Hi everyone, I’m excited to now be writing for new audiences with Conservation Corner. I’ve been writing in my hometown paper for over a year now and I reached out to the editors of the local papers in all the counties I cover to see if they would like to run the column. Thankfully they all said yes!
I am a lifelong resident of rural Letcher, SD except for my years at SDSU which even then I was back most weekends farming and raising livestock. I graduated from Artesian-Letcher High School in 2003 and SDSU in 2006 and 2008. I’ve always been connected to the outdoors and agriculture, never having lost connection to either.
I still farm, have cattle and hogs which I feel helps me do better at my job. It does mean that I don’t have enough time in the day but that pressure has led to some different thought processes, especially with the cow herd, that I would have never looked into.
So, what’s the link to writing a column about conservation? I am the Pheasants Forever Farm Bill Wildlife Biologist for the counties of Jerauld, Kingsbury, Miner, and Sanborn. The reason that “Farm Bill” is in the title is because it is a Farm Billcreated position. Just to get it out there right away, no my only focus isn’t pheasants and no we don’t release them.
Given this Farm Bill relationship, positions such as mine (17 of us throughout the state) have a direct NRCS link. For many of you farmers it’s the other door when you go talk to FSA. That’s a joke but a real problem as I see it. If you sit in an NRCS office long enough you will notice a very small percentage of the producers that come into FSA, also make a stop at NRCS while they are in town, in the same building. More about that some other time.
This affiliation with NRCS means I work a lot on CRP. Wait isn’t CRP under FSA? It sure is but FSA and NRCS are partners for that program. NRCS handles the conservation planning which is a lot of things but mostly what you will notice is the seeding side of a CRP contract or haying and grazing plans when that time comes. My main office is in Woonsocket, with the position there for about 20 years but only in Kingsbury and Miner during my tenure. I have been the Pheasants Forever Biologist for five years now.
My number one job task is to get more people in the door through giving accurate information about conservation programs, practices, and training opportunities. The great thing about my position is that I’m trained on what every local and state agency has to offer, as well as all the conservation organizations. Whether it is cost share for fence, water, grass seeding, cover crops, etc., there are more opportunities out there fto help your operation than any time in the past. This is where I come in. If I can’t directly help you, I know who can.
As usual, I have a lot more I wanted to say but not enough paper to put it on. Catch you next week and we will dive into what’s going on in conservation. Oh, and unique thing about this position that is my cell number, 605-7705026. No work phone here. If you see something in the future that you wish to talk about further, feel free to call.