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Conservation INsight
November 10, 2021
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Early Bird Discount Through November 15
Annual Conference of Indiana SWCDs

January 23-25, 2022
The Westin Indianapolis
Keynote Max Armstrong
IASWCD News
Indiana District Delegate Registration Open for Annual 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 Meeting. The vote of the district will be cast by the delegate or the alternate. One delegate and an alternate shall be selected by each district before the date of any association meeting and their names shall be sent to the secretary of the association ten days prior to the meeting. All such delegates and alternates shall be officially elected and/or appointed supervisors or associate supervisors. The delegate and alternate shall be seated at any association meeting.
(Please note: If the delegate only plans to attend the Business Meeting and not the rest of Annual Conference, it is not necessary to register for the full Annual Conference.)
 
The delegate will be required to attend the following:
IASWCD Annual Business Meeting
Tuesday, January 25, 2022
9:00 a.m. to 10:30 a.m.
at The Westin Indianapolis
241 W. Washington Street
Indianapolis, IN 46204
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Scholarships for Annual Conference Available for Indiana District Supervisors
Scholarships are available for Indiana SWCD Supervisors (not Associates) whose District’s budget restrictions will not permit them to attend the annual conference. Depending on available funds, the IASWCD will award scholarships. Only one application per District will be accepted for consideration each year. The IASWCD requires that each District who receives a scholarship have a Delegate in attendance at the Business Meeting at The Westin Indianapolis on January 25, 2022. Deadline for application receipt is November 15.
NACD News
NACD Video Workshop Webinar Recordings Now Available
This fall, NACD hosted a two-part skills webinar series to guide conservation district staff and members on how to create compelling videos.

The first webinar, which focused on the recording process, can be found here.

The second webinar, held last week, focused on the editing components of videomaking. The recording of that session is now available to view here.
Friends of NACD District Grant Applications Open
What would your conservation district do with a Friends of NACD District Grant? Learn more here about past grantees and their projects, like the wildfire preparedness block party Oklahoma’s Beaver County Conservation District held this year.
You still have time to propose your creative new project and apply for a $2,500 Friends of NACD District Grant before the Nov. 30, 2021 deadline. Review the full RFP and eligibility criteria on the Friends of NACD District Grant webpage. Contact NACD Southeast Region Representative Candice Abinanti at candice-abinanti@nacdnet.org with any questions. 
NACD Announces Application Period for Urban Conservation Grants 
Washington (November 3, 2021) – Today, the National Association of Conservation Districts (NACD) announced the open application period for the 2022 Urban Agriculture Conservation (UAC) grant initiative. Since 2016, NACD has led the efforts of this successful grant program in collaboration with the Natural Resources Conservation Service.
IDEA News
Survey for Indiana District Staff Regarding 2022 IDEA Fall Conference
The Indiana North Southeast Region SWCD Staff is planning the 2022 conference and would like your input via the survey link below.
ISDA News
Quickbooks Training - December 7
The Indiana State Department of Agriculture and Indiana District Employees Association present an opportunity to dig into Quickbooks and have your questions answered.
Topics of discussion may include:
• Differences between online and hard drive Quickbooks
• Creating accounts
• Creating reports
• Voiding/Crediting memos
See flyer for details and registration link.
Nov. and Dec. Finance Trainings for Indiana SWCDs 
November 17 (12 noon - 1 pm EST)
Finance Basics for Supervisors
December 1 (10 am - 12 noon EST)
Finance Overview for Staff
IDEM News
IDEM Stormwater General Permits Information Sessions
IDEM just received a non-objection from U.S. EPA on the MS4 General Permit. Now that non-objection letters have been received for both General Permits, IDEM plans on issuing the new Construction Stormwater General Permit and the new MS4 General Permit in the coming days. The permits are posted to the following web page (https://www.in.gov/idem/stormwater/resources/stormwater-program-transition-to-master-general-permits/). The same web page also contains IDEM’s response to comments from the public notice. The response to comments are fairly lengthy (over 120 pages of combined responses). Additionally, IDEM will host two information sessions over Zoom to discuss the permit and answer implementation questions about the respective permits. Questions can be submitted in advance of each meeting (or during the meeting) using the links to the online forms below. 

