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Conservation Districts weigh in on administration’s actions

The CEO of the National Association of Conservation Districts says reducing USDA staff will have long-term impacts on farmers and rural communities.

Jeremy Peters tells Brownfield farmers could exclude conservation practices this growing season because of the lack of financial and technical assistance.

“There’s all these suite practices that are so tremendously beneficial that, if we miss that window at the beginning of the planting season, we don’t get another opportunity until the farmer’s in another decision point to make a management shift,” he says.

He says agencies have been trying to fill workforce shortages for at least a decade.

“That really is in response to the growing demand from farmers and ranchers for conservation programs and conservation assistance,” he says. “As farmers are experiencing, especially the impact from extreme weather, from climate change, the impacts are real and they’re looking for tools to help mitigate those impacts.”

He says there’s a tremendous amount of environmental and economic benefits conservation practices provide to farmers and rural areas

NACD recently surveyed conservation districts across the country to learn about the impacts of funding freezes and staffing gaps.