Please join us for the
74th NACD Annual Meeting in Las Vegas, Nev., at the
Bally’s Las Vegas Hotel and Casino from Feb. 8 – 12, 2020. There will be a full slate of breakout sessions and national speakers, as well as opportunities to connect with other conservation-minded folks from around the country. Be sure to visit the NACD website for meeting information such as hotel information, tour options, breakout sessions, speaker lineup, live auction items and much more!
Stipends Available for NACD Soil Health Champions to Attend
NACD is pleased to announce the opportunity for 10 Champions to receive a $1,000 stipend toward reimbursement of expenses in attending NACD's Annual Meeting. These will be assigned on a first come, first serve basis, and the recipient will need to reserve a room at the meeting hotel. We hope this opportunity allows more of our network to attend and engage face-to-face with other network members and fellow conservationists.
We will once again be hosting special opportunities for Champions at the annual meeting. Starting on Sunday, Feb. 9 at 9:30 a.m., we will be holding a Soil Health Champions Coffee, which will give Champions a time to meet other network members, share stories about your operation and your soil health journey. Additionally, we will have a designated area in the
Conservation Expo/Innovation Fair where Champions can continue the conversation with other network members and attendees.
If you would like to request one of the stipends, please contact
Beth Mason at
beth-mason@nacdnet.org or call 317-946-4463.
NACD Celebrates and Showcases Innovation
NACD's 2020 Annual Meeting theme is “
Conservation Innovation: Working from the Roots Up
.” Soil Health Champions are some of the first boots on the ground when it comes to innovations in conservation. Whether it is identifying the perfect cover crop cocktail for that one field that has always given you problems or using a drone to capture all the data you need to make better soil health management decisions precisely, we want you to share and participate at the meeting’s
Innovation Fair
and
Conservation Expo
!
The Soil Health Champions Network will have a booth next to a number of exhibitor booths, which will feature a number of innovations and technologies that support conservation delivery. If you think you might want to host an innovation booth or have a suggestion of a company or organization that should be there, please contact NACD Director of Development
Laura Demmel
at
laura-demmel@nacdnet.org
.
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COVER CROP UPDATE FROM BRYCE WRIGLEY OF DELTA JUNCTION, ALASKA
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There are a few farmers who are now using cover crops in Alaska and who are working with the Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS) Soil Health Initiative. The biggest challenge to date has been selecting appropriate covers that would work in our state. To avoid an invasives problem, most of us are using annuals, even though most annuals used in cover crops won’t mature in our environment. A couple of farmers are also grazing their covers.
Unfortunately, there is very little research capacity in this area, so we are learning as we go. I am just raising covers and rotating to track soil health trends and to see if I can eventually quantify the value of cover crops.
Check out
the video of this year’s cover crop. I have to admit, I haven’t enjoyed implementing a new idea on our farm this much since we started no‐tilling 10 years ago.
Thanks to
Bryce Wrigley
for sharing the latest in his journey to incorporate cover crops in Alaska.
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SWCS SOIL HEALTH FILMS DOCUMENT CONSERVATION WORK OF SOUTHWEST FARMERS AND CONSERVATIONISTS
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The Soil and Water Conservation Society (SWCS) has released two short films that showcase the efforts of farmers and conservationists in the San Luis Valley of Colorado to address agricultural challenges through improved soil health.
"Soil Health in the West: The San Luis Valley" features farmers
Lyle Nissen and NACD Soil Health Champion
Erin Nissen (pictured left); ranchers
George Whitten and
Julie Sullivan; and their conservationist partners who work to efficiently use limited water resources and reduce soil erosion through crop rotations, increased biodiversity, and innovative rangeland management practices.
"Conservation Professionals: Inspiring a Movement" highlights the essential role of conservation professionals in the soil health movement by documenting the lasting impact NRCS'
Mike Collins had on the landscape and his community. Collins, a soil health advocate within the region and SWCS Board of Directors member, passed away in 2016 but left behind an active conservation network.
The films were funded in part through contributions to the Mike Collins Memorial Fund, were directed by
Jody Thompson and produced by SWCS. Both films are available to watch online by visiting the
SWCS website.
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NACD, NRCS AND SHI PARTNER FOR SOIL HEALTH CASE STUDIES
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As part of a cooperative agreement with the Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS), NACD is working with the Soil Health Institute (SHI) to produce 25 case studies on the economic benefits of various soil health practices on a range of different operations.
The purpose of this agreement is to assess, demonstrate and communicate the economics of soil health, promoting practices and systems to increase their adoption. To complete these case studies, NACD will be interviewing at least 25 farmers across the nation on the economics of their soil health management systems across a range of different crop types, soil types, geographies, weather patterns, management practices and more.
Along with the case studies, NACD and SHI will be producing a short video for each farmer. They will also be generating infographics, hosting a focus group, and conducting webinars to share the results.
In August, NACD and SHI conducted their first site visits. They interviewed three Soil Health Champions from Sussex Conservation District in Delaware –
Chip Baker,
Blaine Hitchens and
Jay Baxter. NACD thanks the farmers for their contributions and looks forward to sharing their videos with the Network.
As the landowners and operators in NACD’s Soil Health Champions Network are leaders in soil health, NACD is utilizing this network to identify farmers for the project. Be on the lookout for more information from NACD gauging your interest in the project.
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RESEARCH UPDATE FROM MELINDA SIMS OF THE SIMS FAMILY IN MCFADDEN, WYOMING
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Two years ago, I contacted the University of Wyoming (UW) Extension specialist from Laramie to help me set up a monitoring process for hay meadows that isn’t just a soils test but also considers plant diversity and health. Monitoring rangeland is something we are very comfortable with, but monitoring hay meadows is a different beast. We have implemented some significant management strategies to help the condition of our hay meadows.
The extension specialist brought a soils fertility scientist from UW,
Jay Norton, to help assess and offer input, as the UW Extension didn't know of a good method for evaluating our meadow health in a way that encompassed above- and below-ground components.
Fast forward to July 18, 2019, and I received a call from the UW Extension, as my request had sparked serious consideration on the part of Jay Norton.
Norton had applied for a large grant to study soil health on meadows that could compare the use of fertilizer versus no fertilizer, grazing versus no grazing, and rotation of management practices, and he asked us if our ranch could provide study areas!
We are so excited about this opportunity, and we look forward to providing more information as we get it to the Soil Health Champions Network. They will be devising the different studies this winter and then begin on the ground next summer.
Norton has employed another soil fertility specialist, a soil microbiologist, a soil chemist and a few other scientists from Colorado State University to join him in this project. The Extension specialist really wants to push an examination of animal impact versus no animal impact, as they think there will be huge benefits that present themselves. We already know this to be true from experience but have no scientific evidence.
Thanks Melinda for the
update
! Stay tuned as we keep tabs on
the Sims family
and their research studies.
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Impact of the 2018 Farm Bill on Soil Health
This report provides a comprehensive review of each new provision and its role in advancing soil health, which is the foundation for regenerative and sustainable agriculture.
To download a copy of this report, please visit the
SHI website.
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NWF Now Accepting Applications for Cover Crop Champions
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The National Wildlife Federation (NWF) is currently accepting applications for Cover Crop Champion Teams until
Friday, Nov. 22, 2019.
These teams consist of both farmers and conservation professionals who are passionate about cover crops, passionate about communication and outreach, and want to take sustainable agriculture to the next level.
Applications, however, must be from the priority area of the Mississippi River Basin, which include the following states: Illinois, Indiana, Iowa, Minnesota, Missouri, Ohio and Wisconsin.
Each team consists of at least one
outreach champion and one
farmer champion. Priority will be given to teams consisting of multiple farmer champions, with no maximum size limit for teams.
An
Outreach Champion is an agricultural professional who is an employee of a farm, conservation or education-related organization. The role of the outreach champion is to support farmer champions by assisting with planning and implementing their proposed outreach plan.
A
Farmer Champion is a farmer who personally uses cover crops and has soil health as a primary mission. The farmer champion’s role includes promoting cover crops and soil health practices around his or her region.
For more information on this opportunity or to apply, please visit the
NWF website or contact Sustainable Agriculture Manager
Jess Espenshade at
espenshadej@nwf.org or 743-887-7114.
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Save the Date:
Delmarva Soil Summit
February 26 - 27, 2020
Georgetown, Delaware
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Whether you farm two acres or 2,000 acres, soil health is key. Join fellow farmers, researchers and other experts to learn about the latest innovations in soil health and fertility at the Delmarva Soil Summit in Georgetown, Del., from
Feb. 26-27, 2020.
Expert speakers include:
Keith Berns, Owner of Green Cover Seed, Nebraska farmer and Soil Health Champion;
Kristine Nichols, Soil Microbiologist, KRIS Systems;
Rob Myers, Regional SARE Coordinator in Missouri;
Steve Groff, The Cover Crop Coach and Pennsylvania farmer;
Ray Weil, University of Maryland Soil Science Professor and Researcher; and
Daniel Sweeney, Steven Springs Farm.
Additionally, there will be breakout sessions for your production method and farm size including: Equipment Options and Modifications, No-Till Vegetable Production, Cover Cropping Efficiently on Small Farms, Benefits of Different Cover Crop Species and Mixes, Economics of Cover Crops, Biological Amendments, Current Research Results, Farmer Panels and much more!
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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.
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Promote Your
Next Soil Health Event
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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 or even international.
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