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 with accessing articles, please contact the NACD Communications Team.
The Mining Journal: Regional conservation districts given grants
By Christie Mastric
11/09/21
Conservation districts are local government entities working to enhance and conserve soil, water, wildlife and other natural resources in their local communities. This year marks an investment of $3 million for district operations, the highest funding levels since 2008, the Michigan Department of Agriculture said.
USDA: USDA Awards Conservation Innovation Projects to Support Climate-Smart Agriculture and Soil Health
11/08/21
The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) announced it is awarding $25 million to conservation partners across the country for 18 new projects under the Conservation Innovation Grants (CIG) On-Farm Conservation Innovation Trials program.
Wallaces Farmer: Creating a culture of stewardship
By Willie Vogt
11/08/21
Using no-till and cover crops is working for Rottinghaus. It’s all about continuous learning for him. He recalls an eighth-grade textbook from the 1930s that said, “Moldboard plows save moisture.” When Rottinghaus read that, he says, “I burst out laughing. We’ve learned a lot.”
Yahoo!: Growers Counter the Impacts of Drought and Water Scarcity with New Irrigation Optimization Suite
11/08/21
Ceres Imaging has released a new irrigation optimization product solution, strategically positioned to help growers make precision irrigation easier and more efficient. The new irrigation optimization solution integrates soil moisture sensors and other in field data with Ceres’ imagery.
Agri-Pulse: Historic infrastructure bill headed to Biden after House cliffhanger
By Phillip Brasher
11/05/21
(Subscriber Only) The House finally cleared a $1.2 trillion infrastructure bill late Friday that will provide an historic infusion of federal funding into rural broadband expansion and construction of roads, bridges, waterways and Western water projects.
Farm & Ranch Guide: Taking whole systems approach to soils
By Sue Roesler
11/10/21
The whole systems approach, from weeds to insects to soils, is how Abbey Wick, NDSU Extension soil health specialist, likes to look at soil health.
Indiana Daily Student: Volunteers plant native trees to improve IU campus biodiversity, climate resiliency
By Lauren Ulrich
11/07/21
IU students, faculty and community members planted native trees in a little-known part of IU’s campus Saturday afternoon in an effort to restore forest ecosystems on campus.
Spectrum News 1: Urban agriculture program building next generation of climate activists
By Taylor Bruck
11/08/21
Students like Bella Kirchner, a senior who wants to work for a national park in the future, are learning more than just how to grow crops and care for livestock.
Marin Independent Journal: Conservation ethic allows Monterey Bay farmers to thrive during drought
By Jude Coleman
11/08/21
Expensive water-recycling projects have allowed farmers to reduce their reliance on groundwater, as conservation-minded growing practices and innovative irrigation techniques cut water waste.
USDA: USDA Underscores Commitment to Climate Action at COP26
11/05/21
“We’re positioning U.S. farmers, ranchers and forest landowners as leaders in addressing climate change, while at the same time creating new market opportunities for them through pilot projects that invest in science, monitoring and verification to measure the benefits of climate-smart production practices,” Vilsack said.
Civil Eats: Don Lewis Is Reviving the Grain Economy in New York’s Hudson Valley
By Liz Susman Karp
10/25/21
The heritage wheat wizard is adapting grain varieties to present-day climate conditions, developing a local market, and working to diversify the food system.
Agri-Pulse: NRCS unveils new AI program to forecast and support better water management practices
By Hannah Pagel
11/10/21
(Subscriber Only) The primary goal of the new technology is to help producers in the American West use increasingly tight water resources more effectively while protecting the shared natural environment.
RNZ: $1.3m boost for study of erosion, sediment control measures in forestry sector
11/08/21
A seven-year forestry study aims to determine the most effective measures for reducing erosion and sediment in rivers from harvesting.
Phys.org: Renaturing insects in urban backyards
By Ary Hoffmann, Michael Kearney, Hiromi Yagui, Michael Magrath and Steve Sinclair
11/08/21
Insects in our environment are unsung heroes. These ‘mini-beasts’ are often inconspicuous, but they may have a huge impact on the health of ecosystems that sustain humanity.
Star News: Bee-friendly prairie expands at GRE in Elk River
11/08/21
More than 12 acres have been planted with habitat friendly to bees, butterflies and birds on Great River Energy’s Elk River campus. Recently, approximately 3.4 new acres were planted with a similar mix of butterfly milkweed, black-eyed susans, little bluestems and other pollinator-friendly species.
The Islands’ Sounder: How to Support Pollinators Through the Winter
By Sienna Boucher
11/08/21
Due to there being no wintertime pollinators, it can be easy to adopt an out-of-sight, out-of-mind way of thinking about the important insects, but the impacts of that will be apparent once spring comes around. Unbeknownst to many, when disturbing the insects in the leaves and branches, this is already setting the stage for spring and whether or not it will be a successful one for flowers, crops, and other vegetation.
NPR: Drought is forcing farmers in Colorado to make tough choices
By Nina Kravinsky
11/06/21
His dad, Brian, is hoping for the best. “I’m hopeful that we get a good winter and we see lots of snow in the mountains,” he says. “I’m a gambler. Farmers are always gamblers.”
South Dakota Soil Health Coalition: Milpa Gardens Can Build Soil Health and Communities
By Stan Wise
11/03/21
Sometimes a little chaos provides an opportunity for growth. That’s certainly the case with a chaos garden, also called a milpa garden.
Agri-Pulse: First infrastructure funding headed out in 2022, but some aid will take longer
By Philip Brasher
11/10/21
(Subscriber Only) The Biden administration expects to start distributing the first dollars from the new bipartisan infrastructure bill in the first half of 2022, but it’s likely to take significantly longer for farmers and rural Americans to see some of the long-sought spending.
The Sacramento Bee: Family farms struggling as California drought worsens: ‘We haven’t faced anything like this’
By Nadia Lopez
11/05/21
June Moua, who runs a small, Hmong farm near Fowler, and Antonio Cabrera, who runs a lemon farm in Reedley, have been hurt by the drought, but they are finding ways to adapt to the situation.