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 Applauds Senate Confirmation of Richard Fordyce as USDA Under Secretary for Farm Production and Conservation
09/19/2025
The National Association of Conservation Districts (NACD) applauds the U.S. Senate’s confirmation of Richard Fordyce to serve as Under Secretary for the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s (USDA) Farm Production and Conservation (FPAC) Mission Area. The FPAC Mission Area encompasses key USDA agencies, including the Farm Service Agency (FSA), Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS), and Risk Management Agency (RMA)—all essential to the delivery of conservation, farm loans, crop insurance, disaster assistance, and other key programs.
Pew: To Finance Coastal Resilience, States Turn to Innovative Policies and Partnerships
09/17/2025
Coastal wetlands—including tidal marshes, forested swamps, mangroves, and seagrasses—are among humankind’s most powerful natural allies. These ecosystems not only absorb and store large amounts of carbon but also protect communities from flooding and wildfires, provide habitat for commercially and recreationally important species, and filter pollutants and excess nutrients from the water. Yet these habitats are disappearing at alarming rates because of sea-level rise, erosion, and development. Further, communities seeking to protect and restore coastal wetlands have struggled to secure the funding needed to meet the scale of the challenge.
USDA: Mexico Confirms Case of New World Screwworm in Nuevo Leon
09/21/2025
Mexico’s National Service of Agro-Alimentary Health, Safety, and Quality (SENASICA) confirmed a new case of New World screwworm (NWS) in Sabinas Hidalgo, located in the state of Nuevo León, less than 70 miles from the U.S.-Mexico border. This is now the northernmost detection of NWS during this outbreak, and the one most threatening to the American cattle and livestock industry.
USDA: USDA Invests in 58 Community Projects to Reduce Wildfire Risk
09/23/2025
Today, U.S. Secretary of Agriculture Brooke L. Rollins announced the USDA Forest Service is investing $200 million in 58 projects through the Community Wildfire Defense Grant Program. These investments, thanks to Congressionally mandated funding, help at-risk communities plan for and reduce wildfire risk, protecting homes, businesses, and infrastructure.
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Morning Ag Clis: Building Better Soil in Knox County, Ind.
By Gilbert Randolph | Knox County, IN | North Central Region
09/18/25
In Knox County, Ind., Ray McCormick is using his decades of experience alongside the USDA Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS) and other partners to lead the way for soil health, wildlife-friendly practices, and his farm’s bottom line. This work is central to NRCS’ Working Lands for Wildlife (WLFW) initiative, which provides financial and technical assistance to private landowners to implement fundamental conservation practices on working lands.
Trib Live: Fawn, West Deer, Plum farms get support to preserve local food source
By Tawnya Panizzi | Allegheny County, PA | Northeast Region
09/23/2025
Blackberry Meadows is among seven Allegheny County farms to share $1.4 million in infrastructure funding to support projects that improve water quality, reduce soil erosion and increase the health of local farmlands. The money was made available through the Allegheny County Conservation District, in conjunction with the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s Natural Resources Conservation Service, the state Department of Environmental Protection and the Department of Community and Economic Development.
One year later, some farmers still feel Helene’s impacts
Matt Busse | Virginia | Southeast Region
09/23/2025
Sarah Torres never anticipated that her cows would be feeling the effects of Hurricane Helene a year later. Torres, a family dairy farmer at Cresthaven Farms in Grayson County, made preparations ahead of the storm that impacted Southwest Virginia in late September 2024. The main goal was to protect the farm’s approximately 150 dairy cows from the anticipated wind and rain.
Painstville Herald: Fourth graders take part in Conservation Day at Thealka Park
By Mycca Decker | Painstville, KY | Southeast Region
09/24/2025
The Johnson County Conservation District held its annual Fourth Grade Conservation Day on Sept. 18 at Thealka Park. “Every fourth grader in the county, public, homeschool, private school, everybody’s invited,” said Erica Taylor-Reynolds, administrative coordinator for the Conservation District. “The things that they’re doing at each of these stations gears toward the state standards and natural resources with what they’re tested on.”
Farm Progress: How ‘weird’ cutting-edge conservation transforms this farm
By Jolene Bopp | Jones County, IA | North Central Region
09/24/2025
For Jones County, Iowa, farmer Nicole Vernon, conservation has always been a part of her life and second nature to her. Vernon recently was named the 2025 Iowa Conservation Woman of the Year by the Iowa Conservation Partnership for the work she is doing. Vernon, who farms on Vernon View Farms in Anamosa, Iowa, and with her parents on Moncks Homegrown in Monticello, Iowa, was nominated by the Jones County Soil and Water Conservation District.