About a dozen beef and dairy farmers from St. Tammany and Washington parishes met in Franklinton recently to help pinpoint the best ways to spend federal dollars allocated for conservation. The Bogue Chitto - Pearl River Soil and Water Conservation District spearheaded the locally led effort and called upon local farmers and ranchers to help identify resource needs in both parishes.

By the end of the afternoon, a list of natural resource concerns was identified and prioritized. The concerns included poor soil health, water quality impairment from animal operations, invasive species control and the increasing cost to the landowner in implementing conservation practices.

Tony Beaubouef, district conservationist, said the federal funding currently amounts to about $300,000 annually.

Dairy, cattle farmers meet to discuss conservation dollars

"That's about 40 to 50 contracts, per year," he said. "Locally led federal programs come in with cost-share dollars. And who best knows than the people who make their living on the land how federal money can be tailor made to address the needs for us and future generations?"

The meeting was part of the locally led conservation efforts of the Natural Resources Conservation Services of the United States Department of Agriculture.

The NRCS believes that conservation of resources cannot be achieved by one group, government agency or the individual, but takes cooperative conservation. It starts with the active involvement of the individual who helps identify the resource needs of his or her community, reiterated Beaubouef.

The needs cover "the soil, water, plants, animals and us as human beings that use the land," said Beaubouef.

For additional information, call Beaubouef at 839-5686, ext. 113.