We applaud the USDA’s announcement today that the Colorado and Mississippi River basins will be included as critical conservation areas in the agency’s new Regional Conservation Partnership Program. The new initiative, part of USDA’s Natural Resources Conservation Service, is a Farm Bill conservation program that will focus on locally-driven projects that restore rivers, improve water quality and support economies across the country.

The Walton Family Foundation is proud of our decades-long track record investing in real solutions to tough environmental challenges. Over the last five years alone, we’ve invested $351 million in efforts to support real, lasting ecological restoration in the Gulf of Mexico, to tackle the water policy challenges in the Colorado River Basin, to conserve some of the most ecologically rich seascapes around the globe and to push for sustainable fisheries management that benefits fishing communities and families. Our grantees include many of the nation’s leading environmental groups, as well as local organizations working on behalf of the communities that depend directly on healthy rivers, oceans and wildlife.

The Walton Family Foundation has been made aware of a fraudulent email claiming to be from our Executive Director, Buddy Philpot. Similar versions of the email claim to be from "Peter W." or "Horace S." The email may look as if it is coming from a Foundation-related website or from an email address of info@waltonfamilyfoundation.com. The message indicates that the recipient has been chosen for a $5 million grant. The Foundation did not send this email. We are preparing legal action to stop this behavior.

The Walton Family Foundation has been made aware of a fraudulent email claiming to be from our Executive Director, Buddy Philpot. The email may look as if it is coming from a foundation-related website or from an email address that uses the name of a member of the Walton family. The message indicates that the recipient has been chosen “to submit a grant proposal for immediate endorsement.” The foundation did not send this email, and we encourage you not to respond to it.

"We are grateful to President Obama that he has again raised education as a key to opportunity for all Americans. We couldn't agree more. High-quality education creates the possibilities that American children deserve."

At the Walton Family Foundation, we believe conservation solutions that make economic sense are the ones that stand the test of time. Our mission is to improve lives and secure healthy ocean and river ecosystems by aligning environmental, social and economic interests.

Remarks by Barry Gold from the Memorandum of Understanding Signing Ceremony

Denver, Colorado – The following statement is from Ted Kowalski, director of the Colorado River initiative at the Walton Family Foundation, in support of the U.S.-Mexico Colorado River agreement announced today:

On Wednesday, January 23, Louisiana Gov. John Bel Edwards announced plans to allocate $55 million in state surplus dollars to important coastal protection and restoration projects, as well as announcing more than $300 million through the Gulf of Mexico Security Act to fund master plan risk-reduction projects across the coast over the next three years. He also announced the appointment of Chip Kline to executive assistant to the governor for coastal activities, a position that also serves as chairperson of the state’s Coastal Protection and Restoration Authority.

The following message is from Carrie Walton Penner, Walton Family Foundation Board Chair.