Hosted in partnership with the California Association of Resource Conservation Districts (CARCD), NACD's 2024 Annual Meeting will take place in San Diego, California from February 10-14, 2024. Join us for great networking opportunities, speakers, and tours exploring the theme "Operation Conservation!"

Time is running out to take advantage of our early bird special! Register before THIS Friday, December 22 to save up to $130.

Don't miss out on the learning opportunities at this event! Explore the 2024 Annual Meeting agenda to discover available breakout sessions, meetings, and social events that will be happening throughout the week. Find everything you need to know on NACD's website.

NACD REQUESTS PROPOSALS FOR CLIMATE-SMART COMMODITIES PROJECT GRANTS

With over 100 concept papers submitted requesting $420M+ in project funding, NACD is excited about the impact the Climate-Smart Commodities grant program will have on environmental outcomes, locally led conservation, and producers!

Last week, NACD announced the formal Request for Proposals (RFP) for Project Grants. A separate RFP for Planning & Capacity grants will be released in January 2024. 



Visit NACD's Climate-Smart Commodities webpage for more information and resources to respond to the RFP. A link to submit proposals online will be provided in February 2024. Proposals for project grants are due by March 15, 2024.

On January 11, 2024 at 4:00 p.m. ET, NACD will host a webinar to explain the RFP and answer applicants’ questions. Register to attend here. This session will be recorded and available to view online afterwards for those unable to participate live.

Learn more on NACD's website or reach out to climate@nacdnet.org with questions about the RFP process.

ALL 2024 EDUCATION MATERIALS PRINTED AND DELIVERED IN NEW TOOLKIT

Get all the necessities for an outreach or classroom event shipped directly to you with NACD's 2024 Education Toolkit! This all-in-one toolkit comes with high-quality printed materials, ready to pass out activities for students, guides for district educators and teachers, and more. These boxes are the perfect tool to promote your district, the photo and poster contests, and forestry conservation education. Of course, everything included is themed to May The Forest Be With You Always! 

This starter toolkit includes: an Education and Lesson Plans Guide, color-me-in activity mats and bookmarks, rack cards and posters for education contests, district thank you cards, student activity journals, stickers, and more!



Need more or less? Quantities of any of the included items are also available for individual purchase here.

All of these materials also continue to be available for free digital download on NACD's marketplace.

NCF ANNOUNCES 2024 NGLI COHORT MEMBERS

The National Conservation Foundation (NCF) has announced the names of the five participants selected to participate in the 2024 cohort of the Next Generation Leadership Institute (NGLI). 

NGLI was formally launched in August of 2019 as a year-long program to advance conservation leadership. The 2024 NGLI cohort participants were selected through a competitive national application process. This will be the fourth cohort for the program.  

The 2024 cohort consists of Excell La Fayette, Jr. of Oklahoma; Kelli Bowen of North Dakota; Vincent Thompson of Kentucky; Kirk Daniel of Tennessee; and Glenn Takai of Guam.  

NGLI participants will meet for four training sessions throughout the year, with a capstone session at NACD's annual meeting in 2025. The NGLI curriculum will equip these leaders with skills and resources for personal, civic, and organizational leadership development.  

This comprehensive training will help participants rise to meet the future needs of natural resources management, preparing them to navigate and manage complex conservation challenges – both current and future – at the national level. Learn more on NCF's website. 



The cohort will convene for their first session at the 2024 NACD Annual Meeting in San Diego, California from February 10-14, 2024.

WHAT'S UP IN WASHINGTON:

GOVERNMENT AFFAIRS UPDATE

The Senate delayed its holiday recess planned for this week in an effort to negotiate legislation to provide foreign aid and support border security. 

In the New Year, Congress is expected to focus on federal spending bills, foreign aid, the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) reauthorization, and the farm bill.

Once again, Congress must reach an agreement to fund the government or pass an extension by January 19 to keep the U.S. Department of Agriculture and other agencies from shutting down. While timing is still uncertain, the Chairman of the House Agriculture Committee recently said that he hopes to move a new farm bill by March. 

NACD SOIL HEALTH CHAMPION HIGHLIGHTED IN NEW BOOK ON BENEFITS OF COVER CROPS

A new guidebook on cover crops aimed at farmers and farm advisors has been released through the Center for Regenerative Agriculture at the University of Missouri.

The book profiles 12 farmers from across the country--including Jimmy Emmons, an NACD Soil Health Champion and past president of the Oklahoma Association of Conservation Districts, who has extensive cover crop experience--and provides tips on cover crop selection and management, including simple steps for getting started with cover crops and background information on soil biology and soil health.

When Jimmy and his wife Ginger first tried cover crops in 2010, they planted a warm season mix of about six species, including sorghum, millet, and cowpeas. This was planted after winter wheat harvest in mid-summer. Over time, they experimented with various options and now try to plant every field with cover crops, either after winter cereal harvest in mid-summer or after cash crops like sorghum are harvested in the fall.

Jimmy has observed that cover crops have significantly helped both in excessively wet periods and prolonged dry periods. During periods of drought, he has more soil moisture than conventional fields, and when he gets a rainstorm downburst, every bit of rain is captured.

Asked about what message he would give to farmers who haven’t yet tried covers, Jimmy said, “Never say never. There are so many places to go learn about covers—conferences, books, farmer networks, and social media.”

With boosts in NRCS funding through the Inflation Reduction Act that give extra support to cover crops, and many states increasing investments in cover crops, this guidebook is timely.

Learn more about it, and Jimmy's experience with cover crops, in this blog post by guest author Dr. Robert L. Myers from the University of Missouri and purchase his book here.