(INDIANAPOLIS) -The National Association of Conservation Districts (NACD) will be hosting a summer Soil Health Forum and Conservation Tour on July 21 and 22 in Indianapolis, Indiana. As part of the meeting, The National Conservation District Employees Association (NCDEA) will also be offering a soil health technical training session for district and NRCS employees on July 23.

The tour, forum and training will be held in conjunction with NACD partners including the Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS), the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), and the Indiana Association of Soil and Water Conservation Districts (IASWCD). Participants will select from several farm tours highlighting on-the-ground conservation practices in part supported by USDA Farm Bill and EPA 319 programs.

On Monday, attendees will hear from a variety of speakers, including a panel of farmers, on the topic of soil health. On Tuesday, attendees will participate in one of several of soil-health focused tours, including:  

• Rulon Enterprises: Economic Opportunities of Soil Health Systems
• Starkey Farms/Little Ireland Farms: Measuring the Benefits of Soil Health for Water Quality/Farming for Soil Health and Upstream from Indy's Drinking Water Source
• Legan Farms: Irrigation and Manure Integration for Soil Health and Water Quality

On Tuesday afternoon, the tour will visit the Indiana State Fairgrounds to visit the "Pathway to Water Quality" watershed demonstration site and the Indiana Soybean Alliance "Glass Barn," a vivid experience of what life is like for Indiana farmers, including how technology serves as a bridge between farmers and the land.

According to Jeff Meinders, President of IASWCD, "the NACD Soil Health Forum and Conservation Tour will be an excellent opportunity to learn more about the soil health outreach efforts happening in Indiana and across the nation." For the latest information on the agenda, tours, hotel, local attractions and to register, visit: nacdnet.org/events/summer2014.