USDA’s Natural Resources Conservation Service Provides Millions of Dollars to Arkansas landowners, communities

LITTLE ROCK, ARK. -- The USDA’s Natural Resources Conservation Service has funded more than $54.1 million of conservation projects throughout Arkansas this year.

“Conservation practices carried out by farmers, ranchers and other landowners in Arkansas with technical and financial assistance from NRCS employees have improved the quality of life and built stronger rural communities. Our food supply, water and air have improved tremendously,” said Kalven L. Trice, state conservationist.

The financial assistance provided by NRCS includes:

• Money for individuals involved in the Environmental Quality Incentives Program tripled between 2002 and 2005 with an increase to $19 million this year.
• Arkansas landowners have enrolled two million acres into the Wetlands Reserve Program. In 2005, Arkansas residents received $13.9 million from