Conservation District Meeting To Discuss Local Resource Concerns March 10th

The Richland County Conservation District, in partnership with the USDA Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS), invites the public to a Natural Resource Issue - Local Working Group (LWG) meeting at 1:30 p.m. on Tuesday, March 10 at the Richland County Extension meeting room- 1499 N Central Ave, Sidney, MT. Your local CD is made up of five board members elected by the public and 2 urban supervisors appointed by the incorporated towns. Many members of CD boards are actively engaged in farming and ranching.

Residents are encouraged to attend and express their natural resource concerns. The conservation district will prioritize which issues they can work on in their annual work plan and within their budget, as well as provide input for the NRCS’s Fiscal Year 2016 programs. Ideas generated from the public help coordinated local, state and federal funding programs to assist with these concerns.

Recommendations can include special target areas or specific concerns such as soil health, range health, weeds (be specific), wildlife habitat, eligible conservation practices, the need for new and innovative conservation practices, cost-share rates on conservation programs, and public outreach and information efforts.

Local Work Group attendees should be diverse and focus on agricultural interests and natural resource issues existing in the local community and can include: Agricultural producers, Grain growers, Livestock Producers, grazing districts, Irrigation districts, Representatives of agricultural and environmental organizations; MSU Extension, County Weed Depts., Representatives of gov’t agencies carrying out agricultural and natural resource conservation programs and activities (BLM, FSA, USFS, COE, FWS, FWP, DEQ, DNRC etc.), even non-profit groups that have the natural resources in their best interest.

Please join us in developing an inventory of what natural resource concerns and issues still need to be addressed in our district. Help us prioritize the work load and ultimately help direct Farm Bill Programs and other programs toward natural resource sustainability. You may call the office at 406-433-2103 ext 101 or send your comments on natural resource concerns to Richland County CD, 2745 W Holly ST Sidney, MT or email to [email protected].