Fairfield Soil and Water Conservation District

08/31/2026

Deadline to RSVP for our Annual Meeting is fast approaching!

Our newsletter is out! Click on image to see full page 1. You can find the entire August 2026 edition at https://fairfieldswcd.org/newsletters/

08/31/2026

Don't forget, our election for Board of Supervisors is happening now!

Our newsletter is out! Click on image to see full page 3. You can find the entire August 2026 edition at https://fairfieldswcd.org/newsletters/

08/31/2026

Pollinator Partnership, in collaboration with the USDA, is conducting a survey to learn about Midwest growers’ preferences for on-farm conservation programs. Farmers or agricultural networks, please take the survey and share to help maximize participation to help improve the Value of Conservation Programs for Midwestern Farmers.

If you are familiar with or have participated in the CRP program or other Farm Bill Programs, they want to hear from you!

To qualify, you must currently own and/or manage farmland in Ohio. Please complete the survey in one sitting and take the survey only once. It takes about 15 minutes to complete.

Your participation is voluntary and will make a huge difference for the Midwest’s leadership in agriculture. Your responses will not identify you individually as results will be aggregated and anonymized.

Take the survey here: https://form.jotform.com/261315779919067

Pollinator Partnership (a 501c3 nonprofit) is conducting this survey under contract for the USDA. If you have questions about this survey, please contact Jordan Phelps ([email protected]) or Vicki Wojcik ([email protected]) at Pollinator Partnership. Your input really matters. Thank you!

08/28/2026

08/28/2026

From our friends at Farm Service Agency:
Regular Maintenance Requirements for all CRP Contracts
The Conservation Reserve Program (CRP) is a program administered by the Farm Service Agency (FSA) to conserve farmland for future generations while providing habitat for wildlife, reducing soil erosion, and improving water quality. Regular maintenance on CRP acres is needed to ensure the acreage continues to provide conservation benefits and remains in compliance with the CRP contract.

Regular Maintenance

Producers with CRP contracts are required to control all w**ds, insects, pests, and other undesirable species to the extent necessary to ensure that the approved conservation cover is adequately protected and to ensure there is no adverse impact on surrounding land. Mowing is one of the allowable practices for w**d control, but mowing for aesthetic purposes is never permitted. The Conservation Plan states the required w**d control methods for each site.

Once a stand has been certified as fully established, participants are required to maintain plant diversity and stand density according to the Conservation Plan and offer (CRP-2) for the life of the contract. Stands that do not meet practice specific plant diversity or density requirements may be considered non-compliant. Refer to your conservation plan or contact FSA if you have any questions or concerns about the vegetative cover requirements.

Maintenance activities cannot occur during the primary nesting season for birds without written prior approval from the local county office. The primary nesting season in Ohio is March 15 through July 15.

Mid-Contract Management

Regular maintenance for w**d and pest control is separate from the Mid-Contract Management (MCM) requirement. MCM ensures plant diversity and wildlife benefits while ensuring protection of the soil and water resources. Such activities are site-specific and are for the purpose of enhancing the approved cover.

MCM must be completed between years four and six of a 10-year contract and between years seven and nine of a 15-year contract. The Conservation Plan will state what year MCM must take place.

Noncompliance with Maintenance Requirements

Failure to adequately maintain the stand may result in noncompliance with the terms and conditions of the CRP contract. Noncompliance can result in adverse actions up to and including termination of the CRP contract. Contracts that are out of compliance are ineligible to re-enroll, unless the stand is brought back into compliance prior to the enrollment deadline.

For general information about CRP, visit the Conservation Reserve Program webpage. For information about specific contracts, reach out to the local FSA office.

08/23/2026

08/22/2026

📢 Attention Licking County Community! For the past year, our Soil & Water team has been working with Ohio EMA and the Licking County Commissioners on a Flood Hazard Mitigation grant.

We know this has been a heartbreaking event over the past week, and we are truly sorry for how many in our community have been affected. To support long‑term planning, we’re gathering flooding photos and drone footage from Pataskala, Kirkersville, Buckeye Lake, Hebron, and Heath.

📷 If you have pictures or footage, please share them with a note about where they were taken, or email them to [email protected]. Photos with landmarks or clear water depth make the biggest impact.

Projects like this take time, and real, effective solutions require time. We are making progress and will provide updates later this fall. Thank you for your support. For questions, call our office at (740) 670-5330. Village of Buckeye Lake Village of Hebron City of Pataskala, Ohio City of Heath, Ohio - Government

08/20/2026

Due to this morning's flooding and the risk of College Avenue Bridge being closed (our only way out). Our staff will be working remotely. Email and voicemail will be monitored.

Farm Sercive Agency is closed. NRCS is working remotely.

08/19/2026

08/18/2026

After one of last week's rainfalls, this grassed waterway and concrete drop box (grade stabilization structure) were flowing. This waterway is one of our largest with a 287-acre watershed (drainage area). The width of the waterway just above it is rare at 64'. More often, we see wooden boxes versus concrete. Due to the large capacity needed, concrete was chosen. This box prevents erosion where the waterway has an elevation drop to the stream. It is designed to flow full at 236 cubic feet per second. It was built in 2007.