Colorado Governor John Hickenlooper joins speaker line-up

John Hickenlooper, the governor of Colorado, will be joining us in Denver for NACD's 2017 Annual Meeting this January – will we see you there too?

A former geologist, Mr. Hickenlooper is a member of the Western Governors' Association and once served as the mayor of the Mile High City. He also recently added “author” to his resume with the publication of his memoir, “The Opposite of Woe: My Life in Beer and Politics.” Since becoming governor in 2011, Hickenlooper and his team have kept Colorado on the leading edge of innovative, voluntary sage grouse conservation.

To be in the audience when the governor takes the stage on Monday, January 30, 2017, make sure you register to attend our meeting on NACD’s website!


NACD to host panel of wild horse experts at 2017 Annual Meeting

Filmmaker Ben Masters (pictured here), a member of the BLM advisory board on wild horses and burros, will sit on a panel with Jake Tibbits, NACD board member from Nevada, and a representative from the BLM to discuss wild horses on the western range Sunday, January 29, 2017. Their discussion, moderated by NACD Government Affairs Associate Chris Heck, will delve deep into the root causes of, and the possible solutions to, the overwhelming overpopulation of wild horses in the West.

Masters, the documentarian behind the hit film “Unbranded” – the story of four friends who traveled 2,000 miles on the backs of wild mustangs along the Continental Divide – will host a screening of the movie prior to the panel discussion.


NACD presents at Soil Health Institute Partner Meeting

As a key partner in soil health, NACD was invited to join the Soil Health Institute (SHI) Partner Meeting held last week at The Samuel Roberts Noble Foundation in Ardmore, Oklahoma. The purpose of the meeting was to identify existing soil health efforts, any gaps or overlap in these efforts, and how future efforts undertaken by the partnership can complement one another.

Beth Mason, NACD’s North Central Region representative, briefed attendees on the NACD Soil Health Champions Network and the unique working relationships it has fostered nationwide between landowners. NACD CEO Jeremy Peters presented on NACD’s integral role in framing and promoting soil health research, policy, education, and adoption.

Other soil health partners in attendance included the Soil and Water Conservation Society (SWCS), the Tri-Societies (ASA, CSSA, SSSA), the National Corn Growers Association (NCGA), and the Conservation Technology Information Center (CTIC). At the meeting, the partners agreed to work as a “coordinating coalition for soil health.” NACD is represented on the Soil Health Institute’s board of directors by Past President Earl Garber.


NACD hosting U&C webinar on stormwater management training

On Thursday, November 17, NACD will host a webinar on stormwater management training from 12:00-1:00pm Eastern, as part of a series sponsored by The Scotts Miracle-Gro Company.

This webinar will include a presentation from the Alabama Soil and Water Conservation Committee on its statewide sediment and erosion control education program, Clear Water Alabama; and another from West Multnomah SWCD and its partners in Oregon on their “Stormwater Stars” design and build workshop series.

There is no cost to participate, but space is limited. Email NACD’s Debra Bogar with your name, title, district or business name, and state to register.


This month’s Soil Health Champion spotlight is on Ken Miller and his wife Bonnie, who own and operate a 2,000-acre ranch in Morton County, North Dakota. Together the couple manages a very diverse landscape, from native grasslands mixed within high cut-banks to unpredictable river-bottom land. They have utilized conservation practices for over 25 years to improve their soil health, including management practices like intensive rotational grazing.

While working for the Burleigh County Soil Conservation District, Ken helped producers in the county plan for and install grazing and no-till cropping systems. He continues to support producers as a past chair and mentor for the North Dakota Grazing Lands Coalition. This year, Miller hosted several tours on his land, including a Winter Grazing and Feeding Tour, and also presented on “How to Build Soil Health” at the Morton County SCD Winter Workshop. In partnership with the 150-acre Menoken Farm, owned and operated by the Burleigh County Soil Conservation District, Miller promotes soil health restoration by championing minimal soil disturbance practices, cover crops, and other techniques.

To read Ken Miller's SHC profile – and the profiles of our other soil health champs – visit the NACD Soil Health Champions webpage. If you or someone you know is a leader in soil health and would like to become a member of this growing, progressive network please contact NACD North Central Region Representative Beth Mason at beth-mason@nacdnet.org or 317-946-4463 for more information.


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