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 with accessing articles, please contact the NACD Communications Team.

NACD Blog: Grant helps conservation district improve water quality
06/18/19

Pennsylvania’s Centre County Conservation District (CCCD) is using a Growing Greener grant through the Pennsylvania Department of Environmental Protection to establish forest buffers and protect thousands of feet of streambank, which will improve water quality and agriculture practices throughout seven watersheds.

The Washington Post: Weather woes cause American corn farmers to throw in the towel
By Laura Reiley
06/18/19

In the nation’s 18 major corn-producing states, there has been one refrain for the past few weeks: To plant or not to plant? “I have an aversion to seeing acres going unplanted. But we had one of the coolest and rainiest Mays on record, and that’s not conducive to healthy corn and soybean planting,” [NACD President Tim] Palmer said.

KCBD: $150 Million assigned to Texas State Soil and Water Conservation Board for flood control dam projects
By Brad Burt
06/11/19

The bill appropriated $150 million to the Texas State Soil and Water Conservation Board (TSSWCB) for repair and rehabilitation projects involving earthen dams built for the purpose of slowing and redirecting dangerous floodwaters.

Agri-Pulse: USDA moves up cover crop haying and grazing on prevented planting acres
By Spencer Chase
06/20/19

USDA’s Risk Management Agency will permit growers who plant cover crops on prevented planting acres to access that forage two months earlier than previously allowed.

Little Village Magazine: How planting prairie strips on Iowa farms could save soil, water, wildlife and money — in-state and beyond
By Paul Brennan
06/18/19

Researchers at Iowa State University have demonstrated that planting just 10 percent of a field of row crops, like corn or soybeans, with buffer strips of native prairie plants will reduce soil loss on that field by 95 percent.

Agri-Pulse: Opinion: USDA agencies team up to take on feral swine
By Matt Lohr and Kevin Shea
06/20/19

(Subscriber Only) (Opinion) A September 2006 outbreak of E.coli in 26 states that sickened more than 200 people and led to the deaths of three may have been caused by feral swine roaming on a central California spinach farm.

The Hill: Connecting the drops between farm fields and mounting water risks
By Sandra Postel
06/19/19

(Opinion) The heavy spring rains in the Midwest that have flooded farm fields, disrupted shipping and triggered numerous evacuations are also driving two disturbing projections for this summer: another large algal bloom in Lake Erie and a dead zone in the Gulf of Mexico the size of Massachusetts.

MPR News: Pollinator-friendly solar energy becomes the norm in Minnesota
By Elizabeth Dunbar
06/20/19

Pollinator-friendly plantings at large solar energy sites have recently become common in Minnesota in recent years. Not only do they provide habitat for the bee and butterfly populations people have been concerned about, but they also promote soil health and probably even boost the solar panels' electricity output on warm days.

E&E News: Court lets USDA off the hook for flood damage
By Michael Doyle
06/18/19

(Subscriber Only) In a noteworthy decision that could shape future property taking cases, the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Federal Circuit ruled the government doesn't owe compensation for the consequences of a decision made by someone enrolled in the Conservation Reserve Program.

Grand Forks Herald: Most Minnesota farmers achieve buffer compliance, even as resentment lingers
By Mitra Norowzi
06/18/19

Most of Minnesota’s land owners have reached Buffer Law compliance, with assistance from the state’s Soil and Water Conservation Districts. However, many farmers are still unhappy about the ‘one-size-fits-all’ approach created by the law.

Phys Org: To help the bees, protect the prairie
By Will Kane
06/17/19

California almond farmers who depend on commercial bee hives to pollinate their lucrative crops would benefit from increased efforts to protect essential bee foraging territory in northern prairie states.

Medium: It Wasn’t the Cows After All
By Andrew Gunther
06/14/19

While the cattle industry is repeatedly accused of being the main culprit for increased global methane emissions, a new study shows that the fertilizer industry is the root cause.

Business Williamson: Three state agencies announce partnership to arrest alarming decline of pollinator species
By Mark Cook
06/18/19

The Tennessee Department of Transportation this week announced a new partnership with the Tennessee Department of Environment and Conservation and the Tennessee Department of Agriculture to create pollinator meadows and expand a program to place beehives in state parks.

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