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Local Working Group Meeting Scheduled April 16, 2024 1:30 p.m.

A professional meeting room with attendees seated, and two presenters standing near screens showing a presentation. — Susie Bishop presenting the Highlands Local Working Group Summary to the USDA-NRCS State Technical Committee in Gainesville, FL.

Each year, the Highlands Soil and Water Conservation District hosts a Local Working Group Meeting to brainstorm and provide feedback to the USDA on the natural resource issues in the area. The summary and recommendations from the Local Working Group Meeting are presented to the USDA-NRCS State Technical Committee at their bi-annual meeting each year.

Prior year presentations and meeting schedules can be found here.

Landowner Assistance Expo 2023 – LAX 2023

May contain: countryside, farm, field, nature, outdoors, pasture, rural, agriculture, grassland, animal, cattle, cow, livestock, mammal, angus, bull, and bird — June 13 @ 9:00 am - 3:00 pm

Landowners, regardless of acreage, in DeSoto, Glades, Hardee, Hendry, Highlands, Okeechobee, Osceola and Polk Counties are invited to participate in conversations related to technical assistance, cost-share opportunities, conservation easements, and the financial implications of each program.

Sebring is Newest Highlands Soil & Water Conservation Supervisor

May contain: clothing, pants, groupshot, person, adult, male, man, accessories, formal wear, and tie — Members of the Highlands Soil & Water Conservation District Supervisors are, from left: T.J. Wohl, Seat 3; Sara Sebring, Seat 5; John Causey, Seat 4; Doug Deen, Seat 1, and Steve Smith, Seat 2.

As the 2022 elected leaders for Florida – Governor Ron DeSantis, Agriculture Commissioner Wilton Simpson and Attorney General Ashley Moody, were sworn into their respective offices on Tuesday in Tallahassee, the local Highlands Soil & Water Conservation District Supervisors were also sworn into their elected positions.
Highlands News-Sun, January 8, 2023

County's Community Garden Has Plots For Rent

May contain: garden, nature, outdoors, gardening, countryside, field, soil, and person — Avid gardeners have a variety of vegetables growing in the Highlands County Community Garden.

The garden first started in September 2014, and it has stayed successful with green-thumbed growers every year, Bishop said. “Gardeners share ideas,” she said. “We have a lot of avid gardeners.”
Highlands News-Sun, Sep 20, 2021. Updated Oct 25, 2022.

Highlands Soil & Water Wins Top Honor

May contain: clothing, pants, face, head, person, photography, portrait, blazer, coat, jacket, adult, male, man, and people — Clegg Hooks, deputy director with the Florida Department of Agriculture & Consumer Services – Office of Ag Water Policy (FDACS-OAWP), presented Susie Bishop, with the Highlands Soil & Water Conservation District, the award for Top Soil & Water Conservation District in the state.

OCALA — The Highlands Soil & Water Conservation District has been named the Top Soil & Water Conservation District in the state.
Highlands News-Sun; Sep 2, 2018 Updated Jun 13, 2020

Website Accessibility Policy

Highlands Soil and Water Conservation District is fully committed to providing accessible facilities, elements and channels of communication to all members of the public. As part of this commitment, Highlands Soil and Water Conservation District has a policy of providing an accessible website compatible with the Web Content Accessibility Guidelines (WCAG 2.1) and commercial screen reading software. All features of the website are coded to allow individuals with vision and other impairments to understand and use the website to the same degree as someone without disabilities. We welcome feedback and can often resolve issues in a timely manner if they arise.

If you need any special assistance or accommodations:

Call us at 863-402-7020

Ongoing Compliance Information

Compliance Officer

Highlands Soil and Water Conservation District has designated a compliance officer for website disability-related accommodations. The compliance officer has received training in website accessibility and updates the site in accordance with those best practices. Contact our accessibility officer to report an issue.

Compliance Procedures and Reports

In addition to testing with users with a wide range of disabilities and coding our website to WCAG standards, Highlands Soil and Water Conservation District regularly scans its website to ensure ongoing compliance, and makes timely changes to any inaccessible changes, if any are found.

Linked Documents and Third Parties

Please note that this site may link out to third-party websites, such as state or federal agencies, that do not have accessible content. This site may also include documents provided by third parties included in our agenda packets, for example. While we cannot control the accessibility of content provided by third parties, we are happy to assist any member of the public with reading and accessing content on our site.

See an opportunity for us to improve? Please contact our accessibility officer or call us at 863-402-7020.

Report a Website Accessibility Issue

We are committed to your ability to access all content, and we will respond to all requests as soon as possible.