Lincoln County Conservation District Cooperator Wins National Award

 The North American Pollinator Protection Campaign’s (NAPPC) 19th annual conference in Washington D.C. culminated with the recognition of the U.S. Farmer-Rancher Pollinator Conservation Award, which was awarded to Brian and Becky Tankersley of Lincolnton, GA.

Abhishek Kashinath, District Program Assistant for Lincoln County Conservation District, with Becky and Brian Tankersley and Jason Wheatley, District Conservationist for the Washington, GA USDA- NRCS office

The Tankersleys own and operate Double Branches Farm, a garden and u-pick operation that grows fruits and veggies but particularly offers berries such as strawberries, blackberries and blueberries. The farm is also available for educational opportunities and the farmers utilize their local partnerships to provide these events. Earlier this year, Double Branches Farm together with the Lincoln County Conservation District, was the host site for a high school field day where students toured the farm and received lessons from Brian Tankersley himself. The Tankersleys are known for advocating for conservation, pollinators and agriculture education. As pollination is vital to the success of the farm and to the success of agriculture everywhere, the Tankersleys have included pollinator friendly habitat throughout their farmland.

Congratulations to Brian and Becky Tankersley on their award and congratulations to the Lincoln County Conservation District for their winning nomination!

The Lincoln County Conservation District promotes soil and water stewardship throughout local schools and to farmers and landowners in Lincoln County, Georgia. For more information about the District, please contact District Program Assistant Abhishek Kashinath at abhishek.kashinath@gacd.us.

GACD Announces Chy Kellogg as Pollinator Coordinator

Georgia Association of Conservation Districts (GACD) is pleased to announce the selection of Chy Kellogg to serve as Pollinator Coordinator. 

Chy Kellogg

Chy will be working with partner agencies to implement GACD's Pollinator Initiative which includes the installation of pollinator demonstration gardens and habitat sites throughout the state. Chy will also be developing an educational curriculum for classroom use that will accompany the demonstration gardens.

Chy serves as a Board Member on the Georgia Agricultural Exposition Authority and the Georgia Farmer's Market Association. She also serves as the 3rd District Women’s Committee Chair for Georgia Farm Bureau and the Educational Leadership Chair for Cobb County Farm Bureau.

GACD is a non-profit organization whose mission is to advocate for the conservation of Georgia’s natural resources by providing organization, leadership and a unified strategic direction to the Conservation Districts of the State. To learn more about GACD's Pollinator Initiative, please visit www.gacd.us/pollinators.

LAMAR COUNTY SOIL & WATER CONSERVATION DISTRICT AWARDED ‘CONSERVATION INNOVATION GRANT’

Barnesville, GA (October 10, 2019)—The Lamar County Soil & Water Conservation District (SWCD) was recently awarded the ‘Conservation Innovation Grant,’ a partnership opportunity provided by the USDA—Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS)*. Funding from this grant will go toward the newly-announced ‘Beef Cattle 101 Educational Series,’ an innovative, ongoing series for beginning farmers or cattlemen who are interested in “refreshers” of the basics that focuses on soil health, water quality, grazing system options and beef cattle animal science. The technical and financial assistance from the partnership will allow the Lamar County SWCD to provide quality educational materials and the most up-to-date research from professionals on these topics.

The District received this partnership opportunity with NRCS in order to effectively educate citizens in topics related to soil health principles, conservation and technical assistance available to farmers and producers. Much of the topics and ideas covered in the Beef Cattle 101 Educational Series are related to grazing systems and soil health principles, but they also cover animal science topics as well. The USDA—Natural Resources Conservation Service-Barnesville Field Office and the Lamar County UGA Cooperative Extension Service have partnered with the District in order to present updated research findings and practical techniques for farmer and producers to utilize with their cattle herds. Technical advisors and coordinators for the series include USDA—NRCS District Conservationist Carmen Westerfield and Lamar/Upson Counties’ Extension Agent Hailey Robinson. Please contact Lamar County SWCD Program Coordinator Wesley Doyle for more information related to (or to register for) the Beef Cattle 101 Educational Series, which continues monthly—excluding December 2019—until June 2020.

The mission of the Lamar County Soil & Water Conservation District is to promote the wise use of our soil, water and related natural resources through education, public information, leadership, technical assistance and development of innovative programs.

2020 Poster Contest

GACD is thrilled to announce the upcoming 2020 Stewardship Theme for next year's poster contest: Where Would We BEE Without Pollinators? Pollinators form the foundations of a healthy and sustainable future for food and the environment, but in recent years, they have shown concerning signs of decline. It’s important that we work to help them prosper by enhancing native pollinator habitats and protecting against pollinator declines.

