Make sure to register for the upcoming Annual Meeting! There is a lot of news to catch up on too. And our vintage style is celebrating our 80 year anniversary!
Scanned in paper newsletter from 1997. Check it out for Soil & Water's 80th Anniversary.
Licking County Soil & Water Conservation District is seeking proposals from qualified engineering firms to mitigate historical flooding in the main stem of the South Licking River Watershed (HUC 05100102) and associated tributaries primarily between Pataskala to Heath in Licking County, OH.
There's a lot going on! We've included details about the Hartford Fair in August, River Round Up registration details and poster winners. Check out our calendar for more upcoming events.
Read the latest conservation news and check out the fish sale in the latest edition of Conservation Notes in this, our 80th Year!
ODA Announces New Farmland Preservation Commitments.
Farm owners in Clinton, Delaware, Fayette, Huron, Licking, Madison and Morrow counties join the program
Read the latest conservation news and check out the tree sale in the first edition of Conservation Notes in this, our 80th Year!
The Ohio Department of Agriculture recognized five families as winners of the 2022 Conservation Farm Family Awards at the Farm Science Review in London on Sept. 22.
The five families honored were: Settlage Farm, Auglaize County; Baltes Farm, Mahoning County; Felumlee family, Claylick Run Farm, Licking County; Branstrator Farm, Warren County; and Brown Family Farm, Highland County.
Area 3 Winner- Claylick Run Farm, Licking County
The Felumlee family owns and operates Claylick Run Farm in Licking County, which is made up of nearly 1,300 acres of corn, soybeans, alfalfa/grass hay, and beef cattle. Claylick Run Farm is an innovative family farm that takes pride in their land. They are conservation-minded in all aspects of their farm program. The Felumlee family is active in their local agriculture groups and was a 2018 Licking SWCD Cooperator of the Year award winner.
The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) is announcing the signup period for its Clean Lakes, Estuaries, And Rivers initiative (CLEAR30) — a nationwide opportunity for certain landowners and agricultural producers currently implementing water quality practices through the Conservation Reserve Program (CRP) to enroll in 30-year contracts, extending the lifespan and strengthening the benefits of important water quality practices on their land.
About the Meeting
USDA’s Office of Urban Agriculture and Innovative Production is coordinating the meeting, which runs from 11 a.m. to 3:30 p.m. ET on March 23 and 24, 2022. To attend, register by March 18, 2022.
At the meeting, committee members will discuss administrative matters and consult on the National Institute of Food and Agriculture’s Notice of Funding Opportunity for the Urban, Indoor and Emerging Agriculture grants.
Members of the public who wish to submit comments or questions related to urban agriculture may submit them via www.regulations.gov.
Comments must be submitted by March 18, 2022.
For special accommodations, please contact Leslie Glover at (602) 395-9536 or UrbanAgricultureFederalAdvisoryCommittee@usda.gov.
Additional details are available in the March 8, 2022 Federal Register notice and online at farmers.gov/urban or on the committee’s webpage.
USDA and Urban Agriculture
The Federal Advisory Committee for Urban Agriculture and Innovative Production is part of a broad USDA investment in urban agriculture. Other efforts include:
Grants that target areas of food access, education, business and start-up costs for new farmers, and policy development related to zoning and other urban production needs.
Cooperative agreements that develop and test strategies for planning and implementing municipal compost plans and food waste reduction plans.
Investing $260,000 for risk management training and crop insurance education for historically underserved and urban producers through partnerships between USDA’s Risk Management Agency (RMA) and the University of Maryland, University of Connecticut, and Michigan State University Center for Regional Food Systems.
Providing technical and financial assistance through conservation programs offered by USDA’s Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS).
Organizing 11 Farm Service Agency (FSA) urban and suburban county committees. FSA will organize additional committees.
The Office of Urban Agriculture and Innovative Production was established through the 2018 Farm Bill. It is led by NRCS and works in partnership with numerous USDA agencies that support urban agriculture. Its mission is to encourage and promote urban, indoor, and other emerging agricultural practices, including community composting and food waste reduction.
More information is available at farmers.gov/urban and the new Federal Advisory Committee for Urban Agriculture and Innovative Production website at www.usda.gov/partnerships/advisory-committee-urban-ag-innovative-production.
