Ep. 75: CRP, Public Access and the Conservation Career of Dave Nomsen

In this episode, host Bob St. Pierre sits down with Dave Nomsen, retiring vice president of government affairs for Pheasants Forever & Quail Forever. The pair goes over a lifetime of conservation work, from growing up the son of the Iowa state pheasant biologist to watching the sunrise over the National Mall in Washington D.C. with the organization’s National Youth Leadership Council. Dave’s career covers federal Farm Bill conservation policy dating back to the early 1990’s and his name has been synonymous with the Conservation Reserve Program (CRP) over the last three decades. You’ll want to tune in for these stories and the lessons learned for bird hunters and habitat stewards along the way.

Episode Highlights Include: • “Davey the Crane Man” talks about the connection to Pheasants Forever created in a hunting blind in a North Dakota field and why he only lasted a few weeks in his first role with Pheasants Forever as a regional representative. • The pair discuss why the pen is mightier than the shovel for habitat conservation. Dave also explains the promise he made to his dad to not let CRP go the way of the Soil Bank program. • The duo wade through the alphabet soup of conservation acronyms that put habitat on the ground and the important role Farm Bill conservation policy continues to have for America’s wildlife legacy. • Bob also quizzes Nomsen on the variety of people he’s worked with in D.C. under four U.S. president’s and his science-based approach to politics. • Nomsen also talks about how he likes working with elected officials, but more importantly, how he loves working with the organization’s chapter leaders and members. • In the end, Dave leaves Bob with a few final thoughts about conservation opportunities in the next Farm Bill, the Transportation Bill, and climate policy. • And there is a final call to action: get engaged and it will make a difference for hunting opportunities and quality habitat.