The Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS) is the lead agency of the United States Department of Agriculture charged with carrying out the Department’s conservation mission on private lands. Our vision for private lands includes enhancing productivity and the economy for landowners.

Working with private landowners, land managers and conservation districts, NRCS provides technical and financial assistance to sustain and improve the natural resources. NRCS uses the SWAPA+E format of Soil, Water, Air, Plant, Animal and the newly added Energy in planning resource management systems. We participate with conservation districts, local communities, state and federal agencies and other conservation organizations in locally led efforts to identify priority resource issues and plan for natural resource protection and development, often for entire watersheds.

The majority of NRCS assistance is to agricultural producers---helping them plan and apply resource systems to reduce soil erosion and improve soil health, water quality, water conservation, wildlife habitat, animal health issues and energy conservation to further both their economic and environmental sustainability.

Conservation on private lands is important to all for providing clean water, healthy soil, food and clothing, wildlife habitat, recreational areas, and healthy green space for everyone to enjoy.

NRCS and Conservation Districts in Pennsylvania

NRCS in Pennsylvania works with 66 conservation districts which are local county units of government under the State Conservation Commission. Districts lead local efforts to identify conservation needs and set priorities. Together we work to protect the resources of Pennsylvania’s 28.9 million acres, 8.1 million of which are pasture or cropland.

The Pennsylvania Conservation Partnership

The Pennsylvania Conservation Partnership is a dynamic relationship between federal, state, and local government and private citizens working with private landowners to conserve the natural resources. At the state level in Pennsylvania, this Partnership includes NRCS, the Pennsylvania Association of Conservation Districts, (PACD), and the State Conservation Commission. We also partner with other agencies or bureaus and private organizations (Pa Farm Bureau, Pa Farmer’s Union, State Game Commission, Pa State Grange, State Bureau of Forestry, Ducks Unlimited, Pheasants Forever, etc.) to complete specific projects. As partners, we speak with a unified voice and work together to realize a common vision for the natural resources.

Implementing the Mission

NRCS uses many programs to implement our mission. The Grazing Lands Conservation Initiative (GLCI) is a national program that looks at providing technical assistance to landowners with an interest in developing or better managing a grazing system. Each state has a GCLI state steering committee that assists with development, advising and implementing this goal. With the allocation that comes to each state, technical assistance is provided to the NRCS to assist the interested landowners in development of grazing plans, and technical assistance for installation of practices included in these plans.

State originations such as the Pennsylvania Sustainable Agriculture group, the Resource Conservation and Development groups, the Land Grant Universities all join together to promote, offer research assistance, additional landowner technical assistance, and promotions of grazing and specialty markets.

NRCS has developed and is utilizing tools such as the Pasture Condition Score system to teach producers and new employees how to evaluate pastures for quality and environmental benefits. They also work closely with their Plant Materials Centers in developing new varieties of new grasses and testing new species of forages that are being introduced for use in grazing.

NRCS has developed and is utilizing new practices and tools to advance producers in their goal to become more economically viable. A new practice that has not been out very long is “Feed Management”. This practice enables producers to utilize consultants to change their feeding operation to become more efficient in the utilization of feedstuffs to become more economical in their feeding practices and to possibly reduce nutrients that are excreted by livestock. Also, the Nutritional Balancing Program (NUTBAL) is available for producers to utilize in estimating pasture quality for grazing livestock. The Global Spatial Analysis tool (GSAT) has been developed with NRCS assistance for use in organizing the forage based operation on supply and demand of forages, both grazed and harvested.

As we have been assigned by Congress the NRCS utilizes many programs to provide cost share and incentive payments for implementing grazing practices and systems.

The Environmental Quality Incentives Program (EQIP) provides cost share for converting and implementing practices for treating lands with environmental concerns.

The Agricultural Management Assistance Program (AMA) provides cost share to help reduce the risk of converting lands into other uses. Conversion of cropland to pastureland is one area that many states in the northeast have identified as an eligible land conversion.

The Conservation Reserve Program and the Conservation Reserve Enhancement Program (CRP) and (CREP) are programs that put land into reserve (no crops harvested) but will cost share establishment of off stream water systems, stream crossings, and riparian zones for creation of riparian corridors.

The Conservation Security Program (CSP) is a whole new type of program that is offered by the USDA. The program was established to reward producers for being good stewards of the land in protecting our resources. Stewardship, maintenance and enhancement payments are made to eligible producers that have documentation of how their operations have been managed.

The Conservation Innovations Grants is a new program that has been established to allow for funding to be given to various groups that have innovative ideas in promoting conservation technology within areas of each state. Applications are accepted on a yearly basis. Funding requests are reviewed and funding decisions are made from the Headquarters of NRCS in Washington, D.C. yearly.