 | |
| Agency overview | |
|---|---|
| Formed | September 13, 1933 |
| Preceding agency |
|
| Headquarters | Washington, D.C. |
| Employees | Approx 11,000 |
| Agency executive |
|
| Parent agency | Department of Agriculture |
| Website | www.nrcs.usda.gov |
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.[1] Its mission is to improve, protect, and conserve natural resources on private lands through a cooperative partnership with state and local agencies. While its primary focus has been agricultural lands, it has made many technical contributions to soil surveying, classification, and water quality improvement.[2][3] 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.
- ^ "People". Natural Resources Conservation Service. Archived from the original on 2017-08-04. Retrieved January 27, 2018.
- ^ U.S. Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS). Washington, DC. "Soil Survey Programs." Archived 2011-07-26 at the Wayback Machine Accessed 2009-06-05.
- ^ NRCS. "National Conservation Practice Standards." Archived 2011-06-11 at the Wayback Machine National Handbook of Conservation Practices. Accessed 2009-06-05.