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Last Call to Recognize an Outstanding Farmer in the Chesapeake Bay Watershed
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 | | The Perry family from Bradford County accepts the Clean Water Farm Award in July 2012. |
The deadline to submit a nomination for the 2013 Pennsylvania Chesapeake Bay Clean Water Farm Award Program is Feb. 28, 2013. New for this year, all conservation districts submitting a nomination will be entered to win a $100 pizza party!
Did your district recognize a cooperator of the year? Nominate them. Or perhaps a farm in your county that works with the district to implement pollution prevention strategies? Nominate them.
Information can be found here.
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E&S Manual Review Training Taking Place in Northeastern and Southeastern PA
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 Two Erosion and Sediment Manual Review trainings have been scheduled for May 2013. There will be a session in Scranton May 15 and 16. Registration information will be distributed the week of February 25.
A session has also been scheduled at Villanova University, 800 E. Lancaster Ave., Villanova, PA 19085 for May 29-30. Registration details can be found here. The two-day training will take place in the CEER Building on campus.
Both sessions are $300 and include the cost of all materials and meals.
All attendees who complete training will receive a completion certificate which will note the receipt of 12 professional development hours (PDHs) upon conclusion.
For the Villanova session, a block of rooms has been secured at the Courtyard Marriott located at 651 Fountain Road, Plymouth Meeting, PA 19462. The room block is for May 28 and 29. Call 800-321-2211 by May 8 to reserve a room under the "PACD Room Block Rate." Individuals can also secure a room under this block online. Additionally, a parking pass will be provided to all attendees upon receipt of their registration for the Villanova training.
To register yourself or an employee for the Villanova training, click here.
Details regarding the Scranton session will be distributed the week of February 25. If anyone is interested in that session, please send an email to Brandi Hunter-Davenport at brandi-davenport@pacd.org so that she may note your interest.
Districts, which have not sent staff to a previous training, will be able to send up to two (2) employees, to either session, at no cost.
Contact Brandi directly with any questions.
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Security Checks and Clearances
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What is a volunteer's responsibility?
 When the members of the Education and Outreach committee convened in both July 2012 and January 2013, the big topic of conversation was how to handle security checks and balances for education outreach staff and district volunteers particularly when working youth events.
Before we could tackle what needed to be done, we needed to understand what was already in place. We learned:
- Some districts have already taken steps to have their clearances updated every three years.
- Districts affiliated with their county had to undergo those clearances upon hire.
- A few districts didn't have a policy in place but were considering and wanted more information.
After contacting the state Department of Education, we learned that there isn't a blanket requirement stating that anyone who comes into contact with children must have a background check. In fact, each school district may have something different in place.
With that said, we were once again asking ourselves how we should proceed.
We have developed a background sheet for your offices regarding the types of background checks available.
We are sharing this information with each of the districts and encourage you to check with your local school board/district to determine which clearances they may require their volunteers to have.
Please feel free to contact Michele Ulmer, Pike County Conservation District, or Brandi Hunter-Davenport with any questions.
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District Manager's Message:
Judy Becker, Northumberland County Conservation District
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 I distinctly remember when I first started at the District, there were these moments called "slow periods" that seemed to occur from time to time. When our staff and directors sat down to go over our annual work plan for 2013 it became obvious these moments are a thing of the past! Read more here.
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PA Conservation Districts Receive More Than $5 Million to Protect and Improve Watersheds
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 The Pennsylvania Department of Environmental Protection (PA DEP) awarded more than 100 different Growing Greener grants to help protect the waters of the commonwealth. Over $18.7 million was divided between the successful applicants, which included county conservation districts, councils of government and watershed organizations. These grants will assist projects to reduce nonpoint source pollution, treat abandoned mine drainage and establish best management practices such as riparian buffers.
To see a complete list of the grant recipients, click here.
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Centre County Conservation District Hosts 80 Farmers for Manure Workshop
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 | | Photo courtesy of the Centre County Conservation District. |
On Saturday, January 26, 80 farmers attended a Manure Management Workshop sponsored by the Centre County Conservation District (CCCD). The purpose of the workshop was to assist farmers in writing a Manure Management Plan for their farming operation.
At the workshop each landowner received a "Fill in the Blank" Plan Workbook which, once completed, becomes the Manure Management Plan. Agricultural technicians taught
participants how to complete the entire Plan, section by section. CCCD plans to host another Manure Management workshop later in the spring. Please e-mail amdonova@co.centre.pa if you would like further details.
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NACD Submits Testimony to Senate Agriculture Committee
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NRCS Update
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 March is "celebrate the wonderful universe . . . . below" month according to the 2013 Soil Planner. The annual calendar jointly published by USDA NRCS and the Soil Science Society of America "unlocks the SECRETS IN THE SOIL". Did you know there is a remarkable web of life - sustaining our lives - right below our feet?
Check out NRCS's new soil health webpage for one-minute manager videos, profiles about producers improving the health of their soil, radio public service announcements, fact sheets and more about unlocking the secrets of the soil here.
Financial assistance continues to be available to producers wishing to practice no-till, grow cover crops, rotate crops and apply the right source of nutrients at the right rate, right time and right place to ensure our soils stay healthy and productive with little negative impact on our water, air and wildlife resources. For more information about EQIP or to apply, go to www.pa.nrcs.usda.gov/programs, or contact your local USDA Service Center.
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Penn State Extension Launches Pilot Master Watershed Steward Program
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Pennsylvania's first Master Watershed Steward Program will be piloted in the Lehigh Valley in 2013 as a collaborative effort between Penn State Extension, the Watershed Coalition of the Lehigh Valley, the Nurture Nature Center, the Northampton County Conservation District, the Pennsylvania Environmental Council and the Appalachian Mountain Club. If you are interested in learning more, contact Erin Frederick elf145@psu.edu at (610) 391-9840.
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SRBC Issues 2013 State of the Susquehanna Report
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 The Susquehanna River Basin Commission issued a State of the Susquehanna report showing trends in water use, drinking water, stormwater, aquatic habitat and other key water resource indicators. SRBC cites the lack of reliable funding for stream gages to be the greatest threat to the future of water resources management in the Susquehanna watershed. Read the report here.
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Help National FFA Receive Ram Truck Donation
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 Many of us watched the Super Bowl a few weeks back and had chance to view the Ram commercial dedicated to farmers this year.
Ram has officially committed to donating $1 million dollars to the National FFA (formerly Future Farmers of America) if one million people watch this commercial online. If you haven't had a chance, take a look at the commercial and consider sharing with your friends. Let's help the FFA and farming in the process!
For more information about the campaign and FFA, visit www.ffa.org.
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