Soil and Water Conservation Commission reports fiscal-year activity, funding and program demand to Senate committee

Delwyn Trefts, administrator of the Idaho State Soil and Water Conservation Commission, presented the agency’s fiscal year 2024 annual and performance report to the Senate Agricultural Committee and described the commission’s role supporting Idaho’s 50 local conservation districts.

Trefts said the commission’s mission is to assist conservation districts and private landowners with voluntary, nonregulatory conservation projects and that the agency operates four core functions: district support and services, nonregulatory conservation programs, fiscal administration and outreach. He said revenue sources for fiscal 2024 included the state general fund, trustee and benefit receipts and the RCRDP (Resource Conservation and Rangeland Development Program) loan fund. Trefts reported roughly $3.95 million in annual revenues and about $7.9 million in…