NACD Soil Health Champion Testifies to Congress on the Importance of Soil Health

Summer 2019
On June 25, the National Association of Conservation Districts (NACD) Secretary-Treasurer and Soil Health Champion Ian Cunningham testified before the U.S. House Committee on Agriculture Subcommittee on Conservation and Forestry about the importance of soil health practices.
 
Cunningham owns and operates a fifth-generation family farm with his son in southwest Minnesota, producing corn, soybeans and beef cattle.
 
“Soil health is a top priority across our 800-acre operation,” Cunningham said in written testimony to the subcommittee. “We have come to realize that healthy soil is the key to addressing many natural resource concerns. It is clear that healthy soil is the bedrock and should be the priority of our conservation efforts.”
 
In his testimony, Cunningham emphasized the role of conservation districts in leading the nation’s producers to implement soil health conservation practices.
Submit Your Proposal: 2020 NACD Annual Meeting Breakout Sessions
NACD’s 74th Annual Meeting will be held Feb. 8 – 12, 2020, in Las Vegas, Nev.

NACD is now soliciting applications for breakout sessions for the 2020 Annual Meeting. Applications must be submitted by Friday, Sept. 6, 2019.
 
NACD offers a number of informational breakout sessions during the annual meeting, focusing on the work of districts and their partners across the country. Sessions typically run 60 – 90 minutes, and in most cases, showcase several speakers at 20 – 30 minutes each. This year, NACD is seeking proposals that fit within three themes:
 
1.      District Operations and Partnerships
2.      Natural Resources Policy and Protection
3.      Stewardship and Outreach
 
NACD’s breakout sessions are some of the most popular activities among attendees at the meeting. Please help us spread the word about this opportunity and consider submitting a proposal. For more information, please visit NACD's Annual Meeting webpage . 
Cover Crop Resources Available from SARE
Visit the Cover Crop Topic Room at www.sare.org/covercrops for an in-depth collection of educational resources on cover crops including books and fact sheets, as well as other free educational materials. This includes a cover crop image library with a variety of cover crop and soil health illustrations, photos and slide sets. Two key resources are highlighted below.
 
Cover Crop Economics: Opportunities to Improve Your Bottom Line in Row Crops includes profiles of farmers who have found cover crops to be a profitable addition to corn and soybean rotations, plus a short section on the off-farm impacts of cover crops and the potential economic gains associated with those impacts. (NACD Soil Health Champions profiled in this bulletin include Ray Sneed, TN; Annie Dee, AL; Mike Taylor, AR; and Rulon Enterprises, IN)
 
Five years of farmer data has been compiled in the Cover Crop Survey Analysis Reports produced by SARE along with Conservation Technology Information Center (CTIC), the American Seed Trade Association (ASTA), and Penton Media. From increasing yield to improving soil health, find out why farmers use cover crops. Since 2012, SARE, CTIC and other partner organizations have conducted a national survey of farmers on their experiences with cover crops.
Regional Cover Crop Councils
The regional cover crop councils are composed of volunteer members who share information on cover crops, and typically hold an annual conference to update farmers and others on the latest cover crop management approaches. Council participants are a mix of producers, university extension and research staff, NRCS, Ag Research Service, Soil and Water Conservation District staff, and other interested individuals. Specific goals of the councils include identifying education and research needs, developing regionally-specific information on cover crop selection and management, and holding conferences to share information. There are no dues or formal membership requirements. Check out their website and contact your local regional council to find out how you can be part of your region’s email list in order to learn about cover crop council meetings and new educational resources on cover crops. The oldest of the councils is the Midwest, and the newest is the western region.
 
Special Announcement: NACD Soil Health Champion Don Jackson from South Carolina was recently asked to serve as a board member on the Southern Cover Crop Council.
 
Midwest Cover Crop Council
Contact person: Anna Morrow, annamorrow@purdue.edu
 
Northeast Cover Crop Council
Contact person: Victoria Ackroyd, northeastcovercrops@gmail.com
 
Southern Cover Crop Council
Contact person: Jake Mowrer, jake.mowrer@tamu.edu
 
Western Cover Crop Council
Contact person: Lauren Golden, lgolden@uidaho.edu
(no website yet, but coming soon)
New Mexico HB204 - "Healthy Soil Act" Signed into Law
On April 2, 2019, the New Mexico Governor signed the “Healthy Soil Act” into state law. In an interview with a New Mexico news station, NACD Soil Health Champion Christina Allday-Bondy was interviewed about soil health and what this legislation would mean for citizens in New Mexico.
 
