Feldman to serve on national board

Monday, March 28, 2005

By Ben Holman

Nevada Daily Mail

The Vernon County Soil and Water Conservation District now has a voice in Washington thanks to the recent selection of Fred Feldman as a board alternate on the National Association of Conservation Districts.

Feldman, who has served on the local board for many years was selected to serve as area director for a 16 county area, including Vernon County. At the annual meeting of area directors, he was honored again to be chosen as a board alternate at the national level.

"I'm very honored to have been selected, but it's the people on the local board that do most of the work," said Feldman. As a board alternate, Feldman will be required to attend four regional meetings and two national meetings per year over his two-year term.

Feldman is the first Vernon County official to have been honored with selection as an area director and is also the first to be selected to serve on the national level. He said that it basically means that Vernon County will have a local voice on the national level helping to shape the policy for all conservation districts.

One of the concerns for the committee this year are the president's purposed budget cuts. "The farm bill has received one of the largest budget cuts and those cuts affect conservation efforts and farm payments," said Feldman.

While the national association is a lobbying force in Washington, Feldman said that he still plans to focus on the local level. "It's the local office that does all the hard work. They're the ones who deserve the recognition."

The local soil and water conservation district works to combat topsoil erosion, promote no-till farming techniques, maintain waterways and various other conservation initiatives.

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