Conservation Update  
 
Feb. 28 - March 13
Executive Director's Report

State Soil Conservation Board Meeting - Rescheduled
The State Soil Conservation Board meeting has been rescheduled for Tuesday, March 19 at 9:30 am. The meeting will be held at The Nature Conservancy located at 620 E Ohio Street in Indianapolis. 

 

Indiana Tillage Transect

The Indiana Conservation Partnership is committed to completing the Tillage Transect statewide in 2013. The increase in demand for Indiana's row crop production, coupled with the ICP's focus on conservation cropping systems that lead to improved soil health, and the reports on agriculture's role in the gulf hypoxia and Great Lakes issues makes tracking trends in conservation tillage, energy consumption and cropping systems an important and valuable activity. The Tillage Transect allows the partnership to track these adoption trends by state, county or watershed. The Tillage Transect Background and Procedures describe the roles and expectations of each partner for the 2013 Tillage Transect.


Opportunity to Comment on Abandoned Mined Land Programs in Indiana
The Alton Field Division (AFD) of the Office of Surface Mining has oversight responsibility for both the regulatory and abandoned mined land programs in Indiana. Your feedback will help to determine where the AFD will focus its oversight resources and what aspects of Indiana's programs will be reviewed. If you have any comments, send them to Thomas Miller at [email protected] by March 30.
 
4 R's / Nutrient Management and Stewardship Survey
This 20-minute survey focuses on nutrient management and stewardship and specifically aims to identify ways to improve cooperation between conservationists, agricultural producers and agricultural retailers. This information will be used to develop strategies that will help make efforts more effective in accelerating the adoption of nutrient stewardship practices.

Lt. Governor Sue Ellspermann celebrated with Indiana's Family of Farmers at the Indiana Agriculture Appreciation Month kickoff event on March 5. 
  
Have a great week!
Jennifer Boyle Warner, IASWCD Executive Director

Conservation News Digest

  

NRCS Summer Conservation Boot Camp 
NRCS has scheduled their conservation boot camp for this July. It will be open to all conservation partnership employees as space allows. This course is only offered every other year! The week long course will be held July 22-26, 2013 at Ivy Tech near Marion, Indiana. More information will come closer to the date.

From USA Today: Farmers growing comfortable with mobile devices

WASHINGTON - For Zach Hunnicutt, a fifth-generation Nebraska farmer, the decision to install new tracking technology on his equipment last summer proved to be money well spent. Just nine hours after installing GPS in machines that slowly water corn and soybeans on his family's farm, Hunnicutt's brother saw on his iPad tracking app that two of them were about to collide.  

 

A quick text message to Hunnicutt gave the 30-year-old time to drive out to the field, turn off the equipment and avert disaster with minutes to spare - saving $10,000 in repair costs and avoiding downtime when the machines known as pivots would be unable to water thirsty crops already suffering from the worst drought in decades.

 

A growing number of U.S. farmers and ranchers such as Hunnicutt and his family are using smartphones or other mobile devices to increase efficiency and generate higher profits - a challenge in an industry beset by high input costs, low margins and continual uncertainty from Mother Nature... Read the full story

 

Follow us on Twitter, and check out our blog post, "Apps for Modern Agriculture!" 
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Upcoming Events  

March 16: 7th Annual Conservation Tillage Breakfast & Workshop, Franklin Co. SWCD

March 18 - 19:
Two-Stage Ditch Workshop

 

March 20: Well Water Workshop, Boone Co.   
March 21: Advanced Soil Health Workshops for ICP staff & CCAs 
 
 March 22: Conservation Cropping Systems Workshops for farmers

March 25: Conservation Cropping Meeting, SW Indiana  

 

Upcoming Deadlines

 

Funding: 

 

May 22: 

Conservation Innovation Grants

 Grants aim to help develop and demonstrate cutting-edge ideas to improve conservation on private lands.

 

April 30: 

is focused on making grants to support environmental, education, human services and other causes.

Ongoing:
Cedar Tree Foundation
 focuses on sustainable agriculture, environmental education, and environmental health. The Foundation gives particular consideration to proposals demonstrating strong elements of environmental justice and conservation.

 

View more grant opportunities here

   

Other News

Webinar: Integrating Livestock into a Cropping System for Sustainability and Soil Health
Participate in this webinar on April 2 to learn how the Small Angus Ranch in Burleigh County, North Dakota, is working toward the goals stated in the webinar title. Follow along the Small's soil health road as the before and after of their recently installed cropping and grazing systems are illustrated. Additional topics will include the supporting conservation practices they installed, such as water developments, livestock pipelines, fences, and cover crop combinations.
Job Opening: Watershed Coordinator, Orange Co. 

Orange County SWCD has an open position for the Lost River Watershed Coordinator. Interested applicants can email District Coordinator Michael Wilhite for a complete job description at [email protected]. Resumes will be accepted until the position is filled. 


Job Opening: PT Fundraiser, UWRWA

The Upper White River Watershed Alliance is seeking a part-time fundraiser who will work primarily on their annual River Fest. Job description here. 

  

Job Opening: Administrative Asst., St. Joseph SWCD  

The St. Joe SWCD is has an opening for an administrative assistant / treasurer in their office. Job description here.