FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Date: November 6, 2008

Contact:
Paige Buck, State Public Affairs Specialist, (217) 353.6606

Decatur Declared “Best Conservation Service Center for 2008”

Champaign, IL—At an Illinois NRCS Meeting held November 5th in Champaign, IL, Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS) State Conservationist Bill Gradle announced the NRCS Field Office of the Year Award for 2008 will go to the Decatur Field Office in Macon County. Each year, Gradle names the Field Office team he feels has surpassed agency and customer expectations and met the challenges of conservation head on. With conservation technical assistance from members of this team, Macon County private landowners who strive to work in production agriculture can be successful and yet handle their land and resources in an environmentally safe and sustainable manner.

As Team Leader, NRCS District Conservationist Annette Holmes confirms her team is built on a strong partnership which is the reason they accomplish so much and have met--and even surpassed--goals. “Our team works well together. We all have a passion for conservation and agriculture and we definitely enjoy what we do,” says Holmes.

As in every Illinois county, the team includes a mix of NRCS and Soil and Water Conservation District (SWCD) staff who work together to assist local landowners with a seamless delivery approach. The NRCS team consisted of District Conservationist Annette Holmes, Soil Conservationist Kelly German, and Soil Conservation Technician Jeff Hyett. The SWCD Team included Resource Conservationist Abbie Sperry, Watershed Specialist Shannon Allen, Watershed Conservationist Joe Magnotta, Administrative Assistant Linda Good, and Tri-County CREP Assistant Terre Zeigler.

With the Farm Progress Show’s permanent Bi-Annual Expo site constructed essentially in their backyard, the team confirms that activity, interest, and visibility have intensified over the last few years. In addition, the Service Center is located right on the Richland Community College campus—bringing technology, students, research opportunities and more to their doorstep. “We are in the middle of the Corn Belt of Middle America and our Field Office is embedded in an agricultural and environmental hub,” says Holmes. “The Illinois Land Improvement Contractors Association also uses the site for their annual Conservation Expo, where new practices and technologies are showcased and demonstrated—this brings local and regional farmers and earth-moving contractors in for education and networking,” Allen adds.

Macon County has a unique blend of agricultural productivity. According to Holmes “We have ADM headquarters and Tate & Lyle North American Headquarters here, private landowners, farmers and successful small businesses in the expanding City of Decatur, two large health care facilities, and Lake Decatur. It’s a watershed with a well-balanced urban and rural population that is growing and developing while striving to keep the quality of our environment and our quality of life high. Between our office, the tremendous efforts of the Macon County SWCD Board, our partners and customers, it’s a great place to be because good things are happening here.”

Conservation accomplishments of the Service Center during the last fiscal year, using NRCS’ Environmental Quality Incentives Program (EQIP), the Macon County Team has achieved the following:

• Cropland improvements on nearly 1,000 acres
• Conservation ground and surface water quality improvements on 1,400 acres
• Grazing and forest land improvements on 200 acres
• Conservation plans written on nearly 4,000 acres
• Measures to improve soil quality applied on 5,500 cropland acres
• Improvements to fish and wildlife habitat on nearly 100 acres of private land

State Conservationist Gradle confirms his appreciation and confidence in the team. “The SWCD and NRCS staff in the Decatur Field Office both work together as a productive and attentive team. They have been faced with huge opportunities and they’ve met those challenges head on. They demonstrate an intact and strong partnership day in and day out. And when a team works well together, the work gets done.”

Congratulations to these conservationists and their commitment to soil and water resources, to agriculture, and to each other. To learn more about NRCS and how they protect Illinois resources, visit www.il.nrcs.usda.gov.

Photo Caption:
The Macon County NRCS/SWCD Team. Back Row (left to right): Annette Holmes, Linda Good, Kelly German, Terre Zeigler, Abbie Sperry, Front Row (left to right): Shannon Allen, Jeff Hyett, and Joe Magnotta.

(Click on image to view larger photo.)

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