The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) announced Tuesday that USDA’s Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS) is taking part in a joint Interagency Coordination and Operations (ICO) plan that enhances collaboration with the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) to help communities recover from natural disasters and related emergencies. The plan is designed to improve the coordination, communication, and training between the …
USDA Seeking Input for Agriculture Innovation Agenda
To further the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s (USDA) work on the Agriculture Innovation Agenda (AIA), USDA has announced it is seeking public and private-sector input on the most innovative technologies and practices that can be readily deployed across U.S. agriculture. Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS) Acting Chief, Kevin Norton, says USDA is taking public comments on ready-to-go technologies and practices. …
NRCS Investing Up to $360 Million in Partner-Driven Conservation
The USDA Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS) continues to invite potential conservation partners to submit project applications for federal funding through the Regional Conservation Partnership Program (RCPP). NRCS will award up to $360 million to locally driven, public-private partnerships that improve the nation’s water quality, combat drought, enhance soil health, support wildlife habitat and protect agricultural viability. Requests between $250,000 …
USDA Updates Conservation Provisions for Highly Erodible Land and Wetlands
The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) recently published its final rule on determining whether land is considered highly erodible or a wetland. This final rule follows a focused effort by USDA’s Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS) to improve consistency and use of science in making determinations. This follows an interim final rule that was published Dec. 7, 2018, after which …
USDA Launches Strategy to Continue Conserving the Gopher Tortoise and its Critical Habitat
The U.S. Department of Agriculture’s (USDA) Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS) has released its new 5-year plan to conserve the Southeast’s threatened gopher tortoise by focusing on the conservation and restoration of its key habitat, the longleaf pine forests. Acting NRCS Chief Kevin Norton told Southeast AgNet the fate of the gopher tortoise is linked to habitat quality, and efforts …
Northey Encourages Producers to Take USDA Survey
The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) recently announced a new annual survey of farmers, ranchers and private forestland owners. The survey will help USDA understand what it is doing well and where improvements are needed, specifically at the Farm Service Agency (FSA), Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS) and Risk Management Agency (RMA). Under Secretary for Farm Production and Conservation Bill …
Northey on NRCS Chief Returning to the Farm
It was announced recently that Chief of the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s (USDA’s) Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS), Matt Lohr, will be stepping down. USDA Farm Production and Conservation Undersecretary, Bill Northey, told Southeast AgNet that Lohr is headed back to the farm. For more information about NRCS programs that can benefit your operation, contact your local USDA Service Center …
Farmers, Ranchers and Landowners Doing Their Part to Improve Water Quality
GAINESVILLE, Fla., Aug. 14, 2020 – Drive across Florida and you will see evidence of USDA’s Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS) work on the landscape. Conservation practices such as riparian forest buffers, restored wetlands, contour strips and fields planted with protective cover are just a few visible signs of the agency’s work in our state. NRCS conservationists in Florida work …
NRCS Chief Promotes Programs
In case you missed the story this week, chief of the USDA’s Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS) Matt Lohr has announced he is leaving NRCS to head back to the farm. But as chief, he’s promoted all of the programs that NRCS offers, including the Conservation Stewardship Program (CSP) and the Environmental Quality Incentives Program (EQIP). Lohr, a Virginia native …
Florida NRCS Announces Natural Resource Meeting
USDA’s Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS) in Florida has announced it will conduct a State Technical Committee meeting June 18, from 10-11:30 a.m. by web conference. This meeting will be open to the public, and NRCS will solicit recommendations for establishing program criteria and priorities for conservation in Florida. Chaired by NRCS Florida State Conservationist Juan Hernandez, the committee is …