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: Friends of NACD Supports Eight New Innovative, Locally Led Projects
By Jackson Moody
03/10/2026
As we enter our seventh year of offering these grants, we are pleased to say we’ve now distributed over $115,000 to 47 districts across 29 U.S. states and territories. We had exceptionally high interest in these grants this cycle and received a record number of 61 applications. This made choosing the top eight proposals all the more difficult, but after working with volunteers from our District and Partner Relations Committee, we are pleased to announce the following awardees and their projects.
NACD Blog: Small Tool, Big Impact: A District-Built Solution for Weed Barrier Installation
By Nicole Poitra
03/10/2026
Every conservation district has those tasks that take more time and labor than we’d like. For many of us, installing weed barrier fabric during tree planting season is one of them. For the Hutchinson Conservation District in South Dakota, one of the most physically demanding parts of the process was laying the fabric and installing the staples.
Environmental Law Institute: Finding Common Ground: Advancing Flood Resilience Through Collaborative Nature-Based Solutions
By Journey Lipscomb
02/19/2026
Whether or not they are formally involved in hazard mitigation planning, many districts already undertake work that helps to mitigate flooding. For example, wetland restoration efforts—though often primarily intended to conserve habitat and improve water quality—can also provide important flood mitigation functions by enhancing the ecosystem’s natural ability to absorb water during heavy rainfall events.
Brownfield Ag News: American Farmland Trust evaluating conservation practices that deliver profit gains for farmers
By Nicole Heslip
03/10/2026
(Edited) Recent studies by American Farmland Trust are helping to showcase the economic benefits of soil health practices across nearly a dozen states. He encourages growers to try the National Association of Conservation District’s Resource Stewardship Evaluation Tool to see how practices can be adapted on their farms and the potential benefits.
USDA: USDA Announces New Funding to Connect Farmers to Local Markets
03/10/2026
The U.S. Department of Agriculture today announced it has awarded over $26.8 million to grant projects through the Local Agriculture Market Program (LAMP). The program helps local and regional food entities develop, coordinate, and expand producer-to-consumer marketing, local and regional food markets, and local food enterprises. LAMP includes the Farmers Market Promotion Program, Local Food Promotion Program, and the Regional Food System Partnerships.
Iowa Agri Business Radio Network: USDA Bridge Assistance Payments already reaching farmers
By Dustin Hoffman
03/10/2026
Farmers across the country are already signing up for the new Farmer Bridge Assistance payments through the U.S. Department of Agriculture. The program was designed to provide short term financial relief to producers ahead of the 2026 growing season, and USDA officials say participation has been strong since enrollment opened in late February.
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Farm Progress: An attractive way for next generation to go regenerative
By Minday Ward | Missouri | North Central Region
02/24/2026
For this ninth-generation farmer, bringing back prairie plants and grazing sheep represented a dramatic shift for the operation. When Karr and his wife, Dahrea, returned to his family’s farm in 2021, they moved away from reliance on row crops toward a more diversified operation with livestock and perennials. What they found was that the new approach reduced their financial risk.
Merced Sun Star: Why almost 67% of Allegheny County’s streams are ranked as ‘impaired’
By Mary Ann Thomas | Pittsburgh, PA | Northeast Region
03/08/2026
The Allegheny Conservation District received $176,417 for water quality improvement projects in the Mon River valley communities, including the Fallen Timber Run watershed. Statewide, the program is funneling $17.3 million to 89 projects.
Morning Ag Clips: Implementing Conservation Practices and Conducting Educational and Outreach Programs Lead to Water Quality Improvement in the Little River
By Rene Ray De La Cruz | Temple, TX | South Central Region
03/09/2026
The TSSWCB partnered with the Little River-San Gabriel and Central Texas Soil and Water Conservation Districts to develop and implement seven Water Quality Management Plans (WQMPs) in these watersheds. The WQMPs were site-specific plans developed for poultry, grazing, and row crop operations that covered over 1,700 acres.
South Dakota Soil Health Coalition: Building operational resilience with soil health
By Stan Wise | Pierre, SD | Northern Plains Region
03/02/2026
Resilience. It’s one of the prizes that keeps conservation-minded land managers striving for improved soil health. Operational resilience in the face of floods, market fluctuations, rising input costs, extreme temperatures, and of course, drought. A healthy, functional soil can help a farm or ranch survive all of them. It’s a concept that Terry Ness fully adopted in 1990 on his operation just east of Pierre, SD, and he’s been devoted to it ever since.
Wellsboro Gazette: Reclaiming resources from the ground up
By Kristie Bowles | Wellsboro, PA | Northeast Region
03/12/2026
Upham is a watershed specialist for the Tioga County Conservation District and began the conservation fair last year as an event where organizations that work to preserve, conserve and reclaim the natural resources in the area can come together to pool the knowledge and strategies they have used to effect change.