Conservation

On Friday, the Colvin family, along with NRCS leadership, presented Marty Chaney with the Colvin Ranch Conservation Partner Award.  Chaney was recognized for more than 20 years of collaboration and partnership.   “We’ve been very happy to work with Colvin Ranch for longer than the 20 years of the conservation easement,” said Natural Resource Conservation Service Acting State Conservationist David

With temperatures across the Northwest warming, and the start of Summer less than three weeks away, farmers, ranchers and producers are being reminded of the importance of water conservation.   “Drought cannot only develop due to water supply shortages stemming from below normal snowpack, but drought can also develop, especially during the summer, due to high temperatures driving high evaporative

The USDA is now accepting applications for the Conservation Reserve Program; FSA will accept those applications through June 6th.  FSA administrator Bill Beam said in addition, applications for continuous CRP acreage enrollment are also being accepted through June 6th.   He noted t...

With Memorial Day, the unofficial kick off to summer, this weekend, now is a good time to close the book on the snow season in Idaho.  Erin Whorton with NRCS said for the most part the 2024-2025 snow year was good with above normal snowpacks recorded across much of the Gem State.   “...

The U.S. Department of Agriculture announced several Conservation Reserve Program enrollment opportunities for agricultural producers and landowners.  FSA is accepting offers for both the General and Continuous CRP now through June 6th.vvCRP has...

The National Association of Conservation Districts wrote to leaders of the House and Senate Appropriations Committees, urging robust support for USDA’s Natural Resources Conservation Service’s operations budget.  With the support of more than 120 conservation and agriculture groups, NACD requested $1.2 billion in FY 2026 ...

Oregon Senator Ron Wyden along with Idaho's Mike Crapo introduced bipartisan legislation Tuesday they said would improve wetland habitats in the Pacific Northwest.  The Northwest Wetlands Voluntary Incentives Program Act would establish a federal grant and assistance program empowering government agencies, tribes, nonprofits, landowners, among other entities to work together in both restoring and

It was a celebration of 90 years of service at USDA headquarters Friday.   “In what other place in the world has an agency of the federal government dedicated 90 years to this effort, and how amazing and what all we have accomplished,” NRCS Chief Aubrey Bettencourt said during last week's event, recognizing the agency a historical perspective, both its role in conservation nationwide, and on her

A bill before the California state legislature would help pay landowners who promise to keep their land in farming.  Amid a push by local leaders to conserve farmland and open spaces in the Bay Area from future development, state senator David Cortese has introduced a bill that would shore up funding to preserve agricultural land throughout the state despite the measure’s uncertain financial outlo

USDA announced late last week, it will release approximately $20 million in funding for previously approved contracts that had been frozen by the Trump administration’s push to overhaul the federal government.  The sum represents a tiny sliver of program funding the USDA suspended after the White House’s broad freeze of federal loans and grants last month.  Although the administration r... Read Mo