The USDA Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS), San Saba Soil and Water Conservation District (SWCD) and the Local Working Group invite the public to their annual Conservation Stakeholder’s Meeting at 9:30 am, Tuesday August 14, 2012 at the USDA Service Center located at 1606 East Wallace in San Saba.Each year, the Local Working Group hosts a public meeting to determine the resource concerns and needs of the area and how to best address those needs. The NRCS and their local conservation partner, the San Saba SWCD, provide agriculture producers with professional consultation and financial assistance through Farm Bill conservation programs to apply conservation practices on their land that address soil erosion and health, water quality and quantity issues, as well as wildlife habitat. The Local Working Group includes community agricultural producers, owners/operators of nonindustrial private forest land, professionals representing agricultural and natural resource interests, and individuals representing a variety of disciplines in the soil, water, wetland, plant, forestry, and wildlife sciences who are familiar with agricultural and natural resource issues. All landowners and land managers in San Saba County are encouraged to attend and participate in this meeting. This open discussion public meeting will focus on identifying area natural resource concerns that can be addressed using conservation programs and activities. “Effective conservation stems from a locally led process,” says Mitchell Schroeder, NRCS District Conservationist for San Saba County. “The San Saba County NRCS office operates on the concept that local residents’ best understand local issues and are the key to solving problems.“Our Conservation Stakeholders Meeting gives everyone the opportunity to decide how the assistance from the NRCS and Farm Bill funds can be most beneficial for our community,” adds Schroeder.Through the San Saba SWCD, the Local Working Group will provide recommendations to the NRCS District Conservationist on local natural resource priorities and criteria for conservation activities and programs planning for the upcoming fiscal year. These issues will be especially important in decisions made for financial assistance when implementing the Environmental Quality Incentives Program (EQIP). This program is administered by the NRCS and provides incentive payments for the installation of several conservation practices on eligible participant’s land. The information gathered from these meetings will be used to help carry out the EQIP and other programs in 2013.While the NRCS brings the technical expertise and Farm Bill funding to the table, the goods and services are delivered through the local SWCD board. SWCDs are local units of government made up of five members elected by the public. Their office is usually co-located with the NRCS office. Members of SWCD Boards are actively engaged in farming and ranching. The USDA Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS) has announced that they will hold their annual Locally Led Conservation Meeting and Local Work Group Meeting at 1 p.m., Wednesday, April 20, 2011 at the LSU Agriculture Center, Rosepine Research Station located on Highway 171 just north of Rosepine.These meetings provide landowners, agencies, organizations and any other interested individuals the opportunity to help identify natural resource concerns within the parish and how to help direct technical and financial assistance decisions that your local NRCS and SWCD make throughout the year when implementing conservation programs.The Locally Led Conservation Meeting provides landowners, agencies, organizations and any other interested individuals the opportunity to help identify natural resource concerns within the Calcasieu Soil and Water Conservation District (SWCD). The Calcasieu SWCD includes Vernon and Beauregard parishes. At this meeting, individuals will be able to voice concerns, provide comments and help to identify conservation issues. The public is encouraged to attend and participate in the meeting.Following the Locally Led Conservation Meeting, the Local Work Group Meeting will be held. At this meeting the resource issues identified from the first meeting will be prioritized. This meeting will be chaired by the Calcasieu SWCD.The issues identified and prioritized in these two meetings will be used to help direct technical and financial assistance decisions that your local NRCS and SWCD make throughout the year. These issues will be especially important in decisions made for financial assistance when implementing the Environmental Quality Incentives Program (EQIP).This program is administered by the NRCS and provides cost share and incentive payments for the installation of several conservation practices on eligible participant’s land. The information gathered from these meetings will be used to help carry out the EQIP and other programs in 2012.Both meetings are scheduled to end by 2:00 pm. For more information contact your local NRCS office at 337-239-2193.