County ag leaders attend statewide conservation meeting

Holmes County Soil and Water Conservation District (SWCD) supervisors and staff recently participated in the annual Conservation Partnership Meeting held in downtown Columbus. More than 650 conservation leaders representing Ohio’s 88 SWCDs, partners from the Ohio Department of Natural Resources (ONDR), and both the USDA Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS) and Resource Conservation and Development (RC&D) Program were on hand during the two-day event centered around the theme, Conservation, Our Defining Moment.

The meeting challenged attendees to identify and strengthen their commitment to conservation as each work to positively impact Ohio’s economy, environment, and future. Meeting participants networked, participated in thought-provoking workshops and breakout sessions, heard from key partners including USDA NRCS Chief David White from Washington, DC, and met with state legislators. State Rep. Dave Hall and staffer Mike McGuire met with representatives from Holmes and Medina SWCDs, as well as OFSWCD President Kent Stuckey.

“Ohio’s conservation efforts are geared towards positively impacting our local communities through a variety of programs and projects aimed to increase the economy while advancing conservation stewardship,” said Michelle Wood, program administrator with the Holmes SWCD. “Without conservation efforts, our food, energy and fiber production would be greatly diminished.”

To learn more about the event and the great things Ohio’s 88 SWCDs are doing locally, contact Holmes SWCD at 330-674-2811 or http://co.holmes.oh.us/swcd or contact the Ohio Federation of Soil and Water Conservation Districts at 614-784-1900 or http://www.ofswcd.org.