Conservation INsight
December 8, 2021
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Annual Conference of Indiana SWCDs |
Date: January 23 - 25, 2022
Location: The Westin Indianapolis
Join us at the NEWLY renovated downtown Indianapolis Westin. Breakout sessions, networking, Legislative Breakfast,
IASWCD Business Meeting and
Conservation Awards Luncheon
Book your room by December 15, 2021 to ensure you receive the group rate.
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Indiana SWCD Staff Survey
The IASWCD, in partnership with the IDEA and ISDA, has initiated an effort to catalogue district employee titles, descriptions, and salary ranges. The purpose of this work is to create a resource for both the IASWCD and districts. The information will help the IASWCD better understand district capacity and needs for funding across the state and can be used by districts when considering revising current and/or future employee titles, position descriptions, or salaries. It will also allow you to compare your districts’ positions to other similar districts based on population and cost of living. This effort is completely voluntary and meant only as a reference.
Aggregated survey results will be housed on the ISDA Conservation Link page and accessible to the districts at any time. Specific data can be requested from ISDA. County metrics such as cost of living and population will be included in the dataset so you can compare positions in similar counties. The plan will be to update the data on an annual basis.
We are asking districts to please consider completing the survey, using the link below. Your answers will help us to have a more complete picture of the range of jobs that currently exists among the 92 Soil and Water Conservation Districts in Indiana. This information will help the IASWCD, ISDA, and IDEA better serve districts and their employees and provides an important tool at your county level.
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Indiana District Delegate Registration is Open for the
Annual IASWCD Business Meeting
Due: January 14, 2022
Each Soil and Water Conservation District in good standing (fully paid annual dues) with the Indiana Association of Soil and Water Conservation Districts, Inc. will have the opportunity to have one SWCD Supervisor delegate participate in the Annual IASWCD Business Meeting. The vote of the district will be cast by the delegate or the alternate.
Delegates have been registered for the following county SWCDs:
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Adams
Bartholomew
Blackford
Brown
Carroll
Clinton
Crawford
Dearborn
DeKalb
Delaware
Elkhart
Floyd
Fulton
Gibson
Hamilton
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Hancock
Harrison
Hendricks
Howard
Jackson
Jasper
Jay
Jefferson
Jennings
Johnson
LaPorte
LaGrange
Lake
Marion
Marshall
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Miami
Parke
Porter
Posey
Pulaski
Shelby
St Joseph
Starke
Vermillion
Vigo
Wabash
Warrick
Washington
Wayne
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2021 NACD Forestry RPG Webinar Series Recordings Now Available
The NACD Forestry Resource Policy Group‘s (RPG) fall webinar series, held last week, is now available to watch online. Each 60-minute session featured multiple presenters and a Q&A with attendees. The first session was titled 'Fighting Forest Invasives' and the second session was 'Forest Carbon Programs to Assist Private Landowners.'
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NACD's 76th Annual Meeting
Feb. 12-16, 2022
Hilton Orlando Lake Buena Vista at Disney Springs Resort
Conference registration is now open and includes entry into the Conservation Expo, NACD General and Concurrent Sessions, Monday’s Leadership Lunch and Live Auction, and NACD Training Sessions and Workshops. Early bird registration for the discounted price of $470 is open from now until Dec. 16, 2021.
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Checkout NACD's Conservation Education Hub |
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Calling for NACD Hall of Distinction Nominations
NACD is currently seeking nominations for its Hall of Distinction! Through NACD’s Hall of Distinction, state and territory associations can recognize current and past conservation leaders for their extraordinary work to advance conservation at the national level. Nominations due by December 12.
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NACD'S Presidents Association Video Series: Gene Schmidt, Hannah, Indiana |
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Agriculture Insider
ISDA Monthly Newsletter
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(Indianapolis, IN, December 6, 2021) - Jerry Raynor, NRCS State Conservationist for USDA’s Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS) in Indiana, announced that January 21 will be the first-round funding signup date for Conservation Incentive Contracts (CIC), a new option available through the Environmental Quality Incentive Program (EQIP).
