OFSWCD meeting next Monday and Tuesday

The Ohio Federation of Soil and Water Conservation Districts’ (OFSWCD) 72nd annual conservation partnership conference, “Built on Strength, Sustained with Passion” will take place on February 23-24, 2015 at the Renaissance Hotel in downtown Columbus.

This year’s event was developed by the OFSWCD with partners: Ohio Association of Soil and Water Conservation District Employees (OASWCDE), Ohio Department of Natural Resources (ODNR) Division of Soil and Water Resources, and the USDA Natural Resources Conservation Services (NRCS). The event will draw 400+ leaders, partners, educators, local are engaged in conservation stewardship activities including the delivery of programs and practices impacting our land and water resources.

Highlighting this year’s event is Guest Speaker, Chad Pregracke, CEO and founder of Living Lands and Waters, a non-profit organization focused on the protection, preservation and restoration of the natural environment of the nation’s major rivers and their watersheds. In 2013, Chad was recognized as CNN’s “Hero of the Year” for his amazing efforts! The event will include a panel discussion on water quality efforts involving Dean Bruce McPherson from The Ohio State University, Dr. Jeff Reutter of Ohio Sea Grant, and Dr. Larry Antosch of the Ohio Farm Bureau. In addition, a diverse array of training workshops are planned along with the Tuesday’s conservation awards luncheon.

The OFSWCD is pleased and honored to announce Farm Credit Services of Mid-America (FCS) as this year’s event sponsor. Throughout its’ 100+ years, FCS has left a positive impact on the lives of the farming community and rural landowners assisted through FCS financial programs and opportunities. Over the last 7 years, FCS has been a key supporter of Ohio’s 88 county SWCDs efforts, including the sponsorship of the county “Cooperator of the Year” program, along with the “State Cooperator of the Year”, who will be announced at this year’s awards luncheon on Tuesday.

“Farm Credit Services of Mid-America has promoted Ohio’s conservation efforts for many years, long before the sponsorship of the Cooperator program,” stated OFSWCD President Joe Glassmeyer. “We are thrilled to have their partnership as we strive to keep our soils productive and our waters clean.”

Also new to this year’s event are Silver Sponsors and trade show vendors, Buckeye Soil Solutions and Conservation Services, Inc.

*Buckeye Soil Solutions is an advocate for promoting cover crops as an integral component of every farms overall operating plan. They focus on timely, efficient and effective custom application of cover crops, provide consultation for all experience level farmers, offer seed sales, and customer application, in addition to both designing and building machines dedicated application in an effort to ensure even and accurate distribution of seed while maintaining minimal crop disturbance.

Conservation Services, Inc. is a hardwood tree planting contractor. They specialize in the installation and maintenance of hardwood tree planting projects including riparian buffers, wetland mitigation banks, wetland restoration projects, stream mitigation banks, stream restoration projects, and more. Their business is the successful installation of your hardwood forest.

To learn more about this year’s Annual Conservation Partnership meeting, our various sponsors and/or the many specialty trade show vendors, visit www.ofswcd.org or contact the OFSWCD at 614.784.1900.

— Ohio Federation of Water and Soil Conservation