WACD Reading List

For those who want to farm, spiralling prices often present insurmountable barriers to accessing land. And laws and customs often mean that the women and immigrants who do much of the world’s farming are denied agency over their work. MacGillivray’s experience shows that young farmers can thrive if they have the resources they need. But how can we ensure access to those resources?

Having passcodes texted to your phone is smart, but new keys and apps can make the process even simpler and more secure.

The USDA is extending the Conservation Reserve Program (CRP) General Signup period. The deadline is no longer February 12, 2021, and a new deadline has not been set.

Today, the National Association of Conservation Districts (NACD) administered oaths of office to its incoming leadership members.

...we now know that Microsoft co-founder Bill Gates has another feather in his multi hyphenated career cap: America’s Top Private Owner of Farmland.

Here are five ways to increase your ability to have meaningful conversations...

Expedite your growth as a leader by looking at four specific areas.

Video: Snohomish County hopes to turn buildings at McCollum Park in Everett into a processing and distribution center for local farmers to use.

The Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency (CISA) and CYBER.ORG jointly announce a cyber safety video series to help those learning or working online take proactive steps to protect themselves and their business.

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention on Wednesday reported the results of a lab experiment. The researchers found that particles were blocked twice as much when two masks were worn.

“The reality is there are inherent, legacy barriers and practices that have prevented black farmers and other producers from getting access to programs, and I will do everything I can to remove those barriers,” Vilsack said in an email to The Associated Press.

The Washington Green Amendment amends Article I of the Washington State Constitution to recognize the environmental rights of all people of Washington by protecting the “right to a clean and healthy environment, including pure water, clean air, healthy ecosystems, and a stable climate, and to the preservation of the natural, cultural, scenic and healthful qualities of the environment” for both present and future generations.

The Washington State Conservation Commission used the wrong law to remove two farmers from the Thurston Conservation District board, though it doesn't matter, according to a court decision Tuesday.

With the resolution of a disputed election in New York State, the House Agriculture Committee is ready for action with climate change as its top issue. “Everything will tie into climate change,” says the committee chief of staff, and the first hearing of the year will focus on climate change’s impact on agriculture.

The big beige blur in the middle of the state may seem boring, but it is essential to the survival of grouse, orcas and people.

President Joe Biden’s nomination of Tom Vilsack to lead the Agriculture Department is getting a chilly reaction from many Black farmers who contend he didn’t do enough to help them the last time he had the job.

MCDD and UFSWQD are seeking a strategic Executive Director that will lead and guide an extraordinarily talented staff through a unique transition for the agency of merging four districts into one. The ideal candidate will be able to articulate a vision that integrates flood safety, climate resiliency, habitat restoration, water quality, and environmental justice; be able to bring diverse groups to consensus; and have the knowledge and ability to provide services in a manner that respects diversity and promotes equity in all aspects of the District’s operations.

Make sure you vote in the Whatcom Conservation District election--request a ballot ASAP!

New research from West Virginia University biologists shows that trees around the world are consuming more carbon dioxide than previously reported, making forests even more important in regulating the Earth's atmosphere and forever shift how we think about climate change.

As part his recent climate policy spree, Biden announced the establishment of a “Civilian Climate Corps Initiative” that could harness the energy of the very generation that must face – and solve – the climate crisis by putting them to work in well-paying conservation jobs.

“Vertical farming is a type of controlled environment agriculture that uses artificial lighting, typically indoors, and vertical planting systems that utilize a space’s cubic footage as opposed to square footage in traditional farming,” Megan Pirelli, community engagement director at Fork Farms, told The Debrief. “This allows for significantly more production in a much smaller space.”

The conversation comes at a key time for the fish. Eight dams along the Snake and Columbia rivers hinder their migration to the Pacific and half of the young salmon die on the trip. Idaho salmon runs have dwindled from the millions of wild fish to only a few thousand some years.

U.S. Farmers & Ranchers in Action (USFRA) —in conjunction with World Business Council for Sustainable Development (WBCSD), The Mixing Bowl, and Croatan Institute has issued a new report that analyzes the state of soil health technology. The report also identifies opportunities to find new sources of capital to scale up the adoption of climate-smart agriculture on U.S. farms and ranches.

Simpson says saving Snake River salmon runs isn’t possible without removing the federally-managed dams. But he says it’s not just dams versus salmon. He’s laying out a plan that tries to find solutions for all of the decades-old sticking points.

The damage caused by wildfires can be devastating, but the smoke from the annually recurring blazes also delivers economic damage to areas that have never been touched by the flames

While some similar carbon-credit programs for agriculture have been announced, many still rely on broad estimates of carbon improvements over many acres, due to the difficulty and cost of verification and validation. It’s essential that any system of carbon-credit farming is built on clear, science-based standards tied to real-world results.

Modern farming is better because it uses low-impact, “precision” techniques that require less land, less energy and fewer chemicals for every bushel produced. The secret has been to incorporate tools that use sensors, information and communications technology, big data, and even machine learning to reduce farming’s dependence on material resources.