Latest News & Updates

Rice County Beacon is an online mapping and information tool from Rice County that is free to the public. It is known for viewing tax and parcel ownership information, but also provides information that can be used for conservation planning.

More than 40 local lawmakers, county staff, and conservation professionals from six counties and Soil and Water Conservation Districts (SWCDs) toured conservation projects in the Cannon River Watershed this August, getting a firsthand look at efforts to reduce flooding, protect water quality, and improve natural resources.

The Rice Soil & Water Conservation District has selected Wild Ones Southeast Minnesota Prairie Partners as the recipient of the 2026 Outstanding Conservationist Award. The award recognizes the chapter’s efforts to promote native plants, support pollinator habitat, and provide conservation education throughout Rice County.

A three-day trip to Illinois gave southeast Minnesota farmers an opportunity to learn, network, and bring home new ideas about soil health, strip-till, and innovative farming practices.

A new pocket of prairie habitat is taking root at Jefferson Elementary School in Faribault, creating a space where students, pollinators, and the community can grow together.

The transition from conventional tillage to strip till or no till can resemble the seven stages of grief as farmers work through the emotional and management changes that come with reducing tillage.