For the Week of April 7-11, 2008 >> click here for the printer friendly version

In This Week's Edition . . .

• District Exchange
  • Madison County SWCD seeks executive director
  • 2008 spring tree sale sponsored by the Jennings County SWCD
  • New Email for June Snyder, Morgan County SWCD
• Reminder: Natural Resources Leadership Development Institute
• Reminder: 2009 Annual Conference – Call for Abstracts
• NRCS Volunteer Voice newsletter
• New Incentive to Encourage BMP Survey Participation
• Farm Bill in Limbo
• Upcoming Workshops/Seminars

A Report from the Executive Director, Jennifer Boyle

District Exchange.

• Madison County SWCD Seeks Executive Director. The Madison County SWCD seeks applicants for the executive director position. Interested individuals may obtain a detailed position description from the Madison County SWCD Web site. Salary is competitive and commensurate upon experience. Resumes must be received by 4:30 p.m. on May 16. Send resumes to: Madison County SWCD, Attn: Gene Best, 182 W. 300 N., Suite D, Anderson, IN 46012.

• 2008 Spring Tree Sale Sponsored by the Jennings County SWCD. Trees sold by the Jennings County SWCD are produced by Woody Warehouse Nursery, Inc., Hendricks County, using a “Root Force System” (RFS).  RFS trees are produced using a three-step air root pruning system that stimulates lateral root production. Proceeds from this sale will go to the Jennings County Soil & Water District and the 4-H Extension Program to help fund future projects in Jennings County. The order deadline is April 25. Trees will be available for pick-up on Monday, May 5th at the Jennings County SWCD office. Click here for the catalog of trees to order from the Jennings County SWCD. If you have any questions, contact the SWCD office at 812.346.3411 ext 3.

• New Email for June Snyder, Morgan County SWCD. The Morgan County SWCD moved offices in January (see the January 9 Weekly Update). June Snyder didn't have her new email address then. It is jsnyder@morgancounty.in.gov.

Reminder: Natural Resources Leadership Development Institute. The goal of the Natural Resources Leadership Institute is to develop leaders within the natural resources communities who can build collaborative relationships with others around contentious issues. NRLDI is sponsored by the Department of Forestry & Natural Resources at Purdue University, in cooperation with the Department of Agricultural Economics.The deadline for submission of applications is August 1, 2008. The first session of the 2008 class is Sept. 10-12. Click here for the program brochure. If you have any questions about the program, contact Dr. Janet Ayres via email or at 765-494-4215.

Reminder: 2009 Annual Conference – Call for Abstracts. A Call for Abstracts is being distributed around the state to generate renewed interest and expand our pool of speakers for the 2009 Annual Conference for Indiana SWCDs. Districts, individuals, universities, agencies, organizations and others are all eligible to submit an abstract. Most importantly, the deadline to submit an abstract is May 16, 2008. 

And Finally. Click here to read the latest edition of the NRCS Volunteer Voice newsletter, the Voice for Earth Team volunteers.

Have a good week,
Jennifer

New Incentive to Encourage BMP Survey Participation

With the survey deadline rapidly approaching, the Indiana Soybean Alliance (ISA), Conservation Technology Information Center (CTIC), and The Fertilizer Institute (TFI) urge Hoosier farmers to participate in the Indiana BMP (Best Management Practices) Survey.

To encourage a final surge of respondents, they have added an incentive. Farmers who complete the survey and provide an email address will be entered into a drawing for one of four $25 gift cards to popular restaurants. Surveys must be completed by April 30 (extended deadline) and include an email address so that they can contact the winners.

The goal of the online survey is to collect information indicating the barriers to adoption of conservation practices and nutrient management plans. Results of a similar nationwide survey were recently gathered and analyzed and are overwhelmingly positive, indicating U.S. farmers are adopting conservation practices in high numbers.

District staff: if you have farmer customers, please alert them to this survey to complete online. Supervisors or other farm operators: If you operate a farm in Indiana, please take 10 minutes to complete this important survey. Click or paste in your browser, http://www.surveymonkey.com/s.aspx?sm=QgePleWFy1uErGqKGzbHAg_3d_3d, or, visit CTIC’s Web site, and click on “Indiana Farmers Take BMP Survey.” 

CTIC will be collecting information until April 30. Contact Courtney Schmidt, CTIC Communications Director, with questions at or 765-494-6956, or Megan Kuhn, ISA Communications Director, at 317-347-3620, ext. 306. 

Farm Bill in Limbo

Congressional leaders continue negotiations on the 2008 Farm Bill in an effort to meet the April 18 deadline when the current extension of the 2002 Farm Bill expires. In a speech before the North American Agricultural Journalists yesterday, USDA Secretary of Agriculture Ed Schafer said he would consider another short term extension if Congress and the Administration had come to terms on a framework agreement. The major points of negotiation remain additional funding sources and the creation of a permanent disaster program. NACD continually monitors these negotiations and will keep you posted on the latest developments.

INDIANA ASSOCIATION OF SOIL AND WATER CONSERVATION DISTRICTS

OFFICERS:

President: Jim Droege, Posey Co.
Vice President: Paula Baldwin, Marion Co.
Secretary: Ray McCormick: Knox Co.
Treasurer: Jeff Meinders, Ripley Co.

REGION DIRECTORS: