The 2016 SWCD Annual Meeting was held on February 1st. It was our largest ever with 110 people in attendance. After the annual meeting, updates to the district directory and certifications of the election were submitted to the State Soil Board.
*The SWCD was audited by Indiana State Board of Accounts for the years 2010-2015. The auditor indicated that all records are in order, and there were no issues! All reporting to the Indiana Gateway was up-to-date and correct.
*The SWCD and NRCS had an information booth at the Farm Bureau, Inc. Farmer’s Share Breakfast. 150 people attended the meeting. We also had an information booth at New Holland, Rochester’s Open House to inform the public about conservation programs. Approximately 500 people attended.
*Our InField Advantage (InFA) Winter Meeting was held in March for the 2015 results. In 2016 we had 15 local growers participate. Forty-five fields were tested with 1,800 stalks cut, cleaned, packaged, recorded and sent to the lab.
*Two Landfill Inspections at the County Line Landfill were performed by the SWCD during 2016.
*The Arrow Head Country RC&D Education Committee hosted the Envirothon at Camp Buffalo on March 16th with 40 students, 4 advisors and 16 volunteers.
*We sponsored the new Fulton County Plat Book.
*We completed our 3-year CWI cover crop cost share grant.
*Supervisors and staff participated in the annual Arrowhead Country RC&D Education Committee River Rafting and Academic Competition. 466 students, 40 teachers/ chaperones, and approximately 45 volunteers participated.
*Indiana Conservation Partnership (ICP) leaders Jane Hardesty, Indiana State
*We received an amendment to the current CREP contract adding $190,000 to the Tippecanoe watershed.
*We sponsored the InField Advantage Fall Training Meeting. Approximately 50 employees and partners participated from the northern half of the State. Participants received updated training, GPS units, bags, maps, cutters and other supplies for corn stalk nitrate sampling.
*The 2016 SWCD Cover Crop Field Day was held on September 21st with 60 people in attendance. Presentations included the Solvita Test and how to build organic matter, benefits of cover crops, and grazing cover crops. The field day was held on a cover-crops-after-wheat field southeast of Kewanna.
*Supervisors Ross Burdge and Glen Jones and ISDA Resource Specialist Chris Gardner helped with the county soils evaluation contest. Over 300 students learned about soils science and about recommended practices in agriculture and home construction land use. 40 volunteers participated
*The annual Local Working Group met in September. They discussed the EQIP Eligible Resource Concerns for Fulton County. The group will concentrate on soil and water quality.
*Supervisors & staff completed Internal Control Standards training as required by State board of Accounts. We drafted and adopted a new policy specific to the Fulton County SWCD.
*Glen Jones was appointed to serve as the Fulton County Delegate at the 2017 Annual Conference in January.
*Lois attended a two-day grant writing workshop in Indianapolis on December 5-6. She applied for and was awarded two grants for training reimbursement totaling $750.