Licking County, Ohio has lost more than 20,000 acres of farmland in the past 10 years.  A preservation program started by the Ohio Department of Agriculture has protected about 33,400 acres since 2002. Nevertheless, it only represents 7 percent of requests!  This article from The Newark Advocate discusses the high demand for financial support in preserving the county’s farmland. Compass Group North America, a Charlotte-based food company, has launched a national campaign to incorporate more local food sources into its product offerings.  With more than 10,000 accounts across the country, the company’s focus could set the tone for more positive changes among the nation’s major food suppliers. It is becoming easier for small-scale meat producers to meet federal regulations. As noted in The Washington Post, mobile slaughterhouses funded by the USDA offer a convenient and efficient solution to keep food production affordable and close to home. Expanding the biofuels industry beyond the Corn Belt was the topic of a recent statement from Sec. Vilsack.  The subject is the driving force behind a report released by the USDA this week that recommends the development of regional strategies to meet the nation’s renewable energy goals. The USDA Natural Resources Conservation Service announced that it will provide $30 million in funding for water conservation efforts in the Mississippi River Basin.  A total of 75 projects in 12 states will be funded over a five-year period to address erosion, improve soil quality and protect wildlife habitat. In other USDA news, the department’s Economic Research Service recently released a study looking at the relationship between agriculture legislation and conservation.  The Farm Act’s Regional Equity Provision: Impacts on Conservation Program Outcomes focuses on legislation from 2002 but has practical present-day implications. Federal dollars have been allocated to expand farm conservation practices and measure their effectiveness in the Chesapeake Bay area, reports The Baltimore Sun.  The initiative is centered on three “showcase watersheds” - the upper Chester River in Maryland, the Conewago Creek watershed of Central Pennsylvania, and Virginia’s Smith Creek watershed –  and encourages voluntary cooperation among the region’s stakeholders. Karen Morrow of Tyrone Township, Pennsylvania was honored with the first Pennsylvania Farmland Preservation Local Hero award given by American Farmland Trust.  An active farmer in Blair County, she has worked for more than 20 years to protect farmland in the region.  Congratulations to Karen for this well-deserved honor!