Clay County Soil and Water Conservation District

Clay County Soil and Water Conservation District Soil and Water Conservation Districts throughout the state provide financial incentives to landowners to implement conservation practices.

History of the Soil and Water Conservation Program and the Parks, Soils and Water Sales Tax

In the 1930s, as the Dust Bowl swept across the nation. Americans realized the devastating effects of soil erosion. Legislation began to take shape to better manage and conserve the nation’s soil. Despite these actions, Missouri was still plagued with high erosion rates. In 1982, Missouri was losing soil a

t a rate of 10.75 tons per acre* each year on cultivated cropland. A one-tenth-of-one-percent parks, soils and water sales tax was passed by Missouri voters in 1984 to fund state parks and soil and water conservation efforts. Prior to the passage of the sales tax, Missouri had the second highest rate of erosion in the nation. Missourians recognize the importance of managing our state parks and historic sites and conserving our soil and water resources. Almost two-thirds of Missouri voters renewed the tax in 1988 and 1996; 70.8 voted in favor in 2006 and 80 percent approved the sales tax most recently in 2016. For more than 30 years, soil and water conservation programs have helped Missouri landowners keep more than 179 million tons of soil from eroding into our waterways. The majority of the soil and water portion of this tax has been used to assist agricultural landowners through voluntary programs that are developed by the Soil and Water Districts Commission. They are administered by the Soil and Water Conservation Program through district boards in each of the 114 counties. From 1986 to 2014, the Department of Natural Resources has provided $635 million to Missouri agricultural landowners to implement more than 220,000 conservation practices to protect the state's soil and water resources. In addition, revenues from the Parks, Soils and Water Sales Tax allowed Missouri to have the highest reduction in it's rate of soil erosion when compared to other states with more than 10 million acres of cultivated cropland. The cost-share program provides financial incentives to landowners for up to 75 percent of the estimated cost for installation of soil and water conservation practices that prevent or control excessive erosion and improve water quality. Soil and water conservation districts provide technical support with the design, implementation and maintenance of practices. By promoting good farming techniques that help keep soil on the fields and waters clean, each soil and water conservation district is conserving the productivity of Missouri’s working lands.

06/05/2018

ELECTION TIME 2018!

The Clay County SWCD Board will hold an election for one supervisor in each of two different areas in the county (areas 1 and 3). The election will take place on Thursday July 19th, 2018 from 12:00 PM to 6:00 PM at the NRCS/SWCD office at 1 Victory Drive Suite #100 Liberty, MO 64068. Each landowner in the district is allowed one vote per area. If you need directions you can call the district at (816) 781-5580 x3.

Nominating committees for the election for the election have submitted names of the following qualified candidates:

Area 1—Mike Neth (running unopposed)
Area 3—Greg Rhodus (running unopposed)

Any landowner that was not nominated by the nominating committee may have their name added to the ballot, if they reside in one of the two areas where and election is to be held. They must meet the qualifications to be a board supervisor and have secured a petition of at least ten (10) signatures of land representatives in the area they are qualified to represent. The petition must be submitted to the district office at least ten (10) days before the election date listed above.

Supervisors manage the administration of district policies and programs, as well as district personnel and funds. The district is supported by the one-tenth-of-one-percent parks, soils, and water sales tax. For additional information on the district election, call the district office at (816) 781-5580 x3.

02/06/2017

Assistance Available
Cost-share is available for landowners in Clay County whose land is experiencing excessive erosion. Landowners must have at least 20 acres of agriculturally assessed land to be eligible to apply. Some of the erosion control practices available are: Waterways, Grass Seedings (cropland to grass), Terraces, Water Impoundment Reservoirs (ponds) and Diversions and Planned Grazing Systems. Contact the office at 816-781-5580, ext. 3

Address

1 Victory Drive, Ste 100
Liberty, MO
64068

Opening Hours

Monday 8am - 5pm
Tuesday 8am - 5pm
Wednesday 8am - 5pm
Thursday 8am - 5pm
Friday 8am - 5pm

Telephone

(816) 781-5580 Ext 3

Website

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Our Story

History of the Soil and Water Conservation Program and the Parks, Soils and Water Sales Tax In the 1930s, as the Dust Bowl swept across the nation. Americans realized the devastating effects of soil erosion. Legislation began to take shape to better manage and conserve the nation’s soil. Despite these actions, Missouri was still plagued with high erosion rates. In 1982, Missouri was losing soil at a rate of 10.75 tons per acre* each year on cultivated cropland. A one-tenth-of-one-percent parks, soils and water sales tax was passed by Missouri voters in 1984 to fund state parks and soil and water conservation efforts. Prior to the passage of the sales tax, Missouri had the second highest rate of erosion in the nation. Missourians recognize the importance of managing our state parks and historic sites and conserving our soil and water resources. Almost two-thirds of Missouri voters renewed the tax in 1988 and 1996; 70.8 voted in favor in 2006 and 80 percent approved the sales tax most recently in 2016. For more than 30 years, soil and water conservation programs have helped Missouri landowners keep more than 179 million tons of soil from eroding into our waterways. The majority of the soil and water portion of this tax has been used to assist agricultural landowners through voluntary programs that are developed by the Soil and Water Districts Commission. They are administered by the Soil and Water Conservation Program through district boards in each of the 114 counties. From 1986 to 2014, the Department of Natural Resources has provided $635 million to Missouri agricultural landowners to implement more than 220,000 conservation practices to protect the state's soil and water resources. In addition, revenues from the Parks, Soils and Water Sales Tax allowed Missouri to have the highest reduction in it's rate of soil erosion when compared to other states with more than 10 million acres of cultivated cropland. The cost-share program provides financial incentives to landowners for up to 75 percent of the estimated cost for installation of soil and water conservation practices that prevent or control excessive erosion and improve water quality. Soil and water conservation districts provide technical support with the design, implementation and maintenance of practices. By promoting good farming techniques that help keep soil on the fields and waters clean, each soil and water conservation district is conserving the productivity of Missouri’s working lands.