Additional resources that may be of interest to urban agriculture entities include grants from USDA’s Agricultural Marketing Service and National Institute of Food and Agriculture as well as FSA loans.
USDA touches the lives of all Americans each day in so many positive ways. Under the Biden-Harris Administration, USDA is transforming America’s food system with a greater focus on more resilient local and regional food production, fairer markets for all producers, ensuring access to safe, healthy, and nutritious food in all communities, building new markets and streams of income for farmers and producers using climate smart food and forestry practices, making historic investments in infrastructure and clean energy capabilities in rural America, and committing to equity across the Department by removing systemic barriers and building a workforce more representative of America. To learn more, visit usda.gov.
USDA is an equal opportunity provider, employer and lender.
Catch up on news of the Conservation District and review the trees available for purchase online.
Licking County Soil & Water celebrated our community conservation efforts at the Annual Banquet on November 17th by announcing the Annual Award Winners for 2021.
COLUMBUS, Ohio – The Ohio Department of Natural Resources (ODNR) is looking for highly motivated high school students who are driven by their passion for Ohio’s great outdoors to serve on the Conservation Teen Advisory Council (ConTAC). ConTAC is a statewide network of student leaders working together to enhance ODNR’s youth outreach and program efforts.
“The students who have been part of our past two ConTAC classes have been so bright, passionate, and driven. We really valued their input. I look forward to this next group of applicants,” said ODNR Director Mary Mertz. “This is a great opportunity for these young people to learn about and participate in the work we do preserving our state’s natural resources. The skills they acquire as part of ConTAC will help them in any future endeavors, no matter what profession they pursue.”
Click the heading to learn about ponds, check out our fish fingerling catalog, and there's more about TREES!
COLUMBUS, OH, Dec. 7, 2020 – The U.S. Department of Agriculture's Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS) announced Friday, January 15, 2021, as the deadline to submit applications for Ohio’s Environmental Quality Incentives Program (EQIP). Contact Joe Koehler at 740-670-5340 for application.
EQIP is a voluntary conservation program which helps producers make conservation work for them. NRCS provides agricultural producers with financial resources and one-on-one help to plan and implement improvements, or what NRCS calls conservation practices. Using these practices can lead to cleaner water and air, healthier soil and better wildlife habitat, all while improving agricultural operations. Through EQIP, you can voluntarily implement conservation practices, and NRCS co-invests in these practices with you. Together, NRCS and producers invest in solutions that conserve natural resources for the future while also improving agricultural operations.
Dear Friend of Agriculture,
As the number of COVID-19 cases has risen significantly across the United States and in Ohio over the last several weeks, the USDA has made the decision to adjust our operating status in USDA Service Centers that are experiencing elevated rates of coronavirus community spread. Since the pandemic began, USDA has been driven by data as we have increased access to our offices, but now the data is reflecting that a change is necessary and we must temporarily step back and limit in-person access in several locations across the US and in Ohio. This will be effective starting on Tuesday, December 1, 2020. This decision is based on the latest data to protect our employees and customers from rising COVID cases both in the community and in our workforce. USDA will continually review data to determine the status of service centers and receiving visitors in impacted counties.
The Ohio Farm Bureau Federation and the U.S. Department of Agriculture Natural Resources Conservation Service have signed a new, five-year agreement to continue research for the Blanchard River Demonstration Farms Network project. The ongoing efforts of the two organizations will study ideas that emphasize protecting Ohio’s water resources and soil health through innovative agricultural practices.
The Licking Park District was joined by Licking County and Madison Township officials on August 6th to officially dedicate the recently completed Staddens Landing. I
The Ohio Department of Agriculture today announced approval for local sponsors to purchase agricultural easements on 39 family farms representing 5,012 acres in 25 counties.
New tools help farmers manage their conservation activities online, request assistance
To promote the use of cover crops, the Muskingum Watershed Conservancy District is again providing funding for the Cover Crop Cost-Share Program to assist producers in planting cover crops to decrease erosion and improve water quality.
Soil & Water will be accepting applications until July 3, 2020. Applications are evaluated individually with fields being scored based on several criteria. Fields that score high enough are approved for cost-share funding at a rate of $12/approved acre. If a producer and field are new to the Program, the cost-share rate is $15/approved acre. There is a cap of 200 approved acres per producer.
