Massac County SWCD 2022 Annual Activities Reports

• Monthly Board Meetings — The public is invited to attend. Meetings are held on the last Monday of the month unless otherwise announced.

• Yearly General Election of Directors

• Certify Organization and Election of Board of Director

• Attend monthly NRCS Staff Meetings

PARTNER ASSISTANCE AGREEMENT

• Soil & Water staff assist FSA and NRCS with Administrative and CRP work through the AISWCD/NRCS Contributions Agreements. We provide technical and administrative assistance for Conservation Stewardship Program, Environmental Quality Incentive Program and Conservation Reserve Program by: developing Conservation Plans for CRP and Reenrolled CRP acres; completing 11 establishment and 65 maintenance status reviews for active CRP contracts; applying CRP practices; taking new and pre-approved program applications; support the USDA Producer Web Portal; and completing various other program tasks.

CONSERVATION TRAININGS AND REVIEWS

• Virtual annual meeting and summer training conference

• Ecosystem markets via Zoom

• Cool Season Grasses Workshop/Warm Season Grasses Workshop

• Employee meeting and winter conference

CONSERVATION PROGRAMS

• Partners for Conservation Fund — Massac Soil & Water has facilitated the completion of eight conservation projects this past year: two pasture/hayland establishments, one water way and five cover crop rotations. Additional funds are available for cover crops, grassed waterways, pollinator plots, water and sediment control basins, dry dams, terraces, grade stabilization structures and pasture/hayland establishment.

• Fall Cover for Spring Savings Cover Crop Premium Discount Program — Fall sign-up offers up to a $5 per acre discount in crop insurance cost as a reward to Illinois farmers for the implementation of a fall cover crop on their land prior to a spring cash crop. It’s about risk management. Soil & Water Districts work to verify acres in this program.

• Saving Tomorrows Ag Resources — S.T.A.R. initiative provides farm operators and land owners with a tool to assist in evaluating their nutrient and soil loss management practices. The S.T.A.R. initiative is offering a modest incentive to Illinois farmers willing to implement new in-field management practices that increase their S.T.A.R. rating through a partnership with the American Farmland Trust.

• Assist Extension partners with establishment, maintenance and cleanup of Plant A Row, Watch COPE Grow Community Garden.

• Soil & Water is partnering with Illinois Sustainable Ag Partnership in taking applications for the Illinois Cover Crop Initiative which provides a $10 per acre incentive for cover crops planted before Dec. 1, 2022.

SALES

• Spring and fall fish sales

• Spring tree sale

EDUCATION

• Tree planting initiative with 4-H teen leaders

• Trees to third-graders

• 4-H project judging

• Bryan Walquist and Max Bremer are the recipients of a scholarship awarded to students pursuing a career in agriculture or related field of study.

• Teen Teachers replicable Soil Health Lesson

MISCELLANEOUS REPORTING

• BLWR Annual Conservation Progress Report

• Assist USDA-NRCS in conservation planning application, and Farm Bill program responsibilities

• Comply with: Freedom of Information Policy, Open Meetings Act, Personnel Policy, Purchase and Disposal Policy

• Review Annual Plan of Work and District Policies

• Fulfill all SWCD responsibilities according to state law

• Approve Annual Financial Report

• Record Quarterly Reports of District Operations Expenditures

• Develop budget and long-range plan

• File internal control checklist

• Verify Vegetative Filter Strips Law Activity Report

• Verify Ag Areas, File Activity Report

• Compile Irrigation Water Usage Report of Massac, Johnson and Pope counties for the Illinois Water Inventory Program

• Offer all district programs, activities, and services on a nondiscriminatory bases without regard to race, color, national origin, religion, sex, age, marital or handicap status.