Welcome to the Madison County Soil & Water Conservation District

The Madison County Soil & Water Conservation District’s purpose is to promote natural resources conservation practices over a long-term sustainability initiative promoting Agricultural Best Management Practices (BMP’s) and other tools to equip landowners to protect our most vital organic assets—soil and water.

The Soil & Water Conservation District’s scope spans across Madison County. From the Rivers and Springs to the Creeks and Swamps, there is a need to assist landowners in meeting the needs of the environment.

A fundamental role for the Soil & Water Conservation District Board is to bring together, at the local level, all interested and affected parties, along with the support organizations charged with providing technical and administrative assistance, to develop and implement a plan to address resource concerns. Through a locally led consensus process, priorities are determined for conservation programs. The partners then work to implement programs that provide assistance to landowners, agricultural producers, and local residents. Every person in the community has an impact on Soil & Water Conservation. It is important to do your part in helping others as we steward our land together.

The 1930’s Dust Bowl disaster spurred the U.S Congress to declare soil and water conservation a national policy and priority in 1935.  To elicit the active support of landowners on a local level, Soil & Water Conservation Districts serving conservation needs at a county level were created to work in partnership with the Federal Government.  Today, there are nearly 3000 conservation districts nationwide involved in efforts as varied as their conservation needs and the local citizenry that they serve. 

Florida’s 62 Soil & Water Conservation Districts were established in 1937 under Chapter 582 of the Florida Statutes.  The law was based on the Federal model legislation to establish Soil & Water Conservation Districts nationwide.  Soil & Water Conservation Districts were originally organized, for the most part, within county boundaries by landowner’s petition based on a need for Soil & Water conservation and in the interest of public health, safety and welfare.  A Soil & Water Conservation District so organized constitutes a governmental subdivision of the State of Florida. 

Board of Supervisors

The Governing body of a Soil & Water Conservation District consists of five elected supervisors. The office of a Soil & Water Conservation District Supervisor is nonpartisan and district wide. Candidates are elected in a general election to a 4-year term. Vacancies are filled by appointment by the remaining supervisors until the next regular election. Supervisors receive no monetary compensation for their services, but may be reimbursed for travel expenses.

Board Agendas & Minutes

Regular Scheduled Madison SWCD Board Meeting 6/15/22 has been changed to Thursday 6/23/22 at 9:00 a.m.

The Madison County Soil & Water Conservation District Board meeting occurs every third Wednesday of the month with special meetings to be announced as necessary.

Where: Madison Soil & Water Conservation District Office
378 East Base Street
Madison, Florida 32340

When: 9:00 a.m. Every Third Wednesday of the Month

Download Fee Schedule

Stewardship

The Madison County Soil & Water Conservation District encourages the use of the 4R ( right source, right rate, right time, right place) consruct of nutrient management-contributing to effective nutrient management.  4R nutrient stewardship requires the implementation of best management practices (BMPs) that optimize the efficiency of fertilizer use. The goal of fertilizer BMPs is to match nutrient supply with crop requirements and to minimize nutrient losses from fields. Selection of BMPs varies by location, and those chosen for a given farm are dependent on local soil and climatic conditions, crop, management conditions and other site specific factors.

Other agronomic and conservation practices, such as no-till farming and the use of cover crops, play a valuable role in supporting 4R Nutrient stewardship.  As a result, fertilizer BMP’s are most effective when applied with other agronomic and conservation practices.

The Florida Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services (FDACS) has established- through Farmer and Rancher input, a set of Agricultural Best Management Practices, specific to the operations that we manage in Madison County.  For more information on Agricultural Best Management Practices please contact our office.

Water Management

The Florida Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services’ Office of Agricultural Water Policy has encapsulated the very essence of Stewardship-  particularly with regards to Best Management Practices pertaining to Cow/ Calf, Vegetable and Agronomic Crops, Fruit and Nut, Citrus and nurseries.  The office has put together a manual for each diving into the practices that can be used on the farm to bring vitality to soil and water conservation.  The best part of these Best Management Practices is that they are economically feasible for the producer and in every case, making them money.