Job Opening: AmeriCorps at Licking County Soil and Water Conservation
Click to read full job description and requirements.
The next deadline for Ohio Conservation Stewardship Program (CSP) applications to be considered for funding this fiscal year is May 29, 2020. Through CSP, USDA’s Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS) helps Ohio farmers and forest landowners earn payments for expanding conservation activities while maintaining agricultural production on their land. CSP also encourages the adoption of new technologies and management techniques.
Licking County Soil & Water office closed to the public; daily operations continue
COLUMBUS, OH, – The U.S. Department of Agriculture's Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS) announced Friday, March 20, 2020, as the deadline to submit applications for Ohio’s Environmental Quality Incentives Program (EQIP).
EQIP is a voluntary conservation program which helps producers make conservation work for them. Together, NRCS and producers invest in solutions that conserve natural resources for the future while also improving agricultural operations.
Congratulations to Kevin Elder of Perry County who was sworn in as a Director of the South Licking Conservancy District before the Conservancy Court in Licking County in December.
Landscape For Life™ shows you how to work with nature in your garden, no matter where you live — whether you garden on a city or suburban lot, a 20–acre farm, or the common area of your condominium.
This series is made possible by a collaboration between the Lady Bird Johnson Wildflower Center and the United State Botanic Garden based on the principles of the Sustainable Sites Initiative (SITES®).
Licking County River Round Up is an annual, county-wide, waterway cleanup event in the Licking River Watershed. Hundreds of volunteers participate in the event by collecting trash and debris along shorelines and in the water.
River Round Up Poster Contest deadline for submission is February 21, 2020
The Ohio Department of Natural Resources (ODNR) Division of Forestry is seeking your help to identify key issues, threats, and opportunities associated with Ohio’s forest resources.
The Licking County Soil & Water Conservation District is seeking a full time Urban Conservation Technician.
The Ohio Ecological Food and Farm Association (OEFFA) announces the launch of Heartland FarmLink, a new land linking service for farm seekers and farm owners.
Celebrating Soil & Water's 75th Anniversary (Part 3 of 4)
To help foster the creation of monarch butterfly habitat, the Ohio Pollinator Habitat Initiative (OPHI), in cooperation with Licking Soil & Water offers a Statewide Milkweed Pod Collection spanning from September 1 to October 31.
Read our most recent Conservation News, which includes Part 3 of our 4 Part 75th Anniversary articles, as well as information on River Round Up and the November Banquet.
To promote the use of cover crops, Licking Soil & Water and the Muskingum Watershed Conservancy District (MWCD) are offering a Cover Crop Cost-Share Program. Producers within the Greater Muskingum River watershed can apply for $12-$15/acre cost-share with a cap of 200 approved acres per applicant. The Greater Muskingum Watershed includes the Licking River and all of its tributaries and Wakatomika Creek.
Celebrating Soil & Water's 75th Anniversary (Part 2 of 4)
Read our most recent Conservation Notes, which includes Part 2 of our 4 Part 75th Anniversary articles.
The Licking Soil and Water Conservation Districts (SWCD) is pleased to announce the election of Bill Goodman to the Ohio Federation of Soil and Water Conservation Districts (OFSWCD) Board of Directors’ beginning March 1, 2019.
Read our most recent Conservation Notes, which includes our tree catalog, upcoming events, and Part 1 of our 75th Anniversary articles.
Best Management Practices for Urban Forest Success, with local and specific examples.
Celebrating Soil & Water's 75th Anniversary (Part 1 of 4)
Licking Soil & Water Conservation District (SWCD), USDA Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS) and Licking County Farm Bureau will host a complimentary breakfast for the Local Work Group on March 8, 2019.
Claire Donley of Lancaster is the new Buckeye Lake Watershed Coordinator. She will be focusing on water quality, and this article introduces her qualification and interests.
Seth Dobbelaer and Ron Thompson were elected to a three year term on the Board of Supervisors of Licking Soil & Water Conservation District at the public election on Wednesday, November 7, 2018 at Licking Soil & Water’s Annual Banquet at The Grove by the River, Newark.
