Typically, local working group meetings are convened by the local conservation district on an annual basis for a minimum of one meeting per year, with NRCS support. At local working group meetings farmers, landowners, conservation partners and other members of the community discuss the natural resource needs for the county. The local working group identifies local priority resource concerns and helps conservation districts and NRCS take action to address local needs.

In Montana, NRCS is shifting to a Locally Led Conservation Strategy to guide EQIP investments. Locally Led Conservation begins with goals identified by local working groups. Based on local priorities, NRCS develops Locally Led Conservation Proposals to guide on-the-ground implementation. 

Contact your local NRCS office anytime to express concerns or provide comments about conservation needs in the county. All local stakeholders are encouraged to attend the next local working group meeting in your county.

The agenda for local working group meetings that help conservation districts, NRCS field offices, and local stakeholders to identify and prioritize local resource concerns may include the following items. Individual meetings may vary in order to meet local needs.

• Welcome
• Introductions
• Review of prior LWG minutes
• Review of local resource concerns
• Review of prioritization of local resource concerns
• General discussion
• Closing

View Local Working Group meetings to see all scheduled meetings; or see What's Available in My County to find your local working group meeting details.