Natural Resources Conservation Service

Natural Resources Conservation Service
Natural Resources Conservation Service
US-NaturalResourcesConservationService-Logo.svg
Agency overview
Formed April 20, 1932
Preceding agency Soil Erosion Service
Headquarters Washington, D.C.
Employees 11,478 (2006)
Agency executives Dave White, Chief
Ginger Murphy, Acting Associate Chief
Parent agency Department of Agriculture
Website
www.nrcs.usda.gov

The Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS), formerly known as the Soil Conservation Service (SCS), is an agency of the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) that provides technical assistance to farmers and other private landowners and managers.

Its name was changed in 1994 during the Presidency of Bill Clinton to reflect its broader mission. It is a relatively small agency, currently comprising about 12,000 employees. Its mission is to improve, protect, and conserve natural resources on private lands through a cooperative partnership with local and state agencies. While its primary focus has been agricultural lands, it has made many technical contributions to soil surveying, classification and water quality improvement.[1][2] One example is the Conservation Effects Assessment Project (CEAP), set up to quantify the benefits of agricultural conservation efforts promoted and supported by programs in the Farm Security and Rural Investment Act of 2002 (2002 Farm Bill). NRCS is the leading agency in this project.

Contents

History

The agency was founded largely through the efforts of Hugh Hammond Bennett, a soil conservation pioneer who had worked for the Department of Agriculture from 1903 to 1952[3] . Bennett's motivation was based on his knowledge of the detrimental effects of soil erosion and the impacts on U.S lands.[4] On September 13, 1933, the Soil Erosion Service was formed in the Department of the Interior, with Bennett as chief. The service was transferred to the Department of Agriculture on March 23, 1935, and was shortly thereafter combined with other USDA units to form the Soil Conservation Service by the Soil Conservation and Domestic Allotment Act of 1935.[5][6] Hugh Bennett continued as chief, a position he held until his retirement in 1952[7] . On October 20, 1994, the agency was renamed to the Natural Resources Conservation Service as part of the Federal Crop Insurance Reform and Department of Agriculture Reorganization Act of 1994.[8][6]

Supported organizations

See also

References

  1. ^ U.S. Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS). Washington, DC. "Soil Survey Programs." Accessed 2009-06-05.
  2. ^ NRCS. "National Conservation Practice Standards." National Handbook of Conservation Practices. Accessed 2009-06-05.
  3. ^ Cook, Maurice. "Hugh Hammond Bennett: the Father of Soil Conservation". Department of Soil Science, College of Agriculture and Life Sciences. North Carolina State University. http://www.soil.ncsu.edu/about/century/hugh.html. Retrieved 30 September 2011. 
  4. ^ "Biography of Hugh Hammond Bennett". NRCS. http://www.nrcs.usda.gov/about/history/bennett.html. Retrieved 2008-01-10. 
  5. ^ Soil Conservation and Domestic Allotment Act, P.L. 74-46, 49 Stat. 163, 16 U.S.C. § 590(e), April 27, 1935.
  6. ^ a b "Records of the Natural Resources Conservation Service". NARA. http://www.archives.gov/research/guide-fed-records/groups/114.html. Retrieved 2008-01-10. 
  7. ^ Cook, Maurice. "Hugh Hammond Bennett: the Father of Soil Conservation". Department of Soil Science, College of Agriculture and Life Sciences. North Carolina State University. http://www.soil.ncsu.edu/about/century/hugh.html. Retrieved 30 September 2011. 
  8. ^ Federal Crop Insurance Reform and Department of Agriculture Reorganization Act of 1994, 108 Stat. 3223, October 13, 1994.
  9. ^ "Great Basin Plant Materials Center". USDA NRCS. http://plant-materials.nrcs.usda.gov/nvpmc/. Retrieved 22 October 2010. 

External links



Wikimedia Foundation. 2010.

Игры ⚽ Поможем сделать НИР

Look at other dictionaries:

  • National Natural Resources Conservation Foundation — The National Natural Resources Conservation Foundation (NNRCF) is a nonprofit private organization established by the 1996 farm bill (P.L. 104 127) to promote and fund innovative solutions to conservation problems through effective partnerships.… …   Wikipedia

  • Natural Resources Defense Council — Founded 1970 Location New York, NY A …   Wikipedia

  • Texas Natural Resources Information System — Infobox Company company name = TNRIS company company type = State Government foundation = Austin, Texas (1968) location = Austin, Texas, USA key people = Jim Scott, Director industry = Geographic Information Systems (GIS) products = Historical… …   Wikipedia

  • Under Secretary of Agriculture for Natural Resources and Environment — The Under Secretary for Natural Resources an Environment is a high ranking position within the United States Department of Agriculture that supervises policy development and day to day operations of the United States Forest Service and Natural… …   Wikipedia

  • Natural Resources Canada — Departments of the Government of Canada Natural Resources Ressources Naturelles …   Wikipedia

  • Conservation Agriculture — [CA] can be defined by a statement given by the (Food and Agricultural Organization of the United Nations) as “a concept for resource saving agricultural crop production that strives to achieve acceptable profits together with high and sustained… …   Wikipedia

  • Woodard Bay Natural Resource Conservation Area — Infobox nrhp | name =Weyerhaeuser South Bay Log Dump Rural Historic Landscape nrhp type = hd caption = nearest city= Olympia, Washington lat degrees = 47 lat minutes = 8 lat seconds = 11 lat direction = N long degrees = 122 long minutes = 50 long …   Wikipedia

  • Conservation technical assistance — (CTA) has been the central activity of the Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS) since it was established in 1936. NRCS field staff help landowners and farm operators plan and implement soil and water conservation and water quality… …   Wikipedia

  • Conservation security program — The Conservation Security Program was established under the 2002 Farm Security and Rural Investment Act (FSRIA). The Act amended the Food Security Act of 1985 to authorize the program. The Conservation Security Program is administered by the… …   Wikipedia

  • Conservation Security Program — The Conservation Security Program (CSP) is a voluntary conservation program in the United States that supports ongoing stewardship of private agricultural lands by providing payments and technical assistance for maintaining and enhancing natural… …   Wikipedia

Share the article and excerpts

Direct link
Do a right-click on the link above
and select “Copy Link”