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: Did You Know? Friends of NACD Delivers Grants Directly to Conservation Districts
By Jackson Moody
09/29/2026
Since 2020, Friends of NACD has delivered over $115,000 to districts across 27 states and 2 U.S. Territories. These grants have funded career development programs for high school students, novel native plant installations, beekeeping education programs, and everything in between! Friends of NACD grant applications will open on October 13, 2026.
Farm Progress: Can cover crops help farmers get in the field sooner?
By Elizabeth Wilhelm
09/14/2026
In 2025, 38 farmers across Iowa, Minnesota, Nebraska and Wisconsin tracked whether they could work in fields with a history of cover crop use each week from spring through fall. Farmers recorded whether field and weather conditions allowed them to work in their fields for most of the day.
AgroLatam: USDA Puts Soil Testing at the Center of Its $700M Regenerative Agriculture Push
By Marcus Ellington
09/23/2026
The USDA Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS) is expanding soil health testing in 2026 through CEMA 216, a financial assistance mechanism tied to federal conservation programs and the agency’s $700 million Regenerative Pilot Program launched in December 2025.
USDA: USDA Increases Investment in Regenerative Pilot Program to Lower Farmer Production Costs and Advance MAHA Agenda
09/29/2026
The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) announced increased financial assistance for the Regenerative Pilot Program from $700 million to $1 billion in fiscal year 2027, providing more producers with the opportunity to adopt conservation systems that improve soil health, water quality, and long-term farm resilience. Producers can now apply for assistance with regenerative practices.
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Michigan Public: Michigan launches project with crop insurance companies to reward regenerative farming
By Tracy Samilton| Michigan | North Central Region
09/18/2026
Michigan is launching what officials said is the nation’s first public-private crop insurance program for regenerative farming. Regenerative farming is the practice of creating healthier soil with cover crops, natural fertilizers, no-till planting, livestock grazing, and crop diversity. The goal is improving soil so it retains water and nutrients, saves money on chemical fertilizers, increases crop yields, and reduces the risk of crop losses.
Lancaster Farming: The Who and What Behind Erosion, Sedimentation Plans
By Dan Sullivan | Holtwood, PA | Northeast Region
09/20/2026
Though potentially intimidating, these Department of Environmental Protection requirements help manage soil loss and protect water quality — often serving simply as an illustration of what farms are already doing. Megan Kreider of MKreider Consulting in Holtwood, Pennsylvania, became a plan writer because she saw a niche that needed to be filled.
MyUpNow: Elementary students spend a day on the farm at Agripalooza
By Abby LaForest | Chatham, MI | North Central Region
09/25/2026
The Marquette and Alger Conservation Districts hosted their 16th annual Agripalooza from 9 a.m. to 2 p.m., where 340 fifth graders from nine schools learned from local farms, nonprofits, and state and federal agencies about a variety of topics such as conservation practices, healthy food choices and watershed health.
Morning AgClips: Corse Farm Dairy Receives New England Leopold Conservation Award
Madison, WI | North Central Region
09/28/2026
Linda serves as the president of the Vermont Association of Conservation Districts Board and was a founding member of the Connecticut River Watershed Farmers Alliance. Leon was selected as an organic representative on the Vermont Agricultural Innovation Board in 2025 and was also a governor appointee to the Commission on the Future of Agriculture.
Encyclopedia of Pudget Sound: Controlling nutrients in the watershed
By Sarah DeWeerdt | Maple Falls, WA | Pacific Region
09/28/2026
The event was a Working Lands, Healthy Streams Open House organized by the Whatcom Conservation District, and attendees were getting a peek at one of the growing fields, quite literally, in streamside restoration and pollution control. The native trees and shrubs planted here at Empyrean Farm, would serve as what conservationists call a riparian buffer, a strip of vegetation designed to protect the stream and potentially Puget Sound creatures as well.
American Ag Network: Women’s Ag Network Launches Second Round of Scholarship Opportunities to Support Women in Agriculture and Conservation
South Dakota | Northern Plains Region
09/30/2026
The Women’s Ag Network is proud to launch the second round of scholarship opportunities designed to support women in agriculture, conservation, and ag-adjacent industries as they pursue professional growth and leadership development.