Soil Survey, Google Earth, Alabama Historic Aerial Photo Archive, USDA/NRCS Geospatial Data Gateway, and USDA National Agroforestry Center CanVIS. This webinar will focus on the booklet and provide an overview of the programs and example products.

Who should participate? Foresters, Landowners, Land Managers, Natural Resource Professionals

Presenters/Authors:
John Gilbert, Auburn University, School of Forestry & Wildlife Sciences, Longleaf Pine Stand Dynamics Laboratory

Organized by:   Organized By: NC State University Extension Forestry, Southern Region Extension Forestry, Texas Agrilife Extension.

To participate, go to www.forestrywebinars.net on the day of the webinar and follow the instructions.

Working Lands for Wildlife is a new partnership between the Natural Resources Conservation Service and the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (FWS) to use agency technical expertise combined with $33 million in financial assistance from the Wildlife Habitat Incentive Program to combat the decline of seven specific wildlife species whose decline can be reversed and will benefit other species with similar habitat needs.  

Through Working Lands for Wildlife landowners can voluntarily participate in incentive-based efforts to:

• Restore populations of declining wildlife species.
• Get regulatory certainty that the conservation investments farmers, ranchers, and forest managers make today will help sustain their operations over the long term.
• Strengthen and sustain rural economies by restoring and protecting the productive capacity of working lands.

Species Selection Criteria

The Working Lands for Wildlife project  (PDF, 2.8 PDF) will target species whose decline can be reversed and will benefit other species with similar habitat needs.

Seven species were identified during a collaborative process with partners for inclusion in the project:  Lesser Prairie Chicken , New England Cottontail , Southwestern Willow flycatcher , Greater Sage-Grouse , Gopher Tortoise , Bog Turtle and Golden-Winged Warbler .

 

In 2009, a group of California Rangeland Conservation Coalition signatories teamed up with a Glenn County cattle rancher to encourage native wildflowers and bees. To date, about four acres of wildflowers have been established on two different ranches in Glenn County. There are plans underway for several other voluntary projects that will provide foraging ground for thousands of native pollinators in the future. Click here for more info.

After 3 decades of exploration, documentation, photography, painting and writing, the first installment of the River Gator Paddler’s Guide to the Lower Mississippi River is now live.  The RIVER GATOR is written for canoeist, kayakers and stand-up-paddleboarders, and anyone else plying the waters of the Lower Mississippi River in human-powered craft.

Read more about the economic calculations and details behind the USDA's decision to increase payments under Arkansas's Illinois River Conservation Reserve Enhancement Program, designed to improve and protect water quality in Northwest Arkansas and Oklahoma.  

The Conservation Professional Training Program is now offering free training with the Conservation Reserve Program (CRP) Readiness Workshops.

Sponsored by NRCS, the purpose of these workshops is to have a fully-trained group of conservation professionals that can create, implement and efficiently manage CRP plans that improve our nation’s natural resources according to NRCS guidelines.

These workshops are targeted for non-government entities, private sector contractors, agriculture and conservation professionals and local and state conservation agency staff – any professional who could provide NRCS with assistance in CRP plans and the CRP sign-up process.

The CRP Readiness Workshops are scheduled through May. Visit the website for more information and a list of workshops in your area.

http://conservation-training.uwex.edu/crpworkshops

The purpose of the conference is to offer cross-training about private lands programs, to share landowner success stories, to learn about successful on-the-ground techniques, and to provide updates about farm bill programs as well as other information of relevance to those working with private landowners.  Seating is limited and is provided on a first-come, first-serve basis. Registration closes April 25, 2012.  Late registrations will be accepted on-site for these prices: $75 professional rate or $45 student rate, if seats are still available.  If you are interested in Arkansas private lands, you'll be interested in the new Arkansas Conservation Center.  Please review our site at  https://www.surveymonkey.com/s/TVDFYST

The Bee Informed Partnership, a joint project among numerous universities and laboratories, is a project whose aim is to help beekeepers make better management decisions and thus reduce colony losses.  To do this effectively, we need beekeepers, lots of beekeepers, to participate in the National Winter Loss and Management Survey.  The winter loss survey should take less than 5 minutes and the management survey should take less than 20 minutes. We are asking you to please participate in two surveys.  Both surveys are open only from 30 March through 20 April 2012.

You can learn more about the Bee Informed Partnership at beeinformed.org.  In advance, thank you for your participation.  

Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack today announced the opportunity for producers to enroll a total of 1 million acres of land in a new Conservation Reserve Program (CRP) initiative to preserve grasslands and wetlands. Rather than wait for a general sign-up (the process under which most CRP acres are enrolled), producers whose land meet eligibility criteria can enroll directly in this "continuous" category at any time.  To encourage producers to sign up their most environmentally valuable acres FSA will increase the Signing Incentive Payments (SIPs) to $150 per acre from the current level of $100 per acre. The incentive is offered on most continuous practices and will include wetland restorations, pollinators and upland bird habitat.  Full press release here. 




The US Dept. of Agriculture has released its first new plant hardiness zone map in 22 years.  The map shows changes of 5 degrees F warmer per half zone through much of the nation since 1990.  The new map is based on more data from more weather recording stations. And they were processed by a special mathematical formula that takes into account features of the landscape, such as mountains, large bodies of water, urban areas, which cause sometimes heat islands. And it was recorded over a longer period, thirty rather than fifteen years.
 
The map also shows where plants would be exposed to severe winter conditions and temperatures.  With more than eighty million gardeners in the United States, many of them will use this as a reference as will landscape architects and plant breeders. The USDA Risk Management Agency will use these data for certain crop insurance parameters. One application is being able to forecast the spread of weeds or insects that might endanger agriculture.

The new map is much more accurate than older ones because the use of new computerized technology is more precise than the prior maps, with precision to about a half mile square.

The David and Lucile Packard Foundation 2011 Agriculture Survey of the American public found that Farm Bill conservation programs are important to Americans.  Moreover, a majority of Americans do not favor cutting conservation programs that prevent pollution and other environmental problems because these programs actually save money in the long run.