The Press-Dispatch
Issue link: https://www.ifoldsflip.com/i/895273
A-12 Pike County Planter SWCD Newsletter November and December 2017 The Press-Dispatch SAVE THE DATE Pike County Soil & Water Conser vation District's 71st Annual Meeting & Dinner Tuesday, Januar y 30, 2018. The Pike County SWCD staff and super visors invite you to save the date as the SWCD hosts an enchanting evening of good humor, great fellowship and conser vation awareness. The event will feature a presen- tation called "Take Flight!" and will showcase birds of prey and more by Mark Booth from Indianapolis. More details, including a meeting location and time will be announced closer to date! Gibson County SWCD seeks District Technician, deadline Nov. 13 POSITION SUMMARY The position provides technical support to the Gibson County Soil and Water Conser vation District Super visors in carr ying out the District's program in conformance with the purpose of the District as defined in the Indiana District Law (IC 14-32). The incumbent must possess tech- nical knowledge and/or work experience in agriculture, urban, and natural resources management. PRIMARY RESPONSIBILITIES 1. Assist the Natural Resources Conser vation Ser vice with implementation of USDA Farm Bill programs. 2. Create GIS maps and plans for USDA Farm Bill programs. 3. Contact landowners to schedule field visits for various USDA Farm Bill programs. 4. Provide clear, written guidance to landowners for conser vation needs. 5. Take initiative to ensure that all program folders are in good standing order and make clear, concise notes about the actions taken. 6. Perform other duties as requested by the District Coordinator and / or the Gibson SWCD Board. 7. Help and assist with Tri County Soils Judging Con- test, Annual Banquet, Fourth Grade Farm Fair, and / or other Gibson County SWCD events. 8. Attend annual conference, monthly SWCD board meetings and other scheduled SWCD events. POSITION REQUIREMENTS 1. High school diploma required. A college degree preferred, or related field training and / or experience equivalent, but not required. 2. Excellent oral and written communication skills. 3. Excellent organizational skills and ability to prioritize variable workload. 4. Ability to work with individuals and persons from other organizations, agencies, and groups in a professional manner. 5. Ability to use a computer for word processing, data processing, and financial management. Proficiency with Microsoft Office Suite and GIS experience is preferred. 6. Normal work hours will be 8 a.m. until 4 p.m. Monday through Friday. Limited attendance at night meetings or weekend activities will be necessar y. The Super visors determine policies on compensator y time as needed, in accordance with local SWCD and county guidelines and policies. 7. Travel outside the office and the county on behalf of the District will be necessar y and will be reimbursed at a rate determined by the Super visors in accordance with county employee policies. 8. A valid driver's license is required. 9. Ability to perform a majority of duties in a standard office environment as well as the ability to work outside including walking across uneven terrain and/or carr ying equipment. SUPERVISORY RELATIONSHIPS 1. This position is under the direct super vision of the Gibson County Soil and Water Conser vation District Super visors. Performance appraisal of this employee and decisions regarding salar y and other compensation, disciplinar y actions and termination of employment are the responsibility of the Gibson County Soil and Water Conser vation District Super visors. 2. Paid holidays, vacation leave, sick leave, leave of absence, and employee conduct will follow the Gibson County Personnel Policies Handbook. 3. Incumbent is considered an employee of the county and is entitled to the same benefits and considerations as other non-union county employees. EVALUATION OF PERFORMANCE 1. The incumbent will be subject to a 90-day proba- tion period. Upon successful completion of the probation period, the Super visors will provide the incumbent with a performance appraisal after the first 180 days on the job and then at least once per year after that date. 2. Performance shall be measured against duties set forth in the job description and the manner in which they are performed (quantity, quality of work, and timeliness). 3. The Super visors may seek input from other staff in performing this appraisal, but the Super visors have final authority on decisions relative to performance appraisals and personnel actions. 