On Monday, April 6, the U.S. Department of Labor (DOL) posted to the Federal Register a  rule implementing provisions of the Families First Coronavirus Response Act  (FFCRA).

 

Under FFCRA, employers that have fewer than 500 employees will be required to provide employees with paid leave taken for specified reasons related to COVID-19. Employees are entitled to take leave related to COVID-19 if unable to work because they are subject to federal, state or local quarantine or isolation orders; have been advised by a health care provider to self-quarantine; are experiencing symptoms associated with COVID-19 and are seeking a medical diagnosis; are caring for an individual subject to a quarantine or isolation order; are caring for a child whose school or place of care is closed or unavailable; or are experiencing any other substantially similar condition specified by the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services.

 

Up to two weeks of paid sick leave is available to qualifying employees, although the percentage of pay is dependent on the reason cited for an employee being unable to work.

 

Under section Section 826.40(c), the DOL rule includes definition of a public employer or public agency, which includes political subdivisions of a state. In most states, conservation districts are political subdivisions of state government, meaning the FFCRA and related Emergency Paid Sick Leave Act (EPSLA) and Emergency Family and Medical Leave Expansion Act (EFMLEA) provisions regarding temporary paid leave would apply. All covered public agencies must comply with both the EPSLA and the EFMLEA regardless of the number of employees they employ. None of the exclusions or exceptions apply to conservation districts that have employees. The law is effective April 1, 2020 and is set to expire Dec. 31, 2020. The DOL will observe a temporary period of non-enforcement for the first 30 days after the FFCRA takes effect, so long as the employer has acted reasonably and in good faith to comply.

 

The DOL  Wage and Hour Division  has additional information, including fact sheets and FAQs on implementing the law, as well as required workplace posters.

 

NACD continues to assess the needs of conservation districts during this crisis as future federal relief packages are considered. For additional guidance and information, please contact your state agency.

2020 NCF-ENVIROTHON COMPETITION CANCELED

On Friday, April 3, the National Conservation Foundation (NCF) and the Nebraska Association of Resources Districts (NARD) announced the cancellation of the 2020 NCF-Envirothon to protect the health and safety of the general public and to prevent the spread of COVID-19. The annual event was slated for July 26-Aug. 1, in Lincoln, Neb.

“This was not an easy decision, but our primary concern is the health and safety of the students, as well as the general public, and we feel it’s in the best interest to cancel the 2020 NCF-Envirothon Nebraska event at this time,”  NCF Chairman Steve Robinson said . “We know that many students look forward to this competition and are truly sorry for this turn of events; however, we hope students stay engaged in the Envirothon mission, and we encourage them to look ahead to preparations for next year.”

To protect public health, many local state and provincial Envirothon competitions have also been canceled across the U.S., including Nebraska’s state competition. The NCF, NARD and other state/provincial Envirothon program leaders continue to follow recommended guidelines from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) to prevent the spread of COVID-19.

Teams that have already registered to compete at the 2020 NCF-Envirothon will receive a full refund. Questions about the NCF-Envirothon can be directed to NCF-Envirothon Program Manager  Jennifer Brooks  at (800) 825-5547 or by email at  administration@envirothon.org . To read the full press release, visit NACD's website .

HOW WILL YOU CELEBRATE STEWARDSHIP WEEK?

NACD’s 65th annual Stewardship Week will take place April 26-May 3, 2020. Join us in celebrating the 2020 theme “ Where Would We BEE Without Pollinators?” by organizing virtual events such as hosting a pollinator webinar or delivering a PowerPoint presentation for your conservation district's poster contest.

Just in time for Stewardship Week, NACD has released both the Pollinator Field Day Guide and the Conservation Education Hub, which contain all of NACD's Stewardship and Education materials, including free downloadable resources for grades K-8.

For more ideas about how your conservation district can make a difference in your community during Stewardship Week, visit NACD's Stewardship Week webpage. Please let NACD know how your conservation district or state association is planning to virtually celebrate Stewardship Week by emailing us.

NACD SEEKS TECHNICAL ASSISTANCE RFP

Last week, NACD announced a Request for Proposals (RFP) for projects that will increase the technical assistance capacity of conservation districts.

Now in its third round of funding, NACD's Technical Assistance Grants program, created with funds from the Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS), will help increase staffing at the field level to provide conservation services to farmers, ranchers, forestland owners and local communities across the U.S. There is a total of $6.5 million in technical assistance (TA) grant funding available.

The funds available for the RFP are for newly identified projects. Applications from state and territory partnership leaders must be submitted online by Monday, June 1, 2020 at 11:59 p.m. Eastern.

