Glenn County Soil Partnership Honored with Excellence in Innovation Award

DAVIS, Calif., Nov. 22, 2016 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- The USDA Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS) and California Association of Resource Conservation Districts recognized the outstanding achievements of the Glenn County Soil Partnership at an awards last week at the Double Tree Hotel in Ontario, Calif.

The Partnership — including the Glenn County Resource Conservation District, Glenn County University of California Cooperative Extension, and NRCS field office in Willows— received the prestigious Excellence in Innovation award for 2016 during the third annual Excellence in Conservation Planning Awards. The event recognizes the individuals, teams and organizations who have pursued cutting edge approaches and initiatives to conservation planning.

"Your partnership is bringing back a focus on conservation planning, technical assistance and management change motivated by the desire to enhance the health of the soil resource," said NRCS State Conservationist Carlos Suarez, who presented the award. 

"You wisely chose to root your leadership in local farmers and Agencies, combining Agency and University technical knowledge with private business skills and real world know-how. This makes your Partnership credible and inspiring to local farmers who are open to improving the health of their soil."

The Partnership worked together to promote and encourage healthy soils and greatly increased local interest among farmers. The goal was to increase awareness of the importance of soil health and to create a forum for sharing information and learning from each other. This effort included the creation of a farmer-led Steering and Technical Advisory Committee made up of farmers and local experts on the topic to ensure a locally led process.

"This is the best way to engage our customers in conservation planning that results in regenerative agriculture and ecological benefits," Suarez said.

Conservation planners help landowners inventory and understand their natural resources. Planners then provide landowners with scientifically sound options for making landscape improvements. The plans can also be used to apply for federal Farm Bill assistance to implement the recommended conservation practices. More information on Conservation Planning can be found at https://www.nrcs.usda.gov/wps/portal/nrcs/main/national/programs/technical/.

The award was presented on Nov. 17 during the 71^st annual California Association of Resource Conservation Districts' conference. The three-day conference brings together leaders in on-farm conservation to discuss relevant topics, issues and priorities for the coming agricultural season. NRCS is a key supporter of the annual conference. More about their annual conference can be found at http://www.carcd.org/annual_conference0.aspx.

Since its inception in 1935, NRCS has worked in partnership with private landowners and a variety of local, state and federal conservation partners to deliver conservation based on specific, local needs.

SOURCE USDA - Natural Resources Conservation Service; Glenn County Resource Conservation District

Related Links

http://www.ca.nrcs.usda.gov