4. It is to be understood that the Gibson County Soil and Water Conser vation District Super visors have the right to review and update the job description with input from the incumbent whenever deemed necessar y. APPLY If interested, please send your completed applications to Gibson County SWCD, c/o Chairman Matt Michel, 229 S Second Avenue, Princeton IN 47670. Deadline to apply is Nov. 13, 2017. NRCS announces EQIP application deadline Indiana's agricultural produc- ers who want to improve natural resources and address concerns on their land are encouraged to sign up for the Environmental Quality Incentives Program (EQIP) through the USDA-Natural Resources Conser vation Ser vice (NRCS). Jane Hardisty, NRCS State Conser vation- ist, announced that December 15, 2017 will be the EQIP application deadline in Indiana. "While we take EQIP applications throughout the year, applications received after December 15th will be considered in future announced application rounds. I encourage pro- ducers with resource concerns on their land to submit an application by the deadline," Hardisty explains. EQIP is a voluntar y conser vation program available for agricultural producers. Through EQIP, NRCS provides financial and technical as- sistance to install conser vation prac- tices that reduce soil erosion and sedimentation, improve soil health, improve water and air quality, and create wildlife habitat. Many applicants are interested in using funds to address soil ero- sion and water quality issues on their land; however, funds are also available for pasture and grazing land, confined livestock operations, organic producers, drainage water management, invasive plant control, and wildlife habitat improvement. Also included in this sign up are several state and national initiatives including: • National Organic Initiative: NRCS provides financial payments and technical assistance to help producers implement conser vation measures in keeping with organic production. Beginning, limited re - source, and socially disadvantaged producers may obtain additional assistance. • National On-Farm Energy Initiative: NRCS provides agricul- tural producers with technical and financial assistance that quantifies how energy can be used more efficiently to reduce input costs, increase productivity and reduce air pollutants and greenhouse gas emissions. This initiative only offers assistance for 128 Conser vation Ac- tivity Plans-Ag Energy Management Plans (AgEMPs) and certain energy conser vation practices. • NRCS Western Lake Erie Basin Initiative (WLEB): NRCS and partners work with producers and landowners to implement voluntar y conser vation practices that improve water quality, restore wetlands, enhance wildlife habitat and sustain agricultural profitability in the West - ern Lake Erie basin. • Monarch Butterfly Habitat Development Initiative (EQIP): The Monarch Butterfly Habitat Develop- ment Project is a multi-state effort focused on increasing monarch habitat on private lands through plantings of milkweed and nectaring forms as well as managing pesticide use in proximity to monarch habitat. • Joint Chief's Landscape Resto- ration Initiative: This project targets forest land to improve conser vation and restoration of oak communi- ties. Funding is available in the following counties: Bartholomew, Brown, Clark, Crawford, Dubois, Floyd, Greene, Harrison, Jackson, Lawrence, Martin, Monroe, Mor- gan, Orange, Owen, Perr y. Putnam, Washington. • Working Lands for Wildlife Initiative (EQIP): The goal of this initiative is to convert tall fescue and other non-native forages to na- tive grasses and forbs and develop prescribed grazing plans to ad- dress the habitat needs of bobwhite quail and associated grassland/ shrub land species. This categor y is available statewide on land which overlaps one of the Indiana DNR C.O.R.R.I.D.O.R.S. priority areas. • Great Lakes Restoration Initia- tive (GLRI): NRCS and partners work with producers and landown- ers to implement voluntar y conser- vation practices that improve water quality, restore wetlands, enhance wildlife habitat and sustain agricul- tural profitability in the Great Lakes. NRCS Landscape Conservation efforts: • Resource Conser vation Part- nership Program (RCPP) projects: RCPP promotes coordination between NRCS and its partners to deliver conser vation assistance to producers and landowners. NRCS provides assistance to producers through partnership agreements and through the following program contracts or easement agreements. • Tri-State Western Lake Erie Basin Phosphorus Reduction Initia - tive (Adams, Allen, DeKalb, Noble, Steuben and Wells Counties) • Southern Indiana Young Forest Initiative • Big Pine Watershed Partner- ship (Benton, White, Warren, and Tippecanoe Counties) • The Michigan/Indiana St. Joseph River Conser vation Partner- ship (Elkhart, LaGrange, Steuben, Noble, Kosciusko, DeKalb and St. Joseph Counties) • Indiana Watershed Initiative: The