DU Rice Stewardship Coordinator Kyle Soileau and Rice Conservation Specialist Keith Latiolais were there to talk to rice producers about engaging in the program. The Biebers heard about the USA Rice−Ducks Unlimited Rice Stewardship Partnership and the NRCS Regional Conservation Partnership Program (RCPP) at a rice "field day" in Crowley, Louisiana.
After attending South Louisiana Community College, Ethan got a chance to take over the farm. He then spent nearly three years providing law enforcement in New Orleans after Hurricane Katrina, and that is where he met his wife, Courtney, who also serves in the Army National Guard. Link joined the Louisiana Army National Guard after the September 11 attacks, and served two deployments in Iraq. Although these farmers have a strong tie to the land and the farming way of life, neither of them followed a straight path back to their roots. Let's take a closer look at some of the outstanding conservation work that's being accomplished by farmers and ranchers through these partnerships across the nation.Ĭousins Ethan and Link Bieber took charge of their family farm in Louisiana's Acadia Parish in 2013, becoming the fourth generation of their family to grow rice and raise crawfish here. It's through these close working relationships that real progress is being made on the landscape for waterfowl, other wildlife, and people.
In many cases, DU plays a key role in bringing together producers and the NRCS to implement conservation practices on farm and ranch lands. The NRCS's mission is "helping people help the land," and through a suite of conservation options, the agency does exactly that. As DU CEO Dale Hall has stated many times, "If the farm gates close to us, Ducks Unlimited will not be able to accomplish our conservation mission."ĭU works directly with producers and the USDA's Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS) to deliver Farm Bill conservation programs on working agricultural lands. Today, the USDA provides nearly $1 billion in funding for on-the-ground conservation each year through the Farm Bill. Department of Agriculture (USDA) has also been a longtime supporter of wetlands and waterfowl conservation, going all the way back to 1934, when the USDA issued the first federal duck stamp. Throughout Ducks Unlimited's history, partnerships with farmers and ranchers have been at the forefront of the organization's efforts to conserve wetlands and other important habitats for North America's waterfowl. By Devin Blankenship, Andi Cooper, Becky Jones Mahlum, and Kellis Moss
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