In a letter to Congress, the National Association of Conservation Districts (NACD) stated it’s appreciation of President Trump’s comprehensive review of federal finances, including financial assistance vehicles such as grants, cooperative agreements, and contribution agreements. However, the subject Executive Order (EO) and recently rescinded OMB Memorandum M-25-13 have the potential to adversely affect thousands of conservation districts across the country, as well as the producers and communities they serve. NACD respectfully requests that conservation districts and their associations be granted a waiver to the pause on Inflation Reduction Act (IRA) disbursements and receive express authorization to continue efforts under their current grants or agreements with USDA.
Conservation districts are local units of government established under state law to carry out soil, water and natural resource management programs at the local level. America’s 3,000 conservation districts and the Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS) are the core of today’s voluntary, locally led conservation delivery system. It is a partnership between individual landowners, local, state, and federal government, and partners such as land grant universities. It is designed to maximize technical assistance and support to individual landowners, ensuring they are equipped with the resources to make the best decisions for their lands and livelihoods. The locally led conservation delivery system has endured for nearly 90 years because it works and has earned the trust of landowners across the country.
Conservation districts conduct outreach and deliver technical assistance to farmers, ranchers and landowners. They also support their enrollment into Farm Bill programs such as the Environmental Quality Incentives Program (EQIP) and Conservation Stewardship Program (CSP). Because the definition for financial assistance established by 2 CFR 200.1 excludes assistance provided directly to individuals, NRCS programs such as EQIP and CSP are ongoing. As such, NACD requests that USDA grant an exception allowing conservation districts and their associations to continue efforts under IRA funded grants and agreements with USDA.