INDIANAPOLIS — A statewide association is being forced to suspend key conservation programs.
Officials say it’s a consequence of the Trump Administration’s federal funding freezes and delays.
The Indiana Association of Soil and Water Conservation Districts (IASWCD) empowers each of the state’s 92 counties to conserve natural resources.
IASCWD is now suspending its programs.
“All of these programs have been put on hold by the federal funding freeze," Executive Director Liz Rice said.
All staff associated with the Conservation Cropping Systems Initiative (CCSI), Resilient Indiana (RITA), and Urban Soil Health (USH) programs have been furloughed.
That’s 18 people without work, pay or benefits.
“Real people, real jobs, real careers, real families who are doing good work," Rice said.
CCSI, RITA and USH support conservation practices that protect soil health and water quality and ensure agricultural sustainability across the state.
The three programs provide critical outreach, technical assistance, and training to farmers, ranchers, foresters and urban growers.
“They had been in contract with the federal government to get reimbursed. So they may be out, depends on the producer, but 10, 20 plus thousands of dollars," she said.
That’s the case for Allen County consulting forester Tom Crowe.
“We’re not getting paid and it’s taking a lot longer to get reimbursed for work that’s already been completed," Crowe said.
Crowe is also a member of the National Association for Conservation Districts.
He says a lot of the effects of conservation are cumulative.
“A lot of the crops and improvements in soil quality, soil health take several years to get the benefits in terms of improved fertility and structure and porosity and improved water quality, loss of that technical assistance could have a huge impact," he said.
IASWCD does not have a clear timeline for if and when its programs will resume.
IASWCD is currently waiting to be reimbursed for $400,000 from the federal government.
