This month, Farm Monitor’s Ranger Nick segment highlights the damage and issues surrounding invasive feral swine, some control best practices, and ongoing research funded through the Feral Swine Control and Eradication Pilot Project.

The Flint River Soil and Water Conservation District is excited to announce our newest team member! Aubree Plymale is joining the District for the summer of 2022 as the Feral Swine Summer Coordinator. As Summer Coordinator, Aubree will work directly on the District’s feral swine initiative and the Feral Swine Control and Eradication Pilot Project.

The Flint River Soil and Water Conservation District has annouced two Summer Coordinator positions to support Feral Swine Control and Smart Irrigation initiatives.

The Flint River Soil & Water Conservation District is pleased to announce the 2022 Stewardship Week theme: “Healthy Soil, Healthy Life”. Stewardship Week, which will be celebrated April 24 – May 1, 2022 is celebrated each year to promote natural resource conservation across various topics including soil, water, and habitat.

The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS) recently announced several new and expanded opportunities for conservation programs that lend to climate-smart agriculture production in fiscal year 2022. Among these is the Cover Crop Initiative (CCI) that incentivizes the use of cover crops on Georgia’s agricultural land.

The U.S. Department of Agriculture’s National Agricultural Statistics Service (NASS) mails the National Agricultural Classification Survey (NACS) this month to more than a million potential U.S. agricultural producers, in preparation for the 2022 Census of Agriculture. The NACS will ask survey recipients if they are involved in agricultural activity and for basic farm information. Response to the NACS is required by law for all who receive the questionnaire, even if the recipient is not an active farmer or rancher. Questionnaires can be completed online or by mail. The response deadline is Jan. 24.

The Flint River Soil and Water Conservation District announces that it will award $2,000 in grant funds through the Agricultural & Environmental Education Grant for K-12 programming within the District’s nine counties. The grant opportunity promotes conservation education and provides additional resources for both formal and non-formal educators looking to engage their students in agriculture and/or natural resources education.

This November, The Flint River Soil and Water Conservation District (FRSWCD) and the Mitchell County Cattleman’s Association (MCCA) finalized an agreement to lease the FRSWCD’s no-till drill for use by local farmers and landowners.

On December 3, the Flint River Soil and Water Conservation District hosted a Feral Swine Control Workshop in partnership with USDA Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service (APHIS), the Jones Center at Ichauway, UGA Warnell College of Forestry and Natural Resources, and University of Georgia Cooperative Extension Service at the Grady County Agric-Center in Cairo, Georgia.

On December 2, project team members from the Albany Area Feral Swine Eradication and Control Pilot Program gathered with participating landowners and stakeholders to share progress on control, monitoring, and research activities in the project area.

On December 1, project team members from the Albany Area and Georgia/ Florida Area of the Feral Swine Eradication and Control Pilot Program met at the Jones Center at Ichauway to share methodologies, lessons learned, and successes from their respective projects.

The Georgia Fruit and Vegetable Growers Association is offering a grant-funded opportunity to attend the 2022 Southeast Regional Fruit and Vegetable Conference, January 6-9 at the Savannah Convention Center in Savannah, GA. This opportunity is being made available through a small USDA Specialty Crop Block Grant allowing GFVGA to award reimbursement stipends* for Georgia’s small, beginning, socially disadvantaged, limited resource, and/or veteran farmers.

Students with a declared major— or intending to declare a major— in agriculture or natural resources areas of study may be eligible for current scholarship programs.

The Flint River Soil and Water Conservation District, in partnership with UGA Cooperative Extension, UGA Warnell School of Forestry and Natural Resources, and USDA Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service will offer a FREE informational workshop on feral swine at the Grady County Ag Center . Topics include feral swine behavior, biology, and removal best practices. Lunch will be provided. Registration is required.

Following the June 3 Board meeting in Albany, Flint River Fresh officially launched their 2022 Capital Campaign, an annual organizational effort to engage local businesses in supporting the ongoing work of Flint River Fresh.

The Flint River Soil and Water Conservation District (FRSWCD) is proud to recognize Educational Scholarship recipients at the 60th Natural Resources Conservation Workshop, which took place June 27-July 2 at Abraham Baldwin Agricultural College in Tifton, Georgia.

During the Flint River Fresh board meeting on June 2, the Atlanta Braves Foundation announced Executive Director Fredando Jackson and Flint River Fresh as a recipient the 2021 Community Heroes Award. The Flint River Fresh Board of Directors was thrilled to invite Atlanta Braves, players, Bally Sports south broadcasters, Braves Foundation representatives and Jackson’s friends and family to virtually join the board meeting for the special presentation.

On April 21, he Flint River Soil and Water Conservation District sponsored Destination Ag for second grade students at Seminole County Elementary School. Destination Ag gives students the opportunity to interactively learn the importance of agriculture and natural resources in their daily lives.

The Flint River Soil and Water Conservation District is excited to welcome two new individuals serving on the nine county District Board of Supervisors. Keith Cromartie of Dougherty County – elected in November--Casey Cox of Mitchell County—appointed by the Governor in April—will serve in their respective counties in Supervisor positions that were previously vacant.

The Flint River Soil & Water Conservation District is pleased to announce the 60thAnnual Natural Resources Conservation Workshop on June 27th – July 2nd, 2021 held at Abraham Baldwin Agricultural College in Tifton, Georgia. The workshop is available to rising 10th, 11th, and 12thgraders in the state of Georgia.