Greetings Conservation Partners and Employees,

Thank you all for your efforts with our Environmental Quality Incentives Program approvals and obligations. You continue to go above and beyond in working with our producers on technical and financial assistance. We have obligated close to $25 million to our Tennessee producers.

The Tennessee Leadership Team conducted our management and administrative review in the Murfreesboro area. It was a great opportunity for the Tennessee Leadership Team to spend some time with field, area and partner employees.

The Field Office Advisory Committee met this quarter through Teams, and we had a very productive meeting in addressing some of the recommendations that came from the field staff. I am very proud of the suggestions and comments that came from these committee members. I would like to thank our outgoing member, Meaghan Maddux. I also would like to welcome new member, Daniel Horne.

I participated in a great kick-off session in Jackson, Mississippi for the second class of NRCS leaders in the Louisiana, Mississippi, Tennessee Southeast Leadership Development Program. There are a total of 19 participants in the program. Our Tennessee participants and board members did a great job with the first session.  

We have come to that time again where employees are asked to participate in the Federal Employee Viewpoint Survey. The survey is a confidential survey that allows you to voluntarily share your viewpoints about all aspects of your job and work environment. Tennessee would like to see a response rate of 75 percent or greater. You may use official time to take the survey, which takes approximately 20 minutes to complete. The survey period ends on July 15, 2022. Your voice matters.

I am very excited about our student internship program and looking forward to hearing about their summer experiences. This is one of our largest, most diverse class of interns that we have hosted during a summer. I would like to thank everyone who participated in the orientation session last week and those individuals who are training our interns for the summer.

I travelled to Drummonds, Tennessee, on May 16, to participate in a climate-smart agriculture field tour hosted by the National Women in Agriculture Association. I provided a brief update on NRCS activities across the state. I appreciate the NRCS employees who assisted with this event.

I had the opportunity to participate this month in the Tennessee Association of Conservation of Districts Convention planning meeting. I appreciate the continued support and partnership with our local Soil and Water Conservation Districts.

I am very proud of the work of our Watershed Operations Team and the $3.8 million received from the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law to address water supply and flooding issues. 

Let’s continue to work together, stay focused on our priorities, and provide excellent customer service to our producers.

Sheldon L. Hightower 

By Katherine Burse, state public affairs officer

Mississippi hosted the kick-off session of the LMT SLDP in Jackson, Mississippi, during the week of June 6. This three-day session brought together 18 leadership participants of the program, board advisors, board members and mentors.

The participants were able to learn about the requirements of the program and hear from the board members about special projects, individual leadership development plans, detail assignments, and other responsibilities that need to be fulfilled in order to successfully complete the 18-month program. The group participated in a two-day effective-presentations training, which allowed them to present various topics in front of their peers and gain feedback on their presentation skills.

Tennessee State Conservationist Sheldon Hightower gave a presentation to the group on mentors and protégés, which allowed an opportunity for all mentors to attend and engage with their protégés. The group also heard from the other state conservationists Mississippi and Louisiana on being successful leaders. Southeast Regional Coordinator James Tillman made a surprise visit to address the group about what it means to be a true leader.

According to feedback from some of the participants, the session was informative, engaging, and well worth it. Tennessee host the next leadership session, which will be held in mid-January 2023.

Langston University's 25th Annual Small Farmers Conference

By Katherine Burse, state public affairs officer

It’s not every day that one gets to venture back to their alma marter as a guest speaker, but Tennessee Natural Resources Conservation Service State Conversationist Sheldon Hightower gladly accepted the opportunity to serve as a panel speaker during the 25th Annual Small Farmers Conference hosted by Langston University, an 1890 Historically Black College and University in Oklahoma. Hightower graduated from the university in 1999.

The conference was held from June 1-3 and with nearly 130 agricultural enthusiasts in attendance, it was appropriately themed: "Innovate, Grow and Succeed in Food and Agriculture; Avenue to Build Stronger Communities."

The conference provided information for small farmers and ranchers to learn about practices to enhance their production systems and alternative enterprises. With content that addressed youth in agriculture, agriculture prosperity, production management, value-added enterprises, and food distribution, small farmers were able to meet and engage in conversation with national, state, and local representatives in the United States Department of Agriculture agencies.

Hightower, along with Phil Campbell, Oklahoma County Conservation District board of directors member, and Rodney Clark, a local producer, served on a panel discussion on optimizing the future of agriculture. Dr. Dewayne Goldmon, senior advisor for Racial Equity to the secretary of agriculture, served as the conference opening keynote speaker.

The conference ended with farm tours of Langston University and a meats and processing plant.

LYFE Project Convention outreach enhanced the relationships between respective organizations and the 1890 Historically Black Colleges and Universities land-grant institutions. NRCS highlighted the resources available to underserved and socially disadvantaged agricultural farmers and ranchers with disabilities. State Outreach Coordinator Harold Pettigrew presented funding opportunities and general information pertaining to the programs NRCS.

Arthur Hawkins III, assistant state conservationist for field operations for Area 3, and  Elizabeth Bezinque, Veterans Special Emphasis Program manager, highlighted efforts to combat food deserts, sustain healthy and nutritious produce in urban agriculture, and funding opportunities available.

2022 Hurricane season begins

Hurricane season is officially underway, and it lasts until November 30. The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration again predicts an above-average 2022 hurricane season. Here are a few steps you can take now to help protect your family and ag operation in the event of a hurricane.

