Co-sponsored by: McKnight Foundation, Sustainable Agriculture & Food Systems Funders and The Heinz Endowments

The largest source of federal funding for conservation in the U.S is the Conservation Title of the Farm Bill, with $24 billion over the past 5 years. This essential legislation is up for reauthorization this year. There are several challenges and opportunities presented by this reauthorization including lack of broad understanding and support from the public for this provision, to immense and growing challenges to agriculture that could threaten environmental quality on a much larger scale. Simply put, we will see more food demand in the next 30 years than we have in the history of civilization, and if we do not step up our conservation implementation we will see massive losses in water quality, species and opportunity based on a sound environment.

The Center for Conservation Leadership of the Max McGraw Wildlife Foundation empaneled ten of the nation’s leading conservation experts to draw up recommendations to face this essential challenge. The commission report, The Heartlands Initiative, recommends strategies not only for getting more environmental return on every conservation dollar invested, but techniques to bring whole new classes of capital to conservation investment. The report lays out essential steps that are within reach to dramatically scale up conservation implementation.

We’ll also hear from the National Association of Conservation Districts on the significance of Farm Bill Conservation Program reauthorization related to continued availability of sound technical assistance and conservation planning, and steps conservation districts are taking to ensure a 21st century workforce of locally-led conservation professionals.

The Conservation Fund, a national conservation NGO, will present about their Conservation Title platform and strategy, including about conservation easements, public-private partnerships, conservation innovation, access to affordable farmland, and food security.

Join this timely webinar to hear from those who are creatively tackling these challenges and working to ensure adequate funding in the next Farm Bill.

MODERATOR

Andrew McElwaine, vice president, Sustainability, The Heinz Endowments

SPEAKERS

Alex Echols, consultant, Center for Conservation Leadership of the Max McGraw Wildlife Foundation
Kelly Ingebritson, senior government relations representative, The Conservation Fund
Jeremy Peters, chief executive officer, National Association of Conservation Districts