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Beaufort Conservation District highlights field agent work, EcoCamp and outreach to small farmers
Summary
Conservation District commissioners reported classroom outreach, EcoCamp programming and a Nature Conservancy-funded field agent who identified local small farmers and helped them navigate USDA resources; staff asked the county to continue support.
Denise, a commissioner with the Beaufort Conservation District, and field agent Walter presented the district nnual report to the Community Services and Land Use Committee, detailing education programs, partner grants and field outreach.
"Our mission is to help conserve, maintain and improve our natural resources," Denise said, and she reviewed outreach numbers: classroom visits, festival participation and an annual EcoCamp for children. She noted the district receives county and state funding that covers most operational costs; field work is supported by a Nature Conservancy grant.
Walter described a one-year project to identify and support small, often overlooked farmers in Beaufort County. "I was pleasantly surprised that oing the initial work, I found 25 small farmers in Beaufort County," he said, and reported targeted efforts to help farmers get farm numbers, claim tax exemptions and find markets. He said the outreach emphasized technical and administrative support: helping older farmers with limited computer access to complete USDA forms and connect to grant opportunities.
Commissioners and council members asked whether the district faced pressing issues that county council could help address. Walter said he would compile a prioritized list. Denise noted the district had applied for a matching grant to continue the field-agent work and thanked the county for a 5% operating increase in the current year.
The committee expressed appreciation for the district—fforts and asked staff to share follow-up material on budget and contracts; the presenters offered to provide additional detail about program budgets and grant matches.
The conversation closed with an offer from the district to supply more impact reporting and to coordinate with county rural lands and critical lands programs on future partnerships.
