Local Led Working Groups Turn Producer Voices Into Better Conservation Outcomes
For nearly a century, the Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS) has stated that the best conservation solutions start locally, with producers and community partners shaping priorities.
For nearly a century, the Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS) has stated that the best conservation solutions start locally, with producers and community partners shaping priorities. Today, Local Led Working Groups (LLWGs) are the foundation of that approach and ensure program delivery reflects real needs and the experience of Arkansas farmers, ranchers, and forest landowners. This locally led focus is central to the NRCS mission and operating standards in Arkansas, emphasizing locally led conservation practices that keep working lands productive and in good hands for generations.
To bring a suggestion or issue to the table, conservation districts host a LLWG to meet, discuss and gather technical input on Farm Bill programs, resource concerns and other topics. Participants include district conservationists, co-ops, Arkansas Game and Fish Commission, producers, and other local and state partners. The members of the group gather to discuss what works, where there is a need, and which resource concerns need extra attention. After the group meets, feedback is provided to NRCS experts, helping target support and successfully deliver assistance across the Environmental Quality Incentives Program (EQIP), Conservation Stewardship Program (CSP), National Water Quality Initiative (NWQI), Regional Conservation Partnership Program (RCPP), and other programs. The input from each group is presented to the State Technical Committee (STAC) to prioritize and meet technical standards.
“Local Led Working Groups keep us grounded in producer realities,” said Helen Denniston, the Ark. NRCS State Resource Conservationist. “Their county-level insight helps identify priority resource concerns and the practices we offer. Many of our accomplishments simply would not happen without their input.”
Over the years, LLWG feedback has led to clear, actionable priorities and program improvements by enabling the groups to present topics like conservation focus areas, producer resource concerns, and special project interests, directly to the experts at NRCS during the STAC meeting. Projects such as Cagen White River in Stone, Independence and Izard counties were initiated because of the counties’ LLWGs bringing the urgent need for streambank restoration in specific areas of the waterways on the White River, to the committee’s attention. Aware of the situation, Arkansas NRCS partnered with a local conservation resource center to restore and stabilize the streambanks.
The LLWGs also offer practical ideas for outreach such as field days, to reach producers who are unaware of practices and other opportunities through NRCS. These outcomes highlight LLWGs as not just meetings, but a key element to turn producer knowledge into effective messaging about NRCS programs and resource allocations across the state.
Experiencing the needs of producers first-hand, LLWGs help NRCS employees focus on practices and outcomes that producers value most, allowing field staff to build conservation plans that deliver the most benefit to the customer. Underneath the umbrella of the STAC, are multiple conservation subcommittees with an assembly of board members representing NRCS, partner agencies, producers and others, that focus on different conservation initiatives for Arkansas. Members of the LLWGs may join these subcommittees to share information and provide valuable recommendations to the committee on a biannual basis. The subcommittee meeting also provides NRCS staff an opportunity to update conservationists with the agency’s efforts on practices and initiatives throughout the state.
“Our success in Arkansas isn’t about luck, it’s about being locally led,” Denniston said. “LLWG recommendations are an effective way to gather information and target resources to build our funding pools. That alignment is behind a lot of the winds we see here. Without them, outcomes could be smaller and slower.”
When LLWGs identify outreach and technical needs, NRCS can request assistance from partners, such as Quail Forever and Arkansas Game and Fish Commission, to strengthen awareness and provide producers with subject-matter expertise. This makes LLWGs key to the successful communication of producer needs within the state.
For more information about attending an LLWG, contact your representing conservation district for meeting details. If you are interested in participating in an NRCS program, reach out to your local field service office at https://www.nrcs.usda.gov/state-offices/arkansas to start the process.