Shelton NWQI success story

By Patty L. McCloud, district conservationist, Morristown Service Center

Thanks to funding for the Environmental Quality Incentives Program (EQIP) – National Water Quality Initiative (NWQI) program, less sediment is entering Richland Creek.

Andy Shelton signed up for EQIP-NWQI-Richland Creek to stabilize his streambanks and to install a ford stream crossing. He was having a hard time crossing the creek to reach his 26-acre hayfield on the other side. He had to drive along Highway 11W, which was a safety concern.

Click here to read more. Click here for more information about NWQI.

By Sarah Campbell, Lincoln County district secretary

With a return to normalcy on the horizon, Lincoln County Soil and Water Conservation District has been getting back into the swing of things by reaching out to children about our greatest natural resources.  On May 6, we had the opportunity to spend the day with Andrew Hall and his rotation of sixth graders for science class. For most of the classes, we did different scenarios on our Enviroscape. Click here to read complete story.

By Debbie Smith, Marion County office manager

The Marion County Soil and Water Conservation District was asked to bring our soil tunnel to the Whitwell Elementary School on April 22, to participate in their community day. We were honored to participate with some 500 kids going through our soil tunnel to explore what lies beneath the soil. We also handed out Mighty Mini Microbes coloring books. Click here to view photo gallery.

By Trent Cash, district conservationist, Franklin Field Office

Approximately three years ago Jeremy Tolley had a vision. That vision was to create a sustainable family farm on his residence in Williamson County and possibly leave the stress behind of his corporate job of then. Through tons of hard work, sweat and learning curves, Jeremy’s vision and dreams have transformed a one-acre cropland area into a high quality and production vegetable farm. 

Jeremy, along with his wife and two children currently grow several annual crops of micro greens, heritage and specialty tomatoes, mushrooms, onions, broccoli, carrots and more. Jeremy has used his interest in gardening to expand what was once a 30’x 30’ family garden into a blooming business; to the extent that he now has only sales and a physical farm store located on site for the public to buy from that is technically advanced with apple pay. Jeremy has utilized NRCS assistance and the Environmental Quality Incentives Program to receive funding on conservation practices of seasonal high tunnel, cover crops and mulching to achieve his success. 

Click here to visit Jeremy's website and here to listen to a recent podcast.

Holden Nursery Enviroscape Presentation

By Madison Moore, AmeriCorps member Knox County Field Office

On June 10, Knox County Soil and Water Conservation District participated in an education event hosted by the Farm Bureau women’s group at Holden Nursery in Knoxville. There we did an Enviroscape presentation and the sediment survival game with 25 homeschooled kids between the ages of 5 and 12. After our presentations the kids learned about how to plant seeds with a hands-on activity and picked raspberries.

4H: The future generation of conservation

By Michaela Slagle-Saylor, Jonesborough Field Office district manager for the Washington County Soil and Water Conservation District

On May 29, more than 100 4H students and 75 adults took part in 4H Project Celebration Day at the Appalachian Fair Grounds. The NRCS Jonesborough Field Office and the Washington County Soil and Water Conservation District partnered together to teach a class on the rainfall simulator by explaining infiltration rates and erosion rates. Click here to read more. 

Technical service provider spotlight: Jeronimo Silva

By Jeronimo Silva

As a technical service provider, Jeronimo Silva is excited to continue to support land stewardship across Tennessee. His overall goal is to use best available science to guide conservation planning and management strategies. He is currently certified to do DIA 144-fish and wildlife habitat, which will address resource concerns related to stream habitat improvement and management, and aquatic organisms. Jeronimo can also conduct stream habitat assessments and visual surveys. He looks forward to working with the Field Offices to help landowners achieve their goals and improve their land.

Click here to read more.

Grazing Bites

By Victor Shelton, retired NRCS agronomist/grazing specialist

I remember hearing my mother say more than once, ‘If you can’t say something nice, don’t say anything at all.’ Lately, that has been easier said than done. I try to find a little good in everything that can be challenging. Mark Twain once stated, “It’s better to be an optimist who is sometimes wrong than a pessimist who is always right.” 

Click here to read more. 

By Shanna Mathis, administrative assistant, Stewart County Soil and Water Conservation District, Dover Field Office

The Stewart County Farm Bureau hosted a Farm Day in Dover, Tennessee, on May 13. They had several booths for the fourth graders to learn different expects of agriculture. Cole Earhart from NRCS and Shanna Mathis of Stewart County Soil and Water Conservation District, teamed up to teach different soil types, soil erosion, watershed, the importance of cover crops, and the benefits of earthworms. Earhart demonstrated the absorption/filtration rate of rainwater in different soils, while Mathis used the Enviroscape to teach watershed and soil loss. The worm farm was an attention magnet and a great tool to show soil layers, root systems, and how the earthworms help the soil. 

Chair’s Corner

Summer is here! The transition from spring to summer is not only busy with the demands of planting this year’s crops but also with many Civil Rights observances. Beginning in May with Asian American and Pacific Islander Heritage Month and Memorial Day followed in June by Pride Month and Juneteenth. These observances act as important reminders for us to take a moment to appreciate those who have sacrificed to improve our daily lives and celebrate their achievements. Additionally, they provide us with the opportunity to learn about our past and hopefully take away lessons gained by those who came before us, or as Maya Angelou said far more eloquently, “history, despite its wrenching pain, cannot be unlived, but if faced with courage, need not be lived again.”

Click here to read more.