The information session on the Construction Stormwater General Permit will take place on November 16th at 10:00 AM 
Telephone: 301-715-8592 or 312-626-6799 or 646-876-9923 or 346-248-7799 or 408-638-0968 or 669-900-6833 or 253-215-8782
Meeting ID: 949 8541 4355
Passcode: 841374

The information session for the MS4 General permit will take place on November 30th at 10:00 AM
Telephone: 312-626-6799 or 646-876-9923 or 301-715-8592 or 253-215-8782 or 346-248-7799 or 408-638-0968 or 669-900-6833
Meeting ID: 923 4679 9028
Passcode: 710924
Both sessions will be recorded and posted to the IDEM web page for those that cannot make the session.  
As always, feel free to reach out to Randy Braun (rbraun@idem.in.gov , 317-234-3980) or I if you have any additional questions.  
USDA-NRCS News
(October 29, 2021) - USDA’s Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS) State Conservationist Jerry Raynor announced today that Indiana is now accepting applications for enrollment in the Conservation Stewardship Program (CSP), the nation’s largest conservation program. While applications are accepted year-round, interested producers should submit applications to their local NRCS office by January 28 to be considered for this funding period.
USDA Invests $11 Million in Partnerships to Restore Wetlands, Support Historically Underserved Producers  
The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) is investing $11 million in five Wetland Reserve Enhancement Partnership (WREP) projects to bring together partners and landowners to voluntarily return critical wetland functions to agricultural landscapes.
USDA Awards Conservation Innovation Projects to Support Climate-Smart Agriculture and Soil Health
USDA’s Natural Resources Conservation Service is awarding $25 million to conservation partners across the country for 18 new projects under the Conservation Innovation Grants On-Farm Conservation Innovation Trials (On-Farm Trials) program.  
(November 1, 2021) - Jerry Raynor, NRCS State Conservationist for USDA’s Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS) in Indiana, announced that December 17 will be the first-round funding cutoff date for Climate Smart Agriculture and Forestry, a new option available through the Environmental Quality Incentive Program (EQIP).
National Conservation Planning Partnership (NCPP) Update
USDA-FSA News
USDA Builds Pandemic Support for Certified Organic and Transitioning Operations
WASHINGTON, Nov. 4, 2021 — The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) will provide pandemic assistance to cover certification and education expenses to agricultural producers who are certified organic or transitioning to organic. USDA will make $20 million available through the new Organic and Transitional Education and Certification Program (OTECP) as part of USDA’s broader Pandemic Assistance for Producers initiative, which provides new, broader and more equitable opportunities for farmers, ranchers and producers.   
IDNR News
MyDNR: Indiana's Outdoor News
Wild Bulletin:
Division of Fish & Wildlife News
Other News
Pollinator Action Team Update
E-Newsletter
Newsletter: The Drop
(October 27, 2021) - Stephanie Schuck has been selected as the new Executive Director for Southern Indiana Cooperative Invasives Management (SICIM). Stephanie will work closely with the SICIM board to continue the management of the state-wide Indiana Invasives Initiative (III) and oversee SICIM’s administration and Strategic Plan.
Save the Date!
77th SWCS International Annual Conference
Denver, Colorado
July 31-August 3, 2022
The 2022 Farm to School Grant Request for Applications is Now Open!
The Office of Community Food Systems (OCFS) is very excited to join Farm to School Month celebrations by announcing the official release of the Fiscal Year (FY) 2022 Farm to School Grant Program Request for Applications (RFA).
USDA expects to award approximately $12 million in competitive grants to eligible entities through the Farm to School Grant Program in FY 2022. Each grant helps implement farm to school programs that increase access to local food in Child Nutrition Program (CNP) meals, connect children with agriculture for better health, and inspire youth to consider careers in agriculture. Since the program’s inception in 2013, USDA has awarded nearly $64 million through Farm to School Grants, funding 896 projects across all 50 states, the District of Columbia, U.S. Virgin Islands, Guam, and Puerto Rico, reaching over 22 million students in more than 54,000 schools.
 Indiana Agricultural Leadership Program
Class 20
Applications NOW Available
 Interested in growing your leadership ability? 
Now is the time to make that happen. 
$10 Million Available for Great Lakes Habitat Restoration
NOAA is seeking proposals for new 2022 grant awards that will restore habitat for Great Lakes fisheries, helping to support local ecosystems, economies, and communities.
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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.
Upcoming Conservation Events:
November 17 - Finance Basics Training for Indiana SWCD Supervisors
December 1 - State Board of Accounts Training
December 7 - Quickbooks Training
January 23-25 - Annual SWCD Conference, Indianapolis
For a complete list of upcoming conservation events, go to the Events Calendar on the IASWCD website.*
*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.