Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS)
The Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS) is a U.S. federal agency focused on assisting farmers, ranchers, and private landowners in conserving and protecting the nation's natural resources. Established originally as the Soil Conservation Service in 1935 in response to the environmental devastation of the Dust Bowl, the agency underwent a name change in 1994 to reflect its broader conservation mission. The NRCS plays a critical role in various conservation efforts, including soil and water quality improvement, flood protection, and wetlands preservation.
It operates through a network of local conservation districts, providing technical assistance and resources to over one million landowners annually. Key programs include the Conservation Technical Assistance program, the National Cooperative Soil Survey, and initiatives aimed at managing water resources and enhancing agricultural productivity. The NRCS also addresses specific needs, such as invasive species management and support for low-income farms, including those owned by American Indians. Through its diverse programs and expert guidance, the NRCS aims to promote sustainable practices that benefit both the environment and agricultural communities across the country.
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Subject Terms
Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS)
- DATE: Established 1933 as the temporary Soil Erosion Service; became Soil Conservation Service in 1935; renamed Natural Resources Conservation Service in 1994
The Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS), part of the US Department of Agriculture, works with farmers, ranchers, and local government agencies in conserving and protecting resources. The NRCS’s areas of activity include soil and resource conservation, plant materials, flood protection, and wetlands preservation.
Background
The Soil Conservation Service (SCS) was established as a response to the devastation wrought by winds and erosion in the Dust Bowl of the 1930s. At first, it was briefly called the Soil Erosion Service, a temporary agency established by the 1933 National Industrial Recovery Act (NIRA). The NIRA was one of the cornerstones of President Franklin D. Roosevelt’s New Deal, intended to help pull the country out of the Great Depression. In 1935, under the Soil Conservation Act, the agency was given permanent status and moved from the Department of the Interior to the Department of Agriculture.
Hugh H. Bennett, considered the father of modern soil conservation, was the first head of the Soil Erosion Service and then the SCS. The Civilian Conservation Corps (CCC), another New Deal program, provided considerable manpower for the SCS’s early erosion-prevention efforts. Farmers signed five-year agreements with the SCS; in return for putting the SCS’s recommendations into practice, they could receive equipment, seeds and seedlings, lime, fertilizer, and, in many cases, labor from the CCC or Works Project Administration. Conservation approaches, such as strip-cropping under longer rotation, were designed for individual farms.
In 1937, the country was divided into soil conservation districts; the plan was intended to foster local participation in conservation operations. District boundaries were based on such factors as local watersheds and county lines. Districts elected local supervisors and signed agreements with the US Department of Agriculture. The Department of Agriculture employed trained soil conservationists to work with the local districts. The activities of the Soil Conservation Service had considerable impact in stabilizing the United States’ landscape, most notably farmland and rangeland.
Impact on Resource Use
The agency’s name was changed to the Natural Resources Conservation Service in 1994, reflecting the agency’s expanding focus in the late twentieth century. The NRCS has the responsibility of helping the country’s farmers, ranchers, and other private landowners conserve and protect natural resources. Through a wide variety of programs, the NRCS is active in soil conservation, flood protection, watershed protection, resource conservation, and wetlands preservation.
The Conservation Technical Assistance program is the central or foundational program of the Natural Resources Conservation Service. More than one million landowners receive its services annually, as do local government entities; services are channeled through numerous conservation districts in the United States. It provides assistance in sustaining agricultural productivity and enhancing the base. Assistance includes comprehensive approaches to reducing soil erosion, improving soil and water quality (and quantity), conserving wetlands, enhancing fish and wildlife habitat, improving air quality, improving pasture and range conditions, reducing flooding, and improving woodlands.
The National Cooperative Soil Survey provides information on the uses and capabilities of local soils throughout the country. Published soil surveys include maps, soil classifications, and scientific interpretations that can aid landowners in farm planning and other land-use decisions as well as help guide federal, state, and local governments in policy decisions. The Natural Resources Inventory, originally issued every five years but later issued annually, reports on the nation’s progress in sustaining resources on nonfederal land. It provides extensive and comprehensive data on land use and predicts how trends will affect the future of resources.
A number of programs are concerned with water—both with water use and conservation and with river management and flood control. The Snow Survey and Water Supply Forecasting Program collects snowpack data and forecasts seasonal water supplies for areas most affected by snowmelt. The River Basin Surveys and Investigation program works with state and local agencies in such areas as flood hazard analysis, management, and water conservation and quality. The Small Watersheds Program helps local groups plan and install watershed protection projects on private lands; the Emergency Watershed Protection Program provides emergency assistance to safeguard lives and property from natural disasters that impair watersheds. The Public Law 78-534 Flood Prevention Program applies specifically to eleven flood prevention projects that cover about 14 million hectares in eleven states.
The Plant Materials Program tests and selects new or improved plants for their usefulness in conservation efforts and focuses on issues such as invasive species, damage from natural disasters, drought, air and water quality, and alternative energy. The Plant Materials Program has twenty-seven plant materials centers across the country. The program works with conservation districts, other government agencies, commercial entities, and seed and nursery associations. Two NRCS programs are directed specifically toward wetlands conservation: the Wetlands Reserve Program and the Water Bank Program.
The intent of the Great Plains Conservation Program is to find long-term solutions to resource problems in the country’s ten Great Plains states. It aims to provide conservation treatment for ranches and farms. The program has been effective in addressing the needs of low-income farms and ranches, including many under American Indian ownership. Other programs of the NRCS include the Resources Conservation and Development Program, the Rural Abandoned Mine Program, and the Forestry Incentives Program.
"About NRCS." Natural Resources Conservation Service, US Department of Agriculture, 2024, www.nrcs.usda.gov/about. Accessed 23 Dec. 2024.
Benson, Emily. "What Is the Natural Resources Conservation Service?" High Country News, 26 Sept. 2017, www.hcn.org/articles/what-is-the-natural-resources-conservation-service/. Accessed 23 Dec. 2024.
Salley, Shawn W., Joel R. Brown, and Curtis J. Talbot. "The Natural Resources Conservation Service Land Resource Hierarchy and Ecological Sites." Soil Science of America Journal, vol. 80, no. 1, Aug. 2015, DOI:10.2136/sssaj2015.05.0305. Accessed 23 Dec. 2024.