Conservation Clips is a weekly collection of articles distributed by NACD that provides our members and partners with the latest news in what’s driving conservation. These articles are not indicative of NACD policy and are the opinions of their authors, unless otherwise noted. If you have a relevant submission or need assistance accessing articles, please contact the NACD Communications Team.
NACD Blog: From Learning to Local Action: South Central Region Explores Biochar at NACD Summer Meeting
By Wesley Gibson
08/18/2026
Members of NACD’s South Central Region explored those questions during the 2026 Summer Conservation Forum in Grand Rapids, Michigan. Jessica Kusmiz, BioChar Specialist with American BioChar Company, led an informative discussion on how biochar is produced and how it can and has been put to work in agricultural production.
USDA: August is Tree Check Month: USDA Asks Everyone to Look for Asian Longhorned Beetle
08/10/2026
The U.S. Department of Agriculture’s Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service (APHIS) is reminding everyone that August is Tree Check Month. This is the best time of year for people to look at the trees in their yards and neighborhoods for signs of the Asian longhorned beetle (ALB)—a harmful invasive insect that can kill many types of hardwood trees.
Progressive Farmer: Inside a USDA Staff Shortage
By Jake Zajkowski
08/13/2026
The 2025 reduction in force, initiated under the Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE), offered buyouts through the Deferred Resignation Program (DRP) and terminated probationary employees, eliminating thousands of positions across the two agencies. That included roughly 795 FSA employees and 2,657 NRCS employees, along with an 8% reduction in local FSA staffing, or 1,082 employees, in 2025.
USDA: USDA acts to remove roadless rule restrictions that exacerbate rising wildfire risk
08/18/2026
Today, Secretary of Agriculture Brooke L. Rollins announced the U.S. Forest Service has filed a proposed rule to rescind in its entirety the national 2001 Roadless Area Conservation Rule, a one-size-fits-all restriction that has frustrated land managers and served as a barrier to wildfire risk reduction work across large swaths of America’s national forests.
NCF: Envirothon Now a National FFA Organization-endorsed Activity
08/17/2026
North America’s largest environmental competition is now endorsed by the National FFA Organization. The Envirothon®, an international environmental and natural resource problem-solving competition, builds leadership experiences for high school students across the United States, Canada, and Asia. Each year, more than 200 local-level Envirothon competitions take place in the U.S., qualifying teams for the NCF-Envirothon® Annual Competition in July.
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Yuma County: Bonny Reservoir Adaptive Grazing Demonstration Project Enters Implementation Phase Across Nearly 5,000 Acres
Gray, CO | Southwest Region
08/04/2026
After nearly four years of planning, collaboration, grant development, and project coordination, the Bonny Reservoir Adaptive Grazing Demonstration Project has officially entered the implementation phase. Led by the Yuma County Conservation District in partnership with local, state, and federal conservation organizations, the project spans nearly 5,000 acres within the former Bonny Reservoir footprint and surrounding rangelands.
Tri-State Neighbor: Dakota Lakes demonstrates long-term benefits of healthy soils
By Katelyn Winberg | South Dakota | Northern Plains Region
08/11/2026
When Dakota Lakes Research Farm was established in 1990, its mission was to tackle one of central South Dakota’s biggest agricultural challenges: keeping water in the soil instead of watching it run off. More than three decades later, that research helped shape no-till farming and soil health practices across the region.
The County: A southern Aroostook group is slowing shoreline erosion with natural materials
By Kathleen Phalen Tomaselli | Houlton, ME | Northeast Region
08/13/2026
The Southern Aroostook Conservation District received a grant from the 2026 Friends of National Association of Conservation Districts to hold Friday’s demonstration, which was presented in partnership with the Nickerson Lake Wilderness Preservation board. At Friday’s workshop, attendees first watched Jacobs and Wotton install rocks and logs along a section of shoreline that was in danger of further erosion.
Brownfield Ag News: Food buyers, farmers partner for regenerative agriculture adoption in pears
By Nicole Heslip | Michigan | North Central Region
08/14/2026
A partnership in West Michigan is helping food companies and farmers adopt more regenerative agriculture practices. Oceana Conservation District Manager Laura Ackerman tells Brownfield a new Regenerative Pear Growers Network is paying farmers to improve soil health.
Daily Republic: Teachers paddle adventure ends 3 days of local water education
Fairfield, CA | Pacific Region
08/14/2026
Solano Water Institute for Teachers, a professional development program, “immerses teachers in local water resource education and prepares them to bring what they learned back to their classrooms for the upcoming school year.” The Water Institute is a three-day program put on by the Solano Resource Conservation District, culminating this year in canoe and kayak paddle rides at Lake Solano.
Morning Ag Clips: NRCS North Carolina Leadership Attends the SENACD 2026 Meeting
Cherokee, NC | Southeast Region
08/18/2026
Leadership from U.S. Department of Agriculture’s Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS) in North Carolina attended the 2026 Southeast National Association of Conservation District meeting from Aug. 9-12. The Assistant Chief of the South Region, Kennon White, provided remarks on behalf of NRCS on the first day.
Lander Journal: Irrigation projects showcased as part of Popo Agie CD tour
Riverton, WY | Southwest Region
08/19/2026
The Popo Agie Conservation District hosted a conservation project tour on August 12, highlighting three recently completed irrigation infrastructure projects near Lander and the benefits they are already providing to local water users.
Farm Progress: Healthy soil is slashing operating expenses on this Arkansas farm
By Whitney Shannon | Arkansas | South Central Region
08/19/2026
Irrigation pipes were running on Adam Chappell’s Cotton Plant, Ark., soybean field on Aug. 7, but that was just one of only a few irrigation events the field has needed this season. That’s because Chappell’s focus on soil health has significantly reduced every input on these acres.