The second regular meeting in January was called to order at 5:00 p.m. on Tuesday, January 20th, by Mayor Bob Becker, with the following commissioners being present: Adam Bryant, Jesica Kerr, Deb Miller, and Ressa Brown. City manager/city clerk, Kayla Hilbrink, and assistant city clerk, Taylor Ghumm, were also present. Visitors were Jayne Prockish, Libby and Dean Kester, Jana Slansky, and Mitch Gibbs.

At the start of the Rooks County Commission meeting on Tuesday, January 27th, the commissioners met with Sherry Robinson and Darrell Brobst regarding a closed bridge. They would like access to their farmland and were at the meeting to see what the County could do. Highway supervisor Eric Biggs said he could meet with them and look over the property to see about installing a low-water crossing for access to their fields.

The Osborne, Rooks, and Graham Conservation Districts, together with the Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS), hosted a field day for the Switzer/ KSU Agriculture Camp for Youth—also known as the Nicodemus Educational Camp—at the Osborne Scout Cabin. The camp is a summer residential program for students in grades 5 through 10, offering hands‑on agricultural education through K‑State and outdoor experiences many youth may not otherwise have. The field day was held June 25, 2025, with about 30 campers and sponsors participating in seven natural resource presentations.

We are pleased to announce that Matt and Lona Saindon of Zurich have been named as the other recipients of the 2025 Bankers’ Award. The story for this award, which is received from the Rooks County Conservation District each year, was not completed in time for this issue, but it will be printed in next week’s edition of the Sentinel-Times.

The term “sodbusting” is used to identify the conversion of land from native vegetation to commodity crop production after December 23, 1985. As part of the conservation provisions of the Food Security Act of 1985, if you’re proposing to produce agricultural commodities (crops that require annual tillage including one pass planting operations and sugar cane) on land that has been determined highly erodible and that has no crop history prior to December 23, 1985, that land must be farmed in accordance with a conservation plan or system that ensures no substantial increase in soil erosion.

Taylor Lambert has been named the recipient of the Key Bankers’ Award, in recognition of his commitment to sustainable farming practices and responsible land stewardship. Lambert officially began farming independently in 2018 after purchasing his first piece of land, but his involvement in agriculture began much earlier.

Wildlife, Agriculture, Conservation, Knowledge for Youth Day—better known as WACKY Day—was held Wednesday, September 24, at Camp Hansen in Kirwin. The annual event, organized by the Kansas Natural Resource Foundation (KNRF), brings together 6thgrade students from across northwest Kansas. KNRF is made up of the conservation districts from Graham, Norton, Osborne, Phillips, Rooks, and Smith counties.

I have been the acting Supervisory District Conservationist (SDC) for the Hill City-Stockton-Osborne Management Unit since April 29, 2025. I have been the SDC in the Smith Center-Phillipsburg- Norton Management Unit since September 2018. I served as the District Conservationist in Stockton from 2010 to 2016. I began my career with NRCS working part time in the Stockton Field Office in 2001. I am involved in my family farm in eastern Phillips County where we raise wheat, corn, soybeans, alfalfa and have a cow herd. My wife Sarah is the Ag Instructor at Thunder Ridge High School. We have 3 children in school. Despite the limited staffing levels we currently have, the NRCS and Conservation District staff are working hard to ensure we provide our customers with quality and timely assistance.

The Kansas Association of Conservation Districts (KACD) is offering two college scholarships this year, each worth up to $1,000 for the fall semester. The General Memorial Scholarship is available to full-time college juniors or seniors majoring in Agriculture or a Natural Resource-related field.

USDA recently announced a $700 million Regenerative Pilot Program to help American farmers adopt practices that improve soil health, enhance water quality, and boost long-term productivity, all while strengthening America’s food and fiber supply.