WASHINGTON – Today, the National Association of Conservation Districts (NACD) Secretary-Treasurer Ian Cunningham testified before the US House Committee on Agriculture Subcommittee on Conservation and Forestry about the importance of soil-health practices.
Cunningham owns and operates a fifth-generation family farm with his son in southwest Minnesota, producing corn, soybeans and beef cattle.
“Soil-health is a top priority across our 800-acre operation,” Cunningham said in written testimony to the subcommittee. “We have come to realize that healthy soil is the key to addressing many natural resource concerns. It is clear that healthy soil is the bedrock and should be the priority of our conservation efforts.”
In his testimony, Cunningham emphasized the role of conservation districts in leading the nation’s producers to implement soil health conservation practices.
“For a more successful uptake of soil health-practices, producers need to be informed of the latest data and research, and this must come from a trusted local source,” Cunningham said.
Cunningham described NACD’s soil-health economics case-studies, soil-health and weather-extremes report, Soil Health Champions Network and the work both local conservation districts and the national association accomplish to build soil health from the roots up.
“If we are to continue to grow the food, fuel, and fiber our nation and the world will need in the future, agriculture must continue to innovate and grow more with less, while making sure our natural resources are protected for future generations,” he said.
About the National Association of Conservation Districts:
The National Association of Conservation Districts is the nonprofit organization that represents the nation's 3,000 conservation districts, their state and territory associations and the 17,000 men and women who serve on their governing boards. For more than 70 years, local conservation districts have worked with cooperating landowners and managers of private working lands to help them plan and apply effective conservation practices. For more information about NACD, visit: www.nacdnet.org.
