News Release No. 398

DEPARTMENT OF NATURAL RESOURCES HOSTS
56TH ANNUAL SOIL AND WATER TRAINING CONFERENCE

Volume 32-398

Contact: Judy Stinson

(For immediate release)

573-751-4932

JEFFERSON CITY, MO, DEC. 16, 2004 - "The Road to Conservation" was the theme that drew 745 people to Tan-Tar-A Resort in Osage Beach for the annual soil and water conservation districts training conference held Nov. 29-Dec. 1.

The annual conference is coordinated by the Missouri Department of Natural Resources' Soil and Water Conservation Program in partnership with the Missouri Association of Soil and Water Conservation Districts.

The emphasis for the 56th annual training conference focused on the diversity of Missouri's resources and agriculture and how differences in resources and farming practices require a range of soil and water conservation solutions. Elizabeth Brown, chair of the state's Soil and Water Districts Commission, welcomed the group with remarks centered on the theme. Keynote speaker Scott Greenberg emphasized belief in self and making good choices as ways to overcome challenges.

The conference is a yearly event that brings supervisors together to focus on training needs. This year's workshops included a special emphasis on the commission's planing efforts. The commission is making a special effort to gather input from all over the state as it completes its new long-range plan. Other workshop topics ranged from maintaining watershed records, information about the Sunshine Law, county planning, the latest on NRCS programs, audits, nutrient and pest management policy changes, working with elected officials, the Fair Labor Standards Act, coordinating AgNPS SALT projects with stream team activities, and new ideas for district information and education programs.

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