The annual NACD and NACD Auxiliary Poster Contest provides students from kindergarten through 12th grade the chance to have their art displayed as part of a national conservation outreach initiative and is promoted by GACD and Georgia's Conservation Districts. Each year, the winning posters reflect NACD’s annual Stewardship theme and highlight the work of conservation districts and their state conservation associations, auxiliaries and agencies to protect and enhance natural resources. The contest starts at the district level; winners advance to the state level, and then to the national level, where they receive recognition at NACD’s annual meeting.

Alapaha Conservation District to Offer Feral Swine Control Services

The Alapaha Conservation District is excited to announce their participation in Georgia Association of Conservation District(GACD)’s Feral Swine District Initiative. Landowners in Berrien, Clinch, Cook, Echols, Lanier and Lowndes Counties are invited to participate in the District’s feral swine control services.

Supervisors in picture Left to Right: Derry Bennett/Cook, Jake Ford/Berrien, Carlos Vickers/ Berrien, Owen Prince/ Echols, David Fields/ Lowndes, Bill Darsey/ Lanier, Marshall Locher/ Hog Control Custodian, Jake Atkison/ Hog Control Custodian

Several Conservation Districts in Georgia have partnered with GACD for funding to acquire feral swine control equipment. Conservation Districts then contract with local Hog Control Custodians who perform eradication services within the District.

Landowners and producers across the state report that GACD’s Feral Swine District Initiative has made a tremendous difference in reducing feral swine damage. Farmers who have been forced to make a decision not to plant peanuts, corn, or soybeans in some of their best soils due to feral swine damage are now considering planting these crops.

For more information about feral swine control within the Alapaha Conservation District visit www.gacd.us/feralswine or call Hog Control Custodian Marshall Locher at (229) 444-8616.

Danny Hogan Inducted into NACD SE Hall of Fame

Congratulations to GACD Board Member and Central GA Conservation District Supervisor Danny Hogan for being inducted into the National Association of Conservation Districts Southeast Region Hall of Fame!

Danny is a third-generation farmer from Laurens County with a BS in Agriculture from the University of Georgia. At Hogan's Farm, Danny, along with his son Richie, works with his local USDA- Natural Resources Conservation Service office to assist in the implementation of numerous conservation practices to protect soil and water resources. Practices are utilized while growing wheat, oats, peanuts, cotton, soybeans and managing 140 acres of pastureland, 700 acres of timberland, Black Angus and Limousine cows, Paint and Quarter Horses. Danny has hosted legislative tours and field days on his property to showcase and promote conservation practices.

Danny’s passion for natural resources conservation is evident as he has received numerous awards and recognition for his efforts including being named Laurens County Conservationist of the Year, Forest Stewardship Certification and was the 2008 Governor’s Stewardship Award winner for Georgia.  In 2017 Danny was inducted into the Georgia Association of Conservation Districts Hall of Fame.

He is a member of the Pine Country RC&D Council, Georgia Water Council Board, Upper Oconee State Water Planning Council, Georgia Department of Agriculture Equine Commodity Board, Laurens County Livestock Facility Committee, and in 2019 was appointed to the Equine Advisory Committee by State Veterinarian Robert Cobb. He also serves on the Georgia Farm Bureau Equine Committee and is a lifetime member of the American Quarter Horse Association. Danny has previously served as the Laurens County representative on the Farm Service Agency Committee and is Past Chairman of Central Georgia Conservation District and the Georgia Association of Soil and Water Conservation District Supervisors, having served two terms. Danny currently represents Georgia with the National Association of Conservation Districts.

Danny is married to Lesia Hogan and they have four children and seven grandchildren.

Summer 2019 Outstanding DPA Lizzie Horton

GACD would like to announce Elizabeth (Lizzie) Horton as Outstanding DPA Summer 2019. Each quarter this recognition is given to a DPA that stood out in supporting their district, agency partners, and community and Lizzie is definitely deserving.

Lizzie has served as one of Middle South Georgia Conservation District’s DPAs in the Tifton USDA Service Center since April of 2018 where she quickly learned and excelled in providing conservation planning support. “Lizzie is a very hard worker and does everything that’s needed. I can show her anything once and she has it down. That has meant a lot.” says Craig Bevan, District Conservationist, Tifton, GA.

Lizzie has offered assistance to numerous outreach events including representing NRCS and GACD at the Sunbelt Ag Expo in Moultrie, school outreach, and volunteering at the Natural Resources Conservation Workshop (NRCW), held at Abraham Baldwin Agricultural College, her alma mater.“Lizzie has been instrumental to NRCW the past two years. Her familiarity with the campus and staff was monumental to those new to the workshop. You can really tell she has a love for what she does,” stated Michelle Boone, NRCW Director.