This legislation initiates the creation of a “Healthy Soil Program” within the Department of Agriculture, which will administer the program with the support and advice of the Soil and Water Conservation Commission. The purpose of the program is to promote and support farming and ranching systems, and other forms of land management that increase soil organic matter, aggregate stability, microbiology, and water retention to improve the health, yield and profitability of the soils of the state.
 
The Healthy Soil Program will be composed of healthy soil assessments and education, a healthy soil grants program, and other programs established by the Department of Ag to accomplish the purposes of the Healthy Soil Program.
 
To read more about this groundbreaking legislation, please visit the final version posted online. If you would like to learn more about their efforts to get such legislation passed, please contact the NACD Soil Health Champions who have been key players in this effort – Christina Allday-Bondy , Jeff Goebel , and Jim Berlier.
NACD Seeks Award Nominations
Nominate your conservation leaders today! Show your appreciation for their work and dedication by sending in a nomination for one of NACD’s national conservation awards.
 
The  NACD Friend of Conservation Award  recognizes an individual, business, organization or agency outside the association for outstanding contributions to the conservation of our nation’s natural resources.
 
The  NACD Distinguished Service Award  honors an individual within the association, a conservation district or a state association who has made significant contributions to the conservation and proper management of our nation’s natural resources.
 
The award recipients will be honored at the 2020 NACD Annual Meeting in Las Vegas, Nev., this coming February, and will receive a complimentary meeting registration for the 2020 NACD Annual Meeting, a complimentary Appreciation Banquet ticket, a plaque and national recognition online and in NACD’s publications.
 
All nominations will receive an honorable mention certificate from  NACD   President Tim Palmer  in appreciation for their service to conservation.
 
To learn more and submit your nomination, visit  NACD's Awards webpage . Nominations are due  Aug. 31.
NACD Focus Group Report on Soil Health and Weather Extremes

Some of you may have been at the NACD Annual Meeting this past February in San Antonio and participated in one or both focus groups we held during the conference.

At these focus groups, NACD Soil Health Champions from across the country discussed how soil health practices have impacted their operations in the face of extreme weather patterns.

From these sessions, we published a report, which is now available online for downloading and sharing.
Progress Report on Adoption of Soil Health Practices
The Soil Health Institute (SHI) has released PROGRESS REPORT: Adoption of Soil Health Systems, based on data from the 2017 U.S. Census of Agriculture. The analysis includes a state-by-state breakdown of changes in adoption from 2012 to 2017 for cover crops and no-till production.
 
The report was developed by Rob Myers , Ph.D., a University of Missouri agronomist and co-chair of the Soil Health Institute Policy Action Team, and Joe LaRose , a University of Missouri extension associate.
For further information, visit the Soil Health Institute website .
The Leopold Conservation Award Program
The Leopold Conservation Award Program recognizes agricultural landowners actively committed to a land ethic. Working with prominent state conservation partners, Sand County Foundation presents the prestigious honor, which consists of $10,000 and a crystal award, in settings that showcase the landowners’ achievements among their peers.
 
It should then be no surprise that many of our NACD Soil Health Champions have received the Leopold Conservation Award, which is sponsored by the Sand County Foundation and state conservation organizations. Recently, Brian and Jamie Johnson from South Dakota and Jimmy and Ginger Emmons from Oklahoma were winners of the award.
 
Check out the Sand County Foundation website for more information and to see if your state offers this award. If you have been the recipient of this award, please let Beth Mason know so she can add that to your profiles. This is definitely an award that speaks volumes to your commitment to conservation!
Help Us Spread the Word
Remember to contact Beth Mason with information on your outreach activities and what’s going on in your area for soil health. When you keep NACD informed, we’re better able to write articles for our publications the eResource and The Resource .

Many times, members of the press or partnering soil health organizations contact NACD to connect with our network members who live and breathe soil health – the folks with “skin in the game.” When we know more about you, your activities, your operation, your message and your passion, we are better able to make the right connections and help further your soil health message.
 
No need to worry about your privacy, though. All connections NACD makes are with the express permission of our network members. Your contact information is kept private, unless you say otherwise. You can contact Beth at beth-mason@nacdnet.org or 317-946-4463.
Promote Your
Next Soil Health Event
Do you have any upcoming soil health events? Are you looking for an upcoming soil health event to attend? Both NACD and the Soil Health Institute have opened their events calendars for folks to post various soil health events whether they are local, state, national and even international.
 
Be sure to check out NACD’s events calendar and SHI's website to add your event today and look for future events to add to your calendar!