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.
Murray Senate: PASSED: Murray & Daines Floodplain Bill Passes the Senate, Cutting Red Tape, Simplifying Pathway for Ecosystem Restoration
10/01/2026
U.S. Senator Patty Murray (D-WA), Vice Chair of the Senate Appropriations Committee, released the following statement after Senate passage of her Floodplain Enhancement and Recovery Act—bipartisan legislation Senator Murray introduced with Senator Steve Daines (R-MT) last year. The Floodplain Enhancement and Recovery Act is a straightforward, commonsense bill that would create a new pathway for ecosystem restoration projects in floodplains that meet specific low-risk criteria—simplifying the approval process for important restoration work while still upholding flood safety standards.
USDA: USDA Issues Final Rule with Comment Period Ahead of Opening the Application Window for Rural Energy for America Program
10/02/2026
The U.S. Department of Agriculture is taking steps to advance the Trump Administration’s commitment to unleashing American energy and economic prosperity and is streamlining program delivery for the Rural Energy for America Program (REAP). Rural Development through the Rural Business Cooperative Service (RBCS) is issuing a final rule with comment period that will simplify the application process, reduce risk to the agency, and protect taxpayer dollars.
University of Illionois: Farm Bill Expires Again as Lawmakers Continue Negotiations
By Ryan Hanrahan
10/02/2026
FarmWeekNow’s Tammie Sloup reported that, despite the expiration of the Farm Bill, “crop insurance and Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program benefits (will) continue, but many conservation, research, rural development, trade and energy programs (will) face funding uncertainty without congressional action. Other program funding is linked to the crop year or marketing year, with some of USDA’s farm programs, including those covered under the Commodity Title and dairy support measures, officially expiring Dec. 31.”
USDA: USDA Announces Record Payments of $13.8 Billion for 2025 Crop Year Revenue and Price Safety Net Programs
10/07/2026
Today, U.S. Secretary of Agriculture Brooke L. Rollins announced that the Farm Service Agency’s Agriculture Risk Coverage (ARC) and Price Loss Coverage (PLC) will generate approximately $13.8 billion in gross payments to eligible agricultural producers for the 2025 crop year; the largest annual payout by far since these key safety net programs were established in the 2014 Farm Bill.
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First Alert 6: Omaha floods: Reservoir system prevents catastrophic flooding
By Philip Catalfamo| Omaha, NE | Northern Plains Region
10/01/2026
Officials with the Papio-Missouri River Natural Resources District said overnight flooding could have been worse without a decades-long reservoir system that manages water during storms. Wehrspann Lake rose about 8 feet overnight after heavy rain Wednesday night. A shelter near the lake was almost submerged, and part of the trail was flooded.
Oklahoma Farm Report: Oklahoma Conservation Commission Tackles Invasive Red Cedars and Flood Infrastructure
Oklahoma | South Central Region
10/02/2026
Wildfire mitigation and soil water retention remain high priorities across the state, prompting the Oklahoma Conservation Commission to expand programs targeting invasive species and infrastructure resilience. Farm Director KC Sheperd recently sat down with Trey Lam, executive director of the Oklahoma Conservation Commission, to discuss the ongoing efforts to manage invasive red cedars, mitigate wildfire hazards, prepare soils for incoming moisture, and maintain crucial flood control dams across Oklahoma.
Yahoo News: Alaska Tribes, U.S. Department of Agriculture Sign Major Conservation Agreement
By Elyse Wild | Alaska | Pacific Region
10/07/2026
Member Tribes of the Bering Sea Interior Tribal Commission signed a historic Mutual Agreement with the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA), officially creating the Bering Sea Interior Tribal Conservation District, on October 1, 2026 during a signing ceremony at the Egan Convention Center in Anchorage, Alaska.
Yolo County Resource Conservation District: Sheep Mowers Tackle Dry Grass in Yolo County
Woodland, CA | Pacific Region
10/08/2026
To tackle these fine, easily ignitable grasses, prescribed grazing using sheep and goats offers a practical tool instead of or in conjunction with mowing, mechanical equipment, herbicides or prescribed fire. Thanks to a CAL FIRE Wildfire Prevention Grant, Yolo County RCD and Solano RCD implemented multiple prescribed grazing projects this summer in western Yolo County and northern Solano County, totaling 182 acres of targeted fuels reduction for rural communities in high fire areas.