This is an exciting time to be in agriculture. The Inflation Reduction Act (IRA) is offering unprecedented opportunity for our South Dakota farmers and ranchers to try new conservation activities and with financial support through our Farm Bill programs.
When the IRA was passed last year, we examined our internal processes and looked for opportunities to streamline how we provide assistance to our customers with conservation planning and how we deliver our conservation programs. At the May 17 State Technical Committee (STC) meeting, a main focus will be on sharing our plans for increasing staff and staff capacity to be able to implement conservation at these increased levels.
Previously, we have used annual batching dates for managing program applications and evaluating for funding decisions. At STC, we will outline “Act Now”–-a new method that will allow farmers and ranchers who have conservation plans ready to work through the contracting process and begin implementation of the practices they selected through their conservation plan without waiting for the next application batching date.
Our employees are innovative and South Dakota NRCS is stepping up to the challenge to get conservation on the ground in the quantity, and with the quality needed, to meet the objectives of the IRA. This level of conservation funding is a great opportunity for anyone wanting to try new conservation activities on their farming or ranching operation. Stop in to any USDA NRCS office and visit with staff about your operational goals and objectives so that they can help you to develop a conservation plan in preparation of these opportunities.
The Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS) will hold its regularly scheduled session of the STC on Wednesday, May 17, 2023, virtually via Microsoft Teams. The link for the Microsoft Teams Meeting as well as a call-in number will be posted on the events page of the South Dakota NRCS Web site (https://www.nrcs.usda.gov/conservation-basics/conservation-by-state/south-dakota) a few days prior to the meeting. The meeting will start at 10 a.m. CST. Based on the tentative agenda, the meeting may run for approximately one to two hours. The tentative agenda items for the May 17, 2023, meeting will include: Welcome and Introduction, Congressional Staff Updates, Conservation Reserve Program Updates, Soil Health Update, Conservation Collaboration Cooperative Agreements and Conservation Innovation Grants Updates, IRA Update, Technical Updates, South Dakota Wetland/Highly Erodible Land Compliance Updates, Partnership Topics (If you want to share success stories, new programs, or give or receive feedback, please contact Kathy Irving and we will include your name in the agenda), Urban Subcommittee, Program Subcommittee, and Technical Subcommittee breakout sessions, and any other topics afterwards. Each individual will have the opportunity to participate in one breakout session. For information purposes, we plan to provide a summary of each session.
If you have any additional topics you would like to see included, please contact Kathy Irving, Secretary, Huron State Office, at (605) 352-1200, or via e-mail at kathy.irving@usda.gov.
For more information regarding the meeting, please call our office; or leave a message on our 24-hour Voicemail messaging service by dialing 1-800-872-7502, Ext. 1205, or visit the NRCS Web site at https://www.nrcs.usda.gov/conservation-basics/conservation-state/south%20dakota/technical-committee.
Persons needing special accommodations should contact Kathy Irving at least one week in advance of the meeting date.
Original source can be found here.