MACD Vision Statement
Today, there is a Soil & Water Conservation District in every county in Mississippi. Lamar County SWCD was formed in the 1940’s. Alongside of our many state and federal conservation partners, the 82 Districts’ ongoing and future efforts are to:
- Implement farm conservation practices to keep soil in the fields and out of waterways.
- Conserve and restore wetlands and wildlife habitat.
- Protect groundwater resources
- Plant trees and other land cover to hold topsoil, purify the air, provide cover for wildlife, and beautify neighborhoods and public areas.
- Help developers and homeowners manage the land and water in an environmentally sensitive manner.
- Reach out to communities and schools to teach the value of natural resources and encourage conservation in generations to come.
Lamar County SWCD
Lamar County’s SWCD governing board has chosen to focus a great deal on conservation education ( # 6 above). Children are our greatest resource and are the most important crop we can grow. Therefore, making outreach a priority develops the future farmer and steward of the land. We assist our partner agency, NRCS, with our local landowners and farmers as they put conservation practices on the ground through the Farm Bill. Our focus, reaches today as well as looks forward to tomorrow.
Our mission statement is : Conserving Today’s Resources , Building tomorrow’s Leaders . We provide hands-on, standards-based resources that connect students as well as adults to nature. By fostering a deep understanding and appreciation of the environment, we give students and adults alike, a reason to care and inspire them to be environmental stewards and possibly become our next generation of farmer or agriculture professional.
The average age of the MS farmer is 59.6. The number of farms in Mississippi has decreased by 11% since 2017 and by 26% since 2002. This is according to Mississippi’s Top Agricultural Facts from the 2024 Census of Agriculture. Mississippi’s agricultural industry is vital. The market value of products sold in MS is 8.2 Billion . We are in desperate need of a new generation to become involved. Without education, outreach, and providing agricultural experiences to increase interest, this shift may not occur.