2023 Annual Conference Agenda

Sunday, August 27, 2023

12:00 Noon Registration Table Opens South Entrance
3:00 p.m. CDI Regional Director’s Board Meeting Cardinal

Monday, August 28, 2023

7:00 a.m. Registration Opens South Entrance
8:55 a.m. Registration Closes South Entrance
9:00 a.m. Welcome from Ramona Nitz, CDI President, and Steve Hofmann, State Soil Conservation and Water Quality Committee Chair

Pledge of Allegiance led by Jack Boyer

Welcome from Mike Naig, Iowa State Secretary of Agriculture

 Prairie
9:15 a.m. CDI Annual Business Meeting Prairie
12:00 Noon Luncheon and Awards Presentation Garden
1:00 p.m. NACD Farm Bill Update

Speaker:

  • Ryan Britt – NACD Next Generation Leadership Institute Member and NACD Soil Health Champion
 Prairie
1:30 p.m. CDI Miscellaneous Business Prairie
2:00 p.m. Ice Cream Social and Visit Exhibits Garden
3:00 p.m. Propelling Conservation through Conversation 2.0

Moderator – Joe Hayes, CDI Communications Coordinator and Planning Coordinator

Commissioners and Partners general discussion exploring ways to increase commissioner’s involvement, sharing ideas to get new people involved with local SWCDs, suggesting ways to enhance commissioners and partners relations and sharing of local best practices for conservation events and district operations, etc.

 Garden
4:30 p.m. Social Hour and Visit Exhibits

Refreshments provided

 Prairie
5:30 p.m. Banquet and Awards Presentation

Announcements:

  • State Poster Contest Winner
  • Envirothon State Winner – Decorah Nerd Republic (Winneshiek)

Speakers:

  • Alaina Gebel – CDI Scholarship Recipient (Allamakee)
  • Seth Watkins – 2022 Iowa Leopold Conservation Award Recipient
  • Ryan Britt – 2022 Missouri Leopold Conservation Award Recipient
  • To be announced – 2023 Iowa Leopold Conservation Award presented by Lance Irving of Sand County Foundation

Note:

  • Silent Auction closes at the end of the evening banquet dinner.
 Prairie

Tuesday, August 29, 2023

7:00 a.m. Breakfast Buffet

Each district will gather at tables assigned by regions for open discussion with fellow commissioners.

 Garden
7:45 a.m. Visit Exhibits Hall
8:20 a.m. Pledge of Allegiance led by Paul Ackley

Announcements

 Garden
8:30 a.m. Partner Updates and Presentations

Speakers:

  • Matt Russell – FSA
  • Curt Goettsch – FSA
  • Steve Hopkins – IDNR
  • Neil Dominy – NRCS
  • Susan Kozak – IDALS
  • Will Myers – IDALS
 Garden
10:00 a.m. Break and Visit Exhibits Hall
10:15 a.m. Commissioner Enrichment Garden
11:00 a.m. Concurrent Workshop Sessions
(Choose Track #1 or Track #2)Track #1:  PL 566 Structures (11:00 a.m. – 11:55 a.m.)Speakers:

  • Eric Dirth – Iowa Assistant Attorney General
  • Christian Osborn – NRCS
  • Mark McCurdy – NRCS
  • Jonathan Garton – Iowa DNR

Track #2:  Two 25-minute Breakout Sessions
Session A:  Farm Bill Opportunities (11:00 a.m. – 11:25 a.m.)

Speaker:

  • Ryan Britt

Session B:  Climate Smart Farming (11:30 a.m. – 11:55 a.m.)

Speakers:

  • Bob Zimmerman
  • Jack Boyer
  • Paul Ackley
 Prairie 1

Prairie 2
12:00 noon Luncheon and Awards Presentation

Speaker:

  • Kenneth Walker – NRCS Assistant Chief
 Garden
1:00 p.m. Annual Conference Wrap-up / Safe Travels Garden

Register Today

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Register online today.