Conservation INsight
July 31, 2019
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District Supervisor and Staff
Summer Training
August 20 - Fulton County
August 22 - Orange County
August 27 - Delaware County
August 29 - Putnam County
Cost: $20 per person with dinner included.
Note: Deadline to register
for Orange County is August 12.
All other deadlines are one week prior.
AGENDA:
4:30 pm
Registration
5:00-5:45 pm
IASWCD Presentation
6:00 pm
Dinner & Networking
6:30 pm
Partnership Updates (during dinner)
7:00 pm
Breakouts (Working with Local Officials/Cress Hizer; Planning Your Website: Do You Know What a Good Website Takes?/Purdue's Digital Ready program; Developing a Cost Share Program and Tracking It/DSS or RS)
8:00 pm
Adjourn
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Indiana Conservation Partnership
Updated Soil Health Philosophy
now posted on website.
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Upcoming Training Sessions
for ICP Employees
Pollinator Training
August 22 - Allen County
Key topics include pollinator/beneficial insect habitat needs, how to plan pollinator habitat, planting and maintaining habitat, and field observations. Register by August 15.
Soil Testing and Interpreting Results Training
This training will be offered in six different counties on six different dates.
September 17-26.
Wetland Restoration Workshop
This hands-on restoration workshop is designed for individuals who would like to learn how to use practical, low cost techniques for building wetlands. October 12-13 in Muncie.
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Indiana
Conservation
Awards
Nominations are now being accepted for the conservation awards listed here. All winning recipients will be recognized at the Awards Luncheon during the 2020 Annual Conference of Indiana SWCDs on Tuesday, January 14.
Nominations for these awards are due
by September 6.
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Recognizes individuals or entities who have made an outstanding contribution to soil and water conservation in Indiana. Three winners - one in each category: Individual, Corporate, Non-Profit/Government.
Supervisor of the Year
Honors Soil and Water Conservation District leaders' “supervisors” for their outstanding and exemplary achievements and leadership in the protection and enhancement of Indiana’s soil and water resources.
Conservation Farmer of the Year Award
Honors Hoosier farmers who actively incorporate and practice conservation on the land. One Indiana farmer will be honored as the top conservation‐minded producer in the Hoosier state.
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Special thanks to the 72 Indiana Soil & Water Conservation Districts who have paid their membership dues to IASWCD
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Adams
Allen
Benton
Brown
Carroll
Cass
Clark
Clay
Clinton
Crawford
Daviess
Dearborn
Decatur
DeKalb
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Delaware
Dubois
Elkhart
Floyd
Fountain
Franklin
Fulton
Gibson
Grant
Hamilton
Hancock
Harrison
Hendricks
Henry
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Howard
Jackson
Jasper
Jennings
Knox
Kosciusko
LaGrange
Lake
LaPorte
Lawrence
Marion
Martin
Monroe
Morgan
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Newton
Noble
Owen
Parke
Perry
Pike
Porter
Posey
Pulaski
Putnam
Randolph
Ripley
Rush
Scott
Shelby
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Spencer
St Joseph
Starke
Steuben
Sullivan
Tippecanoe
Vanderburgh
Vermillion
Wabash
Warrick
Washington
Wayne
Wells
White
Whitley
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NACD August Recess Guide to Grassroots Engagement
Each August, members of the House of Representatives and the Senate head back to their districts and states to meet with constituents. NACD has recently created an
August Recess Guide to Grassroots Engagement
, designed to assist districts with how to set up a local meeting with their Member of Congress.
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NACD Seeking Award Nominations
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Submit Your Proposal: NACD Now Accepting 2020 Annual Meeting Breakout Sessions Applications
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2019 IDEA Fall Conference
October 1-3
Clifty Inn, Madison, IN
This conference is packed with education and information to help District Staff in their duties. This year's conference includes tours and breakout sessions on these topics: PERF, Robert's Rules of Order, GIS/Web Soil Survey, District Sales, and more! Prior to registering (link below), please view the agenda with breakout sessions as you will need to choose your sessions at registration.
Registration deadline: August 30.
Hotel rooms can be reserved at Clifty Inn by calling 1-877-LODGES-1 or online at
www.indianainns.com
. Rate is $91/night with group code 1001 ID. Space is limited.
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State Agriculture Department Announces Staffing Changes
INDIANAPOLIS - On July 19, the Indiana State Department of Agriculture announced the hiring of Tari Gary as Food Safety Outreach Coordinator for the Food Safety Modernization Act's Produce Safety Rule and Annette Manusevich as Soil Health Program Manager. “We're proud to welcome Tari and Annette to the ISDA family,” said Bruce Kettler, Indiana State Department of Agriculture Director. “Their skills, knowledge and passion will help us serve our constituents and farmers more effectively.”
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NRCS Announces Funding to Plant Cover Crops on Flooded Cropland Acreage in Indiana
Indianapolis, IN, July 29, 2019 – USDA’s Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS) is offering a special Environmental Quality Incentive Program (EQIP) sign-up throughout Indiana for those farmers who could not plant their crops because of flooded or wet fields. This funding is available statewide.
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Soil Web App 2.0
In partnership with the University of California at Davis Soil Resource Laboratory, NRCS recently announced the release of the iOS and Android SoilWeb free app, version 2.0. The newly updated app has a cleaner and more modern interface with GPS-location-based links to access detailed digital soil survey data (SSURGO) published by NRCS. SoilWeb brings valuable Soil Survey information to the 21st century and makes it available at your fingertips on your mobile device for any location you choose in the United States.
