National Association of Conservation Districts

National Association of Conservation Districts

NACD's mission is to serve conservation districts by providing national leadership and a unified voice for natural resource conservation.

News Release

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

NACD ANNOUNCES SUPPORT FOR AG CONNECT EXPO

WASHINGTON, D.C.—February 6, 2009—The National Association of Conservation Districts (NACD) and the Association of Equipment Manufacturers (AEM) announced today that NACD is a partner with AEM in AG CONNECT Expo 2010. Spokespersons for the two organizations said the partnership will serve agriculture by elevating conservation awareness.

AG CONNECT Expo 2010 is the new agricultural trade show slated for January 13-15, 2010 at the Orange County Convention Center in Orlando, Florida. AG CONNECT Expo 2010 will showcase the latest innovations, products, services and technology in all agriculture sectors and offer access to leading worldwide industry experts.

NACD and AEM have partnered on various projects for more than four decades, explained Krysta Harden, chief executive officer of NACD. The partnership helps recognize conservation districts for the conservation benefits they achieve through effective and innovative use of equipment.  “AEM collaborates with us -our annual joint awards program is one example - so partnering with them just makes good sense to us,” Harden said. The awards (see http://www.aem.org/News/AEMNews/Details.asp?P=634) recognize individual conservation districts for using new and innovative technologies, tools and equipment.

“Our involvement in AG CONNECT Expo 2010 will generate greater conservation awareness and support AEM and its efforts within the Ag industry. It will also serve to enhance awareness of and elevate the profile of NACD among producers and agribusiness in general,” Harden said. “AG CONNECT Expo will exhibit the kind of equipment necessary for conservation advancement.”

Charlie O’Brien, AEM’s vice president of Agriculture Services, agreed. “Conservation practices have always been critical to agriculture, but with today’s heightened environmental sensitivities the farmer is on the front lines for balanced and effective conservation.”

O’Brien explained that NACD’s interest in AG CONNECT Expo underscores the scope of the new trade show. “Conservation embraces all aspects of agriculture, including seed and fertilizer inputs and how best to use and apply them for maximum benefit for the land, the yield and the greater community,” O’Brien said.

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The National Association of Conservation Districts (NACD) is the nonprofit organization that represents America’s 3,000 conservation districts and the 17,000 men and women who serve on their governing boards. Conservation districts are local units of government established under state law to carry out natural resource management programs at the local level. Districts work with millions of cooperating landowners and operators to help them manage and protect land and water resources on all private lands and many public lands in the United States.

AEM is the North American-based international trade group representing the off-road equipment manufacturing industry. AEM is headquartered in Milwaukee, Wisconsin, with offices in the capitals of Washington, D.C., Ottawa, Beijing and a European presence in Brussels. It represents more than 800 companies in the agriculture, construction, forestry, mining and utility sectors.