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 Comments on Department of Interior Regulations
06/20/2025
NACD looks forward to working with the DOI and all stakeholders to ensure that any changes support effective conservation while ensuring working lands continue to work for our nation’s producers and land stewards. In the request for information, the DOI asks us to identify existing regulations that can be modified or repealed, consistent with applicable law, to ensure that DOI achieves a meaningful reduction in regulatory burdens while continuing to meet statutory obligations, advance American energy independence, and ensure the responsible stewardship of the Nation’s public lands and resources.
NACD Blog: Polk SWCD Expands Community Engagement at their Cornerstone Property with Friends of NACD Grant
06/24/2025
In 2024, the Polk Soil and Water Conservation District (SWCD) used a Friends of NACD grant to initiate a community engagement project at their 87-acre property in Dallas, Oregon, named Cornerstone. This grant enabled Polk SWCD to update their brochures and signage, buy tools dedicated to removing invasive species, and engage a broad group of volunteers by connecting them to the land.
USDA: Secretary Rollins Rescinds Roadless Rule, Eliminating Impediment to Responsible Forest Management
06/23/2025
Today, U.S. Secretary of Agriculture Brooke L. Rollins announced during a meeting of the Western Governors’ Association in New Mexico, the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) is rescinding the 2001 Roadless Rule. This outdated administrative rule contradicts the will of Congress and goes against the mandate of the USDA Forest Service to sustain the health, diversity, and productivity of the nation’s forests and grasslands.
Morning AgClips: Moving Toward Regenerative Agriculture: Healing the Land Through Smarter Farming
06/23/2025
Regenerative agriculture is a movement back to the roots of farming, where the soil is treated as a living ecosystem, not an inert medium for chemical inputs. More than sustainability, regenerative practices aim to rebuild what industrial farming has depleted: soil health, water retention, biodiversity, and resilience.
Northern Ag Network: USDA Announces Changes to Livestock Insurance Programs
06/23/2025
The U.S. Department of Agriculture’s (USDA) Risk Management Agency (RMA) approved changes to improve insurance coverage for American livestock producers. These updates will take effect for the Livestock Risk Protection (LRP), Livestock Gross Margin (LGM), and Dairy Revenue Protection (DRP) insurance programs beginning with the 2026 crop year.
Civil Eats: A National Soil-Judging Contest Prepares College Students to Steward the Land
By Emma Loewe
06/24/2025
There is more than school pride at stake, however. This competition teaches the next generation of soil scientists how to manage the soils used to grow our food and support our agricultural infrastructure. Their work helps farmers produce more nutritious crops, combat erosion, and capture and store carbon underground.
USDA: Secretary Rollins Announces New Slate of Political Appointments to USDA
06/25/2025
(Edited) U.S. Secretary of Agriculture Brooke Rollins today announced the latest slate of presidential appointments for key positions at the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA). Jimmy Emmons serves as Assistant Chief for the Natural Resources Conservation Service. He and his wife, Ginger, operate Emmons Farm, a century-old integrated row-crop and livestock farm in Leedey, Oklahoma.
%20(1).png)
Farmer.gov: Fridays on the Farm: Establishing Regenerative Agriculture on the Ranch
By Wade Day | McCulloch County, TX | South Central Region
05/30/2025
This Friday, meet Jim and Stephen West of Sunrise W Land and Cattle Company in McCulloch County, Texas. This father and son team is busy working to establish regenerative farming and management methods on their ranch. Their commitment to the process of regenerative farming, along with help from USDA’s Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS), is proving to be a winning combination.
KYMN Radio: Students Help Pollinators Thrive Through Pocket of Prairie Program
By Maya Betti | Northfield, MN | North Central Region
06/24/2025
Hundreds of third-grade students across Rice County are helping pollinators thrive — one prairie plant at a time. This spring, around 800 students participated in the “Pocket of Prairie” program, a hands-on conservation initiative led by the Rice Soil and Water Conservation District. Now in its second year, the program teaches students about the importance of native prairies and pollinator habitats in schoolyards and neighborhoods.
Los Angeles Times: High School Insider: From curious to committed: How I started an envirothon club and took it to state
By Sumin Kim | Pearce, AZ | Southwest Region
06/24/2025
With the International Envirothon competition just around the corner, from July 28 to August 3 in Alberta, Canada, I can’t help but reflect on the wild and challenging ride my team and I had this year. If you had told me a year ago that I’d be spending weekends studying soil pH levels, tree species, and water quality tests, I probably would’ve said, “Yeah, right.”
Public News Service: WI group empowers women to restore prairies, pollinators
By Judith Ruiz-Branch | Wisconsin | North Central Region
06/24/2025
Through its Wisconsin Women in Conservation program, the Michael Fields Agriculture Institute is showing how reintroducing native plant species, among other practices, can reestablish endangered habitats supporting an entire ecosystem. Christine Johnson, farmer education coordinator at the institute, said the current focus of pollinating lands and communities is intentional for many reasons.
The Chronicle: Bucoda Community Garden blossoming, with more growth set for this summer
By Dylan Reubenking | Centralia, WA | Pacific Region
06/25/2025
The Bucoda Community Garden, a collaborative effort between the Bucoda Improvement Club, the Bucoda Town Council and the Thurston Conservation District (TCD), is coming to life in 2025. Located to the right of the Bucoda Town Hall and Community Center, the community garden is funded through the National Association of Conservation Districts and will include food available to the community to harvest and take what they need.
Public: NRCS helps Alaska Natives protect habitat and subsistence in Hooper Bay, Alaska
Hooper, AK | Pacific Region
06/25/2025
Subsisting off the land provides meat, fish, eggs, berries, firewood and other resources to sustain their way of life beyond what any village store could provide. The USDA Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS) is working with Hooper Bay via private landowner Sea Lion Corporation, to conserve and protect critical habitats that support subsistence, while also allowing safe human access to subsistence areas.