NACD will also host a webinar on Tuesday, April 14, 2020 at 2:00 p.m. Eastern to provide further details and answer questions on the application process. The webinar will be recorded and available online for those who cannot make it. To learn more and register for the webinar, visit NACD's 2020 Technical Assistance webpage. For questions, please contact NACD Projects and Partnerships Coordinator Meg Leader .

When it comes to managing his cattle and grazing operation for soil health, Don Jackson (pictured right) leads by example with the help and encouragement of his son Patrick . Jackson and his wife Patsy raise grass-finished Hereford cattle and Kiko/Savannahcross meat goats on 60 acres of pasture at their 125-acre farm, Pompey’s Rest, in northwest South Carolina.

In 2011, Jackson realized his conventional way of ranching wasn’t improving his soil health, forage quality or his bottom line, so he decided to take his operation in a completely different direction. According to Jackson, today, Pompey’s Rest looks nothing like the operation it was in 2008.

Jackson likes to say he is a “grass producer” rather than a beef or goat producer. His focus on soil function and biological farming practices is the key to his success. By incorporating conservation measures such as rotational grazing, strategic installation of fencing, planting diverse cover crops and grasses for forage, and instituting stock piling fescue and bale grazing in the winter, Jackson has been able to reduce his inputs while increasing his soil organic matter. These practices improve his soil health, forage quality and livestock performance by working with nature.

To learn more about Jackson’s soil health journey, visit his NACD profile online and the Carbon Cowboys Film Collection, where farmers and ranchers share how they make more money while also regenerating their soils.

If you or someone you know would like to become a member of the NACD Soil Health Champions Network, please visit the NACD website for more information or contact NACD North Central Region Representative Beth Mason with your questions.

USDA Provides Operational

Status Report

Last Friday, the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) began collecting a limited amount of operational data (COVID-19 operational tracker) from each USDA Farm Production and Conservation (FPAC) field office, which includes the Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS), Farm Service Agency (FSA) and Risk Management Agency (RMA) staff and conservation district or other partner employees that operate from these locations.

The USDA seeks to obtain information on customer service and operational needs of local offices. At this time, the tracker will remain in use indefinitely, as the information is used to navigate the path forward during and after the pandemic. NACD will continue to work with FPAC officials to determine what assistance may be helpful to conservation districts.

CPBC Update:

June Session Canceled

Due to COVID-19 (coronavirus) concerns, the June session of the Conservation Planning Boot Camp (CPBC) is canceled.

For updates, please visit NACD's website. Please contact NACD Director of Membership Kimberly Uldricks for questions.

Watch Now:

REPI Debuts

Sentinel Landscapes

In light of the D.C. Environmental Film Festival's postponement due to COVID-19 (coronavirus), the U.S. Department of Defense's Readiness and Environmental Protection Integration (REPI), in collaboration with the U.S. Department of Agriculture and Department of Interior, has decided to release a shorter version of the documentary, entitled Sentinel Landscapes.

This 12-minute video can be watched for free online and tells the story of the farmers, ranchers, conservationists and military bases that are working together under the Sentinel Landscapes partnership to create a more sustainable future. To view the short documentary, click here. Learn more about the partnership here.

NACD Seeks Proposals for Forestry Conference

Is your conservation district assisting in urban forestry efforts? Proposals for the Arbor Day Foundation's Partners in Community Forestry Conference are due Wednesday, April 15 . To submit your proposal, visit the Arbor Day Foundation's website .

This year's conference is scheduled for Nov. 18-19, 2020 in Louisville, Ky. Please contact NACD Forestry Specialist Mike Beacom with questions.

EPA Seeks Public Comments on Draft BEs

The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) is seeking public comments on draft biological evaluations (BEs) for carbaryl and methomyl.

EPA conducts BEs to determine the impact of pesticides on threatened and endangered species. NACD encourages conservation districts to review the draft BEs. EPA is accepting public comments through Monday, May 18, 2020. To learn more, click here.

Apply Today:

ESMC Offers

Job Openings

The Ecosystem Services Market Research Market Consortium (ESMC) is currently seeking a research director and project manager for its research branch, the Ecosystems Services Market Research Consortium (ESMRC).

The research director will be responsible for ensuring consistency and coordination across working groups and pilots/field demonstrations. The project manager will pilot project oversight and help plan and execute ESMC protocols and credits.

Both job applications will remain open until the positions are filled. To learn more about each position and how to apply, visit ESMC's website.

Promote your conservation district or state association's tree sale, annual meeting, webinar, field day or more on NACD's Calendar of Events !