Annual Report Johnston Soil and Water Conservation District

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• Johnston County Soil and Water Conservation District Annual Report, August 3, 2026

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• Our Staff (Left to Right): Greg Walker- District Director, Lindsay Martinez- USDA NRCS Soil Conservationist, Elton Wilson - Soil Conservationist, Annette Adams - Easement Specialist, Payton Roberts - Soil Conservationist, Mandy Daughtry - Administration

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• Topics for today's discussion: Conservation programs, swine and dairy assistance program, beaver management, Moccasin creek service district, voluntary agricultural districts, conservation easements. 
  
  

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• Conservation Partnership Programs
  • NC Agricultural Cost Share (ACSP): $114,093
  • Ag. Water Resources Assistance (AgWRAP): $16,332
  • Swine and Dairy Assitance Program (SDAP): $207,540
  • Streamflow Rehabilitation Program (StRAP)(MC): $300,000
  • NC Dept of Public Safety House Bill 259 (MC): $250,000
  • Matched by Johnston County Commissioners( MC): $250,000
  • Conservation Stewardship Program (CSP)
  • Env. Quality Incentives Program (EQIP FY 24) 
  • Total: $1,357,352

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• NC Agriculture Cost Share Program
  • Helps address nonpoint source pollution through the installation of various Best Management Practices (BMP's) on agricultural lands
  • BMP-Cropland conversion to grass

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• Grassed Waterway/Rock Lined Outlet

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•  Before and after of a grassed waterway/rock outlet 

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• Rooftop Runoff Management System

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• Swine and Dairy Assitance Program
• One-time assistance program for Swine and Dairy producers who suffered a loss due to the shutdowns following the COVID-19 pandemic
• 138 facilities in N.C. were approved, five are in Johnston County
• Two lagoons have been closed. Three operations are closing their lagoons through an alternative method

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• Beaver Management Assistance Program (BMAP)
• Projects in FY 2026: 407 beavers removed, 124 dams removed-explosive, 73 dams removed manual, 535 site visits
• Resources saved this fiscal year: Timber: $990,519, Crops/Pasture: $29,652, Roads/Bridges: $456,817, Dams/Dikes: $84,000, Irrigation Ditches: $10,000, Watershed-Creek Clean Out: $325,036, Utilities/Sewer TOwn of Princeton: $20,000, Non Residential Building: $30,000, Total: $1,946,024.

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• Beaver Mangement Assitance Program (BMAP): Since the project beginning in November 2022 until June 2026: 1,312 beaver removed, 332 dams removed - explosive, 328 dams removed - manual, over 300 landowners on over 200 different sites.

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• Before, during, and after beaver management assistance program 

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• Moccasin Creek Stabilization - Round 2
• Awarded $300,000 - NCDA and CS StRAP Grant #2
• Awarded $250,000 - NC Department of Public Safety
• Matched $250,000 - Johnston County Commissioners
• Total $800,000 Scope of Work: Lateral 14, Lateral 11, and Lateral 7 (Survey, design, permits, prepare for bid, and construction)
• Yearly maintenance allocated $45,000 from County for mowing/maintenance

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• Map of Moccasin Creek showing sections that have no erosion, secition where they're currently working, and projects in the area that've been completed. 

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• Future Project Lateral 7 Bank Stabilization

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• Future Project Lateral 11 Stabilization

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• Johnston County Voluntary Agricultural District. A voluntary ag district is a designated area where agricultural production is promoted and encouraged. Landowners pledge to keep their land in agricultural production. 

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• Working farmland acres enrolled in Johnston County VAD. As of today there are 882 parcels totaling 29,412 acres enrolled. Next month presenting 1,094,87 acres / 22 parcels to the VAD board for enrollment into the VAD will bring total acres to 30509,87 acres / 904 parcels. The landowner is not the only one who benefits from VADs - we all do. 

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• Know the "Why"
  • 1: Identity and Pride
  • 2: Nuisance Mitigation
  • 3: Public Hearings
  • 4: Preservation Priority 

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• NC State Grange
  • $4,500 for years 2023 - 2025
  • $4,500 for years 2024 - 2026
  • $4,500 for years 2026 - 2028
• Johnston County Farm Bureau: $6,000 FY 2027

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• Farmland Conservation Easements. NC threatened rank #2 in nation for farmland loss. Johnston County rank 19th nationally, projected conversion by 2040. Legal protection for agricultural viability: An agricultural conservation easement is a voluntary legal agreement that restricts non-farm development to ensure land remains in production for food and fiber for generations to come.
• Key characteristics: Perpetual: The easement "runs with the land" in perpetuity. Private Ownership: Land remains private; no public access is granted. Rights Retained: Owners keep farming, hunting, and timber rights. Easement Value: Determined by appraisal (before vs. after easement) 

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• Update: Farmland conservation efforts. Proress since first easement closed in 2023; 226.95 acres preserved. Productive agricultural land permanently protected from development to continue to provide food and fiber for generations to come. 
• Funding sources-to-date: 
  • NCSDA ADFP
  • USDA NRCS - ALE and RCPP
  • Johnston County
  • Landowner Donation

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• Dedicated fund sources - NCDA-CS. NC Department of Agriculture-Consumer Services. Farmland Preservation Division Agricultural Development Farmland Preservation Trust Fund (ADFP). Agricultural Growth Zones (AGZ)
• Mechanism of AGZ: Similar to federal RCPP, it offers State funds in order to leverage more local funding for farmland preservation. Application proces for AGC: Submitted base don what the County pledge for last year's RCPP grant application 

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• Map of agricultural growth zones with subdivision polygons

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• Agricultural Growth Zone (AGZ) Application Status 

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• Dedicated Fund Sources - USDA (United State Department of Agriculture)
• Agricultural Land Easement (ALE): Standard funding program
• Regional Conservation Partnership Program (RCPP): Leverage USDA funds with partner resources to accomplish like objectives. Johnston County pledge $600,000 in 3 successive years - $1,800,000. NCDA can offer $3,750,000. 

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• Match Funding Sources

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• Johnston Soil and Water Conservation District Conservation Easement Projects 

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• Supervisor Spotlight: Jerry Dennis Durham, Jr. 
• 20 years of service milestone. The North Carolina Association of Soil and Water Conservation Districts recognized Dennis for his meritorious service to the Johnston Soil and Water Conservation District. Role: District supervisor and finance officer. 

View and/or Save the 2026 Soil and Water Conservation Annual Report Slideshow PDF

View the Johnston Soil and Water Conservation District Annual Report Summary