Private Landowner Network news What's New Archive
Farm Succession Coordinator Certification Training (08/22/2022)

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



Southern Group of State Foresters’ 2022 Annual Meeting (04/11/2022)

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



Wetland Reserve Enhancement Partnerships help partners and producers work together to protect wetland ecosystems on working lands. (07/06/2021)
The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) is investing up to $17 million for conservation partners to help protect and restore critical wetlands on agricultural lands through the Wetland Reserve Enhancement Partnership (WREP). USDA’s Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS) is prioritizing proposals that focus on assisting historically underserved producers conserving wetlands. Proposals from partners are due August 15, 2021.
 
The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) is investing up to $17 million for conservation partners to help protect and restore critical wetlands on agricultural lands through the Wetland Reserve Enhancement Partnership (WREP). USDA’s Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS) is prioritizing proposals that focus on assisting historically underserved producers conserving wetlands. Proposals from partners are due August 15, 2021.
 
Through WREP projects, eligible conservation partners protect, restore and enhance high-priority wetlands on agriculture lands. WREP enables effective integration of wetland restoration on working agricultural landscapes, providing meaningful benefits to farmers and ranchers who enroll in the program and to the communities where the wetlands exist.
 
Eligible partners include Tribes, state and local governments and non-government organizations. WREP partners are required to contribute a financial or technical assistance fund match. WREP funding is for fiscal year 2022 which begins on October 1, 2021.


USDA has announced signup periods for the Conservation Reserve Program (CRP) and the CRP Grasslands for 2021. (01/07/2021)

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 Conservation Conference (02/18/2020)

EarthX.org



USDA Opens Signup for Feral Swine Eradication and Control Pilot Program Grants (06/21/2019)

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 »



USDA Seeks Public Comments on Conservation Practice Standards (03/11/2019)

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 »



Revegetation project underway on the coast (05/23/2018)

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.



Timeline for Mid-Barataria Sediment Diversion Accelerated by Two Years (04/02/2018)

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.



Louisiana receives $22.7 million for sportsmen & conservation (03/20/2018)

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.



Tabasco Hot Sauce and the Fate of Louisiana's Shorelines (03/15/2018)

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.



Landowner Interest in Natural Resource Conservation Practices (01/19/2018)

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



Farm conferences planned for January (01/08/2018)

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.



Recovering America’s Wildlife Act would bring $19 million per year to Louisiana (12/21/2017)

“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.



Gov. John Bel Edwards appoints Joe McPherson to Louisiana Wildlife and Fisheries Commission (12/19/2017)

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.



The Land Trust for Louisiana Seeks Executive Director. (11/08/2017)

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.



Calling all Louisiana farmers - Here's your chance for input on Farm Bill (09/28/2017)

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.



Farm women estate planning workshop set for July 27-28 in Port Allen (07/11/2017)

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.



New forest conservation program in north Louisiana and south Arkansas said to benefit both industry and environment (03/06/2017)

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.



NRCS to Expand Targeted Conservation Effort for Wildlife on Agricultural Lands (12/02/2016)

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.



USDA Announces Applications Available for Conservation Stewardship Program (11/17/2016)

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.



USDA grant $1.3 million to Louisiana organizations for conservation efforts (09/12/2016)

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.



Learn About the Wildlife Benefits in Managed Forests (09/01/2016)

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 »



LSU AgCenter Study Shows Feral Hog Damage to Water Bodies (08/08/2016)

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.



USDA Announces $49 Million Public-Private Investment to Improve Critical Wetlands in 12 States (07/07/2016)

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.



New Study Quantifies Benefits of Agricultural Conservation in Upper Mississippi River Basin (06/23/2016)

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.