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: NACD Welcomes NRCS Priorities Focused on Working Lands, Locally Led Conservation
06/18/2026
The National Association of Conservation Districts welcomes the priorities that Natural Resources Conservation Service Chief Colton L. Buckley recently announced to guide agency operations, program delivery, stakeholder engagement, and modernization efforts.
NACD Blog: Cuyahoga SWCD Adds Native Plants to Stormwater Basins with Friends of NACD Grant
06/16/2026
Driving through Cuyahoga County, Ohio, one can easily spot a network of stormwater infrastructure that spans the landscape. The most recognized feature is the dry detention basin, often a grass depression in the landscape that temporarily holds water and slowly releases it. Cuyahoga Soil and Water Conservation District staff saw the potential to elevate the ecology of the county through a simple enhancement to this specialized infrastructure: replace the grass with native species.
USDA-NRCS: USDA’s Natural Resources Conservation Service Unveils New Conservation Priorities to Keep Working Lands in Working Hands
06/12/2026
The U.S. Department of Agriculture is putting farmers first and reaffirming this commitment by updating its strategic priorities, motto and mission and vision statements for the Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS). These updates complement NRCS’s historic role in providing practical, voluntary, and locally led conservation solutions for producers.
Cover Crop Strategies: NRCS Promises Farmers Will See Modernized Approach
By John Dobberstein
06/12/2026
Buckley told No-Till Farmer he is prioritizing field staff to improve field engagement and technical expertise. Farmers should expect to see more responsive staff with up-to-date mobile tools and digital platforms that will allow NRCS staff to co-create conservation programs on site rather than agents driving back and forth to a farm multiple times or requiring farmers to come into a federal office. Buckley also doesn’t want to see field staff awash in paperwork.
USDA: USDA Issues Directive to Restore Grazing on National Forest Lands and Strengthen Support for America’s Ranchers
06/12/2026
Today, U.S. Secretary of Agriculture Brooke L. Rollins announced the distribution of a comprehensive directive to all U.S. Forest Service employees from the Office of the Under Secretary for Natural Resources and Environment. These actions advance implementation of the Advancing Grazing on Forest Service and Bureau of Land Management Lands Memorandum of Understanding and the USDA–Department of the Interior Grazing Action Plan, delivering on the Trump Administration’s commitment to strengthen American ranching, restore multiple-use management on federal lands, and combat regulatory lawfare against producers.
USDA: Secretary Rollins Announces Historic $125 Million Annual Investment in Agricultural Research Infrastructure Across America
06/15/2026
U.S. Secretary of Agriculture Brooke L. Rollins and U.S. Secretary of Education Linda McMahon hosted several land-grant university leaders at USDA for a roundtable discussion and announced the opening of the FY2026 funding opportunity for the Research Facilities Act program. President Trump’s Working Families Tax Cuts provided $125 million annually for the Research Facilities Act program and this historic investment will help address decades of deferred maintenance and accelerate modernization of agricultural research facilities across the country.
No-Till Farmer: Your Golden Chance to Improve Farm Programs Locally
By John Dobberstein
06/16/2026
The USDA is taking nominations for farmers and ranchers to serve on Farm Service Agency county committees. As you may know, the committees make important decisions about how federal programs are administered locally. The way this works is elections for committee members occurs in certain Local Administrative Areas (LAA), which are FSA committee elective areas in a single county or multi-county jurisdiction.
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Morning Ag Clips: NRCS Helps Improve Water Quality at Vermont Dairy Farm
Danville, VT | Northeast Region
06/05/2026
Each day, Vermont dairy farmer Matt Lindstrom takes extra steps to ensure that his farming operation in Vermont’s Northeast Kingdom does not impact water quality downstream. With help from USDA’s Natural Resources Conservation Service, he’s been able to enact conservation practices that prevent manure from washing from his farm into the nearby Missisquoi Watershed Basin.
Farm Progress: More than a buzzword: How this farm turned ‘regenerative’
By Allison Lynch | Muncie, IN | North Central Region
06/10/2026
A seasoned engineer, Hamilton approached conservation with a dollars-and-cents mindset. He wanted to save on fuel, labor and equipment while still pushing for max yields. The purported yield hit that he’d heard about in the first few years of no-till made him nervous.
Progressive Farmer: CTIC Spotlights North Carolina Farmers
By Chris Clayton | Raleigh, NC | Southeast Region
06/10/2026
Winslow was among the farmers who discussed some of their soil-health practices in North Carolina last week as the Conservation Technology Information Center held its 19th Conservation in Action Tour around northeast North Carolina. With some related events tied in, groups such as Field to Market, the Soil Health Institute and Farmers for Soil Health helped boost tour attendance to roughly 250 people.
Nebraska’s Natural Resources Districts: NRD Basin Tour Explores the South Platte Basin & Perkins County Canal
Lincoln, NE | Northern Plains Region
06/11/2026
Nearly 100 Natural Resources Districts (NRDs) directors and staff, along with state and federal conservation partners, gathered in North Platte June 8-9, 2026, for the annual NRD Basin Tour organized by the Nebraska Association of Resources Districts with the Central Platte, South Platte and Twin Platte NRDs.
The Courier Express: Jefferson County Conservation District celebrates 80th anniversary
By Laura Lynn Yohe | Brookville, PA | Northeast Region
06/12/2026
This year, 2026, marks the 250th anniversary of the founding of the United States of America. For nearly one-third of that historic time, the Jefferson County Conservation District has been part of the fabric of the nation.
The Manchester Mirror: WCCD’s first ag plastic–recycling event a success
By Sara Swanson | Manchester, MI | North Central Region
06/15/2026
(Edited) We reported this spring that the Washtenaw County Conservation District (WCCD) was hosting an agricultural-plastic-recycling-collection event on April 13 at the Washtenaw Food Hub. WCCD deemed the event a success, collecting 1,549 pounds of agricultural plastics that will now be diverted from landfills and returned to manufacturing streams.
The Outdoor Wire: Michigan Forest Association Highlights the Story of “Mad Dog” Kleitch and Her Forests
Michigan | North Central Region
06/16/2026
Maddy sought forestry advice from a variety of natural resources professionals. After she bought her Midland County forest, she visited the local USDA Service Center to meet people at the Midland Conservation District and Natural Resources Conservation Service.