IN THE NEWS
2019 Outstanding Conservation District Award
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Karen Brazzeal, Marketing Director for the Sebastian County Conservation District,
speaks during the district’s board of directors meeting Thursday. [THOMAS SACCENTE/TIMES RECORD]
Feb. 19, 2019
Sebastian, Crawford conservation districts win state award
Times Record Staff
The Sebastian and Crawford County conservation districts were the recipients of a distinguished award last week. Karen Brazzeal, marketing director for the Sebastian County Conservation District, said the districts were awarded the outstanding conservation district award for 2019 by the Arkansas Association of Conservation Districts during a meeting in North Little Rock Wednesday. This is the first time a joint conservation district has won the award.
“We have been a conservation district since the early 1900s, and this is our first time to receive the award,” Brazzeal said. The award was announced during a meeting of the Sebastian County Conservation District Board of Directors on Thursday.
“It’s a great honor, and we were well-represented yesterday at the AACD Meeting,” Brazzeal said.
IN THE NEWS:
SEBASTIAN COUNTY CONSERVATION DISTRICT ARTICLES:
speaks during the district’s board of directors meeting Thursday. [THOMAS SACCENTE/TIMES RECORD]
Feb. 19, 2019
Sebastian, Crawford conservation districts win state award
Times Record Staff
The Sebastian and Crawford County conservation districts were the recipients of a distinguished award last week. Karen Brazzeal, marketing director for the Sebastian County Conservation District, said the districts were awarded the outstanding conservation district award for 2019 by the Arkansas Association of Conservation Districts during a meeting in North Little Rock Wednesday. This is the first time a joint conservation district has won the award.
“We have been a conservation district since the early 1900s, and this is our first time to receive the award,” Brazzeal said. The award was announced during a meeting of the Sebastian County Conservation District Board of Directors on Thursday.
“It’s a great honor, and we were well-represented yesterday at the AACD Meeting,” Brazzeal said.
IN THE NEWS:
SEBASTIAN COUNTY CONSERVATION DISTRICT ARTICLES:
Follow the link to the Feb. 14, 2019 Times Record article:
www.swtimes.com/news/20190214/sebastian-county-grant-to-aid-crawford-county-projects
www.swtimes.com/news/20190214/sebastian-county-grant-to-aid-crawford-county-projects
Follow the link to the Dec. 28, 2018 Times Record article:
SWTIMES.COM/NEWS/20181228/CONSERVATION-DISTRICT-PUTS-FINAL-TOUCHES-ON-REPORT
SWTIMES.COM/NEWS/20181228/CONSERVATION-DISTRICT-PUTS-FINAL-TOUCHES-ON-REPORT
Follow the link to the Aug. 10, 2018 Times Record article:
swtimes.com/news/20180810/fort-smith-forum-promotes-rain-gardens
swtimes.com/news/20180810/fort-smith-forum-promotes-rain-gardens
Follow the link to the Aug, 9, 2018 Times Record article:
www.swtimes.com/news/20180809/rain-gardens-stormwater-runoff-focus-of-fort-smith-meeting-thursday
www.swtimes.com/news/20180809/rain-gardens-stormwater-runoff-focus-of-fort-smith-meeting-thursday
Follow the link to the July 4, 2018 Times Record article:
swtimes.com/news/20180704/efficient-sustainable-gardening-goal-of-sebastian-county-conservation-district
swtimes.com/news/20180704/efficient-sustainable-gardening-goal-of-sebastian-county-conservation-district
USDA Press RELEASES:
USDA Announces Sign-Up Deadline for Updated Conservation Stewardship Program
LITTLE ROCK, Ark., April 8, 2019 – The deadline for Conservation Stewardship Program (CSP) applications to be considered for funding in fiscal year (FY) 2019 is May 10, 2019.
USDA’s Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS) plans to invest up to $700 million for new enrollments and contract extensions in fiscal year 2019. The 2018 Farm Bill made several changes to this critical conservation program, which helps agricultural producers take the conservation activities on their farm or ranch to the next level.
“CSP continues to be a very effective tool for private landowners working to achieve their conservation and management goals,” said Mike Sullivan, Arkansas NRCS state conservationist. “It is the largest conservation program in the United States with more than 70 million acres of productive agricultural and forest land enrolled.”
While applications are accepted throughout the year, interested producers should submit applications to their local NRCS office by May 10, 2019, to ensure their applications are considered for 2019 funding.
Changes to the Program
The 2018 Farm Bill authorizes NRCS to accept new CSP enrollments from now until 2023, and it makes some important improvements to the program. These updates include:
· NRCS now enrolls eligible, high ranking applications based on dollars rather than acres. For fiscal 2019, NRCS can spend up to $700 million in the program, which covers part of the cost for producers implementing new conservation activities and maintaining their existing activities.
· Higher payment rates are now available for certain conservation activities, including cover crops and resource conserving crop rotations.
· CSP now provides specific support for organic and for transitioning to organic production activities and a special grassland conservation initiative for certain producers who have maintained cropland base acres.
About the Program
CSP is offered in Arkansas through continuous sign-ups. The program provides many benefits including increased crop yields, decreased inputs, wildlife habitat improvements and increased resilience to weather extremes. CSP is for working lands including cropland, pastureland, rangeland, nonindustrial private forest land and agricultural land under the jurisdiction of a tribe.
More Information
For additional information about CSP, contact your local USDA service center (https://www.farmers.gov/service-locator).
Jeremy Prater, Urban Project Coordinator, speaks at the Master Gardeners Club
Jeremy Prater, Urban Project Coordinator, Times REcord Aug. 9, 2019