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To Wayne Fredericks it is very obvious that there is a huge financial benefit to better soil health. In this webinar, he explores what he has learned on his farm over the last 26 years and how it has contributed to his bottom line. He also shares some of the lessons he has learned from others respected in their field regarding soil health.
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USDA Announces $16 Million Funding Opportunity to Support Socially Disadvantaged and Veteran Farmers and Ranchers
WASHINGTON, July 16, 2019 – The U.S. Department of Agriculture today announced up to $16 million in available funding to help socially disadvantaged and veteran farmers and ranchers own and operate successful farms. Funding is made through the USDA’s Outreach and Assistance for Socially Disadvantaged Farmers and Ranchers and Veteran Farmers and Ranchers Program (also known as the 2501 Program). The program is administered by the USDA Office of Partnerships and Public Engagement (OPPE).
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The
Farmers' Guide to Farm Bill Programs
describes assistance for farmers, ranchers, and private forest landowners available through the 2018 Farm Bill. Click on photo of guide to view.
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USDA seeks new priority Mississippi River Basin watersheds
INDIANAPOLIS — Jerry Raynor, State Conservationist for Indiana’s USDA Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS) announced July 15 they are accepting proposals to designate new priority watersheds for the Mississippi River Basin Initiative (MRBI) and National Water Quality Initiative (NWQI). Known as “America’s River,” the Mississippi River is North America’s largest river, flowing over 2,300 miles to the Gulf of Mexico. The watershed not only provides drinking water, food, industry, and recreation for more than 18 million people, it also hosts a globally significant migratory flyway and home for over 325 bird species.
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Tyler Gough, Indy Urban Acres,
2018 River Friendly Farmer Award recipient
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Webinar: Sweet on Bees
Ashley Adair, Purdue Extension Educator for Ag & Natural Resources in Montgomery County, will be your guide through the wonderful world of beekeeping during this webinar hosted by the Purdue Women in Agriculture Team on August 20 at 12-1 pm EST.
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2019 Purdue Extension-Organic Agriculture Summer Program Series
Don't miss this summer series of programs to build knowledge in key areas of certified organic field crop production!
Visit Indiana farms to learn about their organic transition strategies, crop rotation, nutrient management, weed management, and markets. You’ll have the opportunity to network with other organic and transitional farmers and agricultural professionals from Indiana.
- July 31 Hemp Research and Organic Grain Transition Field Day, Noble Organic Grains, Wawaka, IN
- August 2 Klemp Family Farms Organic Field Day, Wheatfield, IN
- August 8 Ramerview Holstein Organic Field Day, New Paris, IN
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2019 Purdue Rainscaping - Two Workshops Planned
The
Purdue Rainscaping Education Program’s goal
is to increase rainscaping in residential and small-scale public spaces. This workshop will teach master gardeners, landscape professionals, and agency staff how to promote community awareness and education for bioretention/rain garden planning, installation, and maintenance.
Purdue Rainscaping workshops are for:
• Purdue Master Gardeners
• Members of conservation agencies and organizations
• Stormwater professionals
• Landscape professionals and consultants
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September 5-6, 2019
Purdue Rainscaping – Posey County
Alexandrian Public Library
Register by August 26
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September 26-27, 2019
Purdue Rainscaping – Johnson & Marion Counties, Purdue Extension – Johnson County
Register by September 16
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2019 Indiana Water Summit
Registration Now Open
The Indiana Water Summit is an opportunity to increase our collective understanding of statewide water resources, learn from national experts and other communities, and find the best ways to protect our water assets.
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Meet the New Indiana State Director of TNC, Larry Clemons.
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Job Postings
:
Current list of Conservation Job Opportunities now posted on the
IASWCD website.
- Fayette & Union County District Coordinator, Fayette and Union County Soil & Water Conservation Districts
- Floodplain Manager, City of Columbus
- Conservation Technician and Outreach Assistant, Hamilton County Soil and Water Conservation District
- District Coordinator, Dearborn County Soil and Water Conservation District
Note: Job Postings can be submitted to Amy Work at:
amy-work@iaswcd.org .
Please include job description and deadline to apply in a single PDF file or with a link.
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Upcoming Conservation Events
:
August 1 - SWCS-Hoosier Chapter, Summer Field Day
August 2 - Organic Grain Field Day
August 14 - River Friendly Farmer Awards event
August 14-15 - Indiana Water Summit
August 16 - Big Pine Creek Watershed Historical Tour
August 20-21 - Conservation in Action Tour
August 20 - Supervisor and Staff Summer Training
August 22 - ICP Pollinator Training
August 22 - Supervisor and Staff Summer Training
August 27 - Supervisor and Staff Summer Training
August 27 - Cover Crop Workshop, Miami Co.
August 28 - Indiana Land Use Summit
August 29 - Supervisor and Staff Summer Training
September 5 - Organic Grain Field Day
September 5 - Women's Learning Circle, Huntington Co.
September 10 - Frank Gibbs, Wabash and Grant Co.
September 14 - Native Plant Sale
September 17 - State Soil Conservation Board meeting
September 17, 18, 19, 24, 25, 26 - ICP Soil Testing Training (six dates, six locations)
October 1-3 - IDEA Fall Conference, Clifty Inn
October 10 - Women's Learning Circle, Lawrence Co.
October 29 - State Soil Conservation Board meeting
2020:
January 12-14 - Annual Indiana SWCD Conference, Indpls.
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