University Of Notre Dame (Kosciusko, Newton, Jasper and Benton Counties) • Improving Working Lands for Monarch Butterflies Partnership (statewide) • Mississippi River Basin Healthy Watersheds Initiative (MRBI): NRCS and partners work with producers and landowners to implement voluntar y conser vation practices that improve water quality, restore wetlands, enhance wildlife habitat and sustain agricultural profitability in the Mississippi River basin. • Little Wea Watershed (Tippeca - noe County) • Big Pine Creek Watershed – Headwaters (Benton and White Counties) • Big Pine Creek Watershed – Brumm and Darby (Benton County) • Big Cicero Creek Watershed (Boone, Clinton, Hamilton and Tip- ton Counties) • Busseron Creek Watershed (Sullivan and Vigo Counties) • Fish Creek Watershed (Greene, Monroe and Owen Counties) • Plummer Creek Watershed (Green County) In addition, EQIP offers financial assistance for payment of practices and conser vation activities involving the development of plans appro- priate for the eligible land. The conser vation practice associated with plan development is known as a Conser vation Activity Plan (CAP). EQIP applications for CAP are not required to be submitted by Decem- ber 15th; they may be submitted, accepted and considered for funding at any time. Funding is based on dol- lars available and meeting eligibility requirements. Producers interested in EQIP should submit a signed application to the local NRCS field office. Ap- plications submitted by the Decem- ber 15th deadline will be evaluated for the funding period submitted. Participants in EQIP must meet eligibility requirements. NRCS staff will work with producers to determine eligibility and complete necessar y worksheets and rankings in order for the applicant to compete for funding. For more information about EQIP and other technical and financial assistance available through Indiana NRCS conser vation programs, visit http://www.nrcs.usda.gov/wps/ portal/nrcs/main/in/programs/ financial/eqip/ or contact your county's District Conser vationist http://www.nrcs.usda.gov/wps/ portal/nrcs/main/in/contact/lo - cal/. Hoosier Chapter SWCS Annual Meeting Nov. 16 Healthy Soil, Happy Pollinators! Join the Hoosier Chap- ter SWCS on Thursday, Nov. 16 for the group's annual meeting. Whether on the farm or in the city, improv- ing soil health improves the habitat of pollina- tors and benefi- cial insects. Attendees will learn more about soil health and its connection to pollinators. You'll hear what's going on in Indiana and nationally to encourage soil health cropping systems and pol- linator habitat. FEATURED SPEAKERS • Dr. Jonathan Lundgren, CEO, Blue Dasher Farm and Director, ECDYSIS Foundation. Beneficial insects of soil health crop- ping systems, including initial results of insect populations in cover crop systems • Emily May, Pol- linator Conser vation Specialist, Xerces Soci- ety. Farming with pollina- tors and an over view of the Bee Better Certified program • Brianne Lowe, State Biologist, USDA NRCS. State Monarch Conser vation Strategy • Stephanie McLain, State Soil Health Spe- cialist USDA NRCS. Financial and technical assistance for pollinator habitat and soil health • Jeff Belth, author of the award winning "Butterflies of Indiana Field Guide." Native butterflies of Indiana and their lar val and adult plant hosts. For more information contact Curtis Knueven at curtis.knueven@in.usda. gov. Out with the old. In with the new. NOW THROUGH DECEMBER 31. 0% FINANCING OR CASH BACK! *For commercial use. Offer subject to CNH Industrial Capital America LLC credit approval. See your New Holland dealer for details and eligibility requirements. De- pending on model, a down payment may be required. Offer good through December 31, 2017, at participating New Holland dealers in the United States. Offer subject to change. Taxes, freight, set-up, delivery, additional options or attachments not included in price. © 2017 CNH Industrial Capital America LLC. All rights reserved. New Holland Agriculture is a trademark registered in the United States and many other countries, owned by or licensed to CNH Industrial N.V., its subsidiaries or affiliates. CNH Industrial Capital is a trademark in the United States and many other countries, owned by or licensed to CNH Industrial N.V., its subsidiaries or affiliates. 407 E. Kentucky, Holland (812) 536-3486 We Service What We Sell! www.BLESCHBROS.com Equipment Company When Thursday, Nov. 16 9 a.m. to 3:30 p.m. Where FFA Leadership Conference Center 6595 S 125 W, Trafalgar, IN 46181 Registration Lunch and Breaks included $30—members $60—non-members (includes 1 year membership) $20—retirees/spouses $5—students EventBright Registration: https://tinyurl.com/HCSW- CS-fall-2017 Register by Nov. 9.