Brian Ponder, GACD Board Member and Middle South GA District Supervisor, says"Lizzie has been such an asset to our district as well as a help to NRCS. She is a pleasure to work with and we can trust that no matter the task given to her she always exceeds our expectations"

CONGRATULATIONS LIZZIE!

Broad River Conservation District Now Offering Feral Swine Control Services

Hog Control Custodian Tracy Cagle, District Program Assistant Annalise Sampson, District Supervisor Vance Maddox.

The Broad River Conservation District is excited to announce their participation in Georgia Association of Conservation District’s (GACD)’s Feral Swine District Initiative. Landowners in Franklin, Elbert, Hart, Madison, Banks, Oglethorpe, and Wilkes Counties are invited to participate in the District’s feral swine control services.

Following an Initiative spearheaded by the Brier Creek Conservation District in partnership with GACD, several Conservation Districts in Georgia have acquired feral swine control equipment and are contracting with local Hog Control Custodians to eradicate feral swine within the District.

Landowners and producers across the state report that the Feral Swine District Initiative has made a tremendous difference in reducing feral hog damage. Farmers who have been forced to make a decision not to plant peanuts, corn, or soybeans in some of their best soils due to feral swine damage are now considering planting these crops.

For more information about feral swine control within the Broad River Conservation District visit www.gacd.us/feralswine , call 1-833-411-GACD or email District Program Assistant Annalise Sampson at Annalise.sampson@gacd.us

GACD Vice President and local District Supervisor enters partnership with Wrangler

Marty McLendon, GACD Vice President and Chair of the Flint River Conservation District, is no stranger to the importance of utilizing conservation practices on his 8,800 acre commercial farm in Calhoun County, GA. In partnership with his local NRCS office, McLendon had assistance with the implementation of practices like cover crops, crop rotation, and conservation tillage which not only conserves natural resources but also improves production efficiency on his farm.

Only five cotton growers in the United States were given the opportunity to partner with Wrangler on their Wrangler Rooted Collection of jeans and t-shirts which honors producers who implement conservation practices. McLendon was one of the lucky five due to his diligence to stewardship of the land and soil health. Wrangler plans to source 100% of its cotton from farms using soil health practices by 2025.

GACD Board Member and Middle South GA Conservation District Supervisor Brian Ponder has also turned to retail with his company, Southern Drawl, that boasts sheets made from Georgia grown cotton.

Products like the Wrangler Rooted Collection and Southern Drawl provide a direct connection to local, conservation minded farmers that help make the clothing you wear and products you use every day.

Click here to purchase from the Wrangler Rooted Collection.

Click here to Purchase from Southern Drawl Cotton.

Source: https://www.ajc.com/news/state--regional/georgia-farmer-turns-fashion-new-partnership-with-wrangler/oa0zBSws9jt3ceosrEpHvI/

2019 NRCW Scholarship & Award Winners

Every year, Conservation Districts in Georgia sponsor high school students to attend the Natural Resources Conservation Workshop (NRCW) held annually at Abraham Baldwin Agricultural College in Tifton, GA. The 5 day Workshop allows students to take part in lectures and hands-on activities to boost their knowledge of Georgia’s vital natural resources. It also provides them with a taste of college life while delivering valuable insight into careers in agriculture and natural resources through their counselors and instructors.
Over $17,000 in scholarships was awarded at the event.

Congratulations to all the winners and thank you to Conservation Districts for providing this opportunity for the students!

Georgia's Conservation Districts and GACD provided a $6,500 scholarship to the overall highest scoring individual at this years Natural Resources Conservation Workshop.

Congratulations to our 2019 Scholarship Winner, Nate Mooney!
Nathan resides in Ellijay, GA and is an upcoming senior at Gilmer County High School. Nathan was sponsored by the Limestone Valley Conservation District.

Thank you to the following Conservation Districts for their generous donation to the scholarship:
Alapaha, Altamaha Soil and Water Conservation District, Blue Ridge Mountain, Brier Creek and Columbia County Soil and Water Conservation Districts, Broad River, Catoosa County Conservation District, Central Georgia, Clayton County, Coastal, Cobb County, Coosa River Soil & Water Conservation District, DeKalb County Soil and Water Conservation District, Flint River Soil and Water Conservation District, Fulton County Soil and Water Conservation District, Gwinnett County, Hall County, Henry County Soil and Water Conservation District, Lamar County, Limestone Valley, Lincoln County, Lower Chattahoochee River, McDuffie County, Middle South Georgia, Ocmulgee River, Oconee River Soil and Water Conservation District, Ogeechee River, Ohoopee River, Piedmont, Pine Mountain, Rockdale County, Satilla River, Towaliga , Upper Chattahoochee River, Walton County, West Georgia Soil and Water Conservation District