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The U.S. Department of Agriculture’s Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS) in Indiana is investing up to $3.5 million in a Wetland Reserve Enhancement Partnership (WREP) project to bring together partners and landowners to voluntarily return critical wetland functions to agricultural landscapes.
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By Jerry Raynor, State Conservationist
Have you ever seen white crusts on soil in Indiana? Yes, it is what you think. Soils can be salty. That’s because salts are present naturally in soil and water and they have the ability to move freely throughout the soil. Naturally saline soils may support rich ecosystems, but processes such as droughts and human activities, especially improper irrigation, can increase how many salts are in your soil, a process we call salinization. And while we may enjoy a shake or two of salt on our food, salinization can break down our soil and reduce its ability to help grow that very food we love to eat.
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Morning Ag Mixer
"Ask the Accountant"
TUESDAY, DECEMBER 14
9:00 - 10:00 AM EST VIA ZOOM
December is quickly upon us! It is time to be making year end tax plans. Lynn Lambert is joining us to get updated on current and upcoming tax changes that may affect your farm operation and get your questions answered too.
Register by December 13th:
sponsored by:
Purdue Women in Agriculture Team
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MyDNR
Indiana's Outdoor News
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End of Year Review and Planning for 2022 on December 9
Join Women4theLand on December 9 at 10:00 am (Eastern) for a 2021 year-end review and planning discussion. We’ll discuss the 2022 program options and how to schedule your Women4theLand-supported events. All interested district staff, supervisors and other ICP staff are invited to join this Zoom call. Register to receive the Zoom link.
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The Drop
A monthly e-newsletter from the North Central Region Water Network
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Nominate a Master Farmer for 2022
Here’s your chance to earn deserved recognition for a fellow farmer.
Who stands out as excellent farmers and leaders in your community? Have they received the Indiana Master Farmer award? If not, why not?
Perhaps no one took the time to nominate them. Take a couple of minutes to request a Master Farmer nomination form. Then find an appropriate person to help you supply the necessary information, and a few other people to write letters of support. You could bring recognition to this farmer and your community.
Nominations due February 15.
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2022 Regenerative Grazing Mini-Grant and Scholarship Program
Agricultural educators, technical service providers, and advocates play a crucial role in building awareness of and supporting farmers integrating regenerative grazing practices. To that end, the Pasture Project, in partnership with the Regenerative Ag Idea Network (REGAIN) is excited to launch the second round of Regenerative Grazing Mini-Grants. This program is designed to support educators and advocates in Illinois and Indiana in furthering their own professional development and organizational capacity around regenerative grazing instruction and builds off other grazing work in both states. Applications will be accepted on a rolling basis until December 17, 2021.
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Sustainable Agriculture Through Sustainable Learning
An Educator's Guide
to Best Practices for Adult Learning
This guide describes five best practices for adult learning that educators and farm advisors can use in their educational programs to enhance learning for farmers and others involved in agriculture.
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Three Funding Opportunities!
- Apply to be this year's Pollinator Poster Artist!
- Apply for a Honey Bee Health Grant!
- Apply for a Pollinator Fellowship!
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AFT Grant Program Now Accepting Applictions
American Farmland Trust's Brighter Future Fund was launched in 2020 to assist farmers in successfully launching, growing and sustaining farms in the face of forces impacting the food and agricultural system, including the COVID-19 pandemic, changing markets, severe weather, and climate change. In 2021, funding will be allocated to help farmers 1) Improve farm viability; 2) Access, transfer, or permanently protect farmland; or 3) Adopt regenerative agricultural practices.
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Job Postings :
Current list of Conservation Job Opportunities now posted on the IASWCD website.
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:
December 9 - Women4theLand Recap & Planning
January 23-25 - Annual SWCD Conference, Indianapolis
February 12-16 - NACD Annual Meeting
March 3-4 - Indiana Small Farm Conference
*As more events begin to take place in person, please check the individual hosting organization's website and/or Facebook page for the latest information on locations, guidelines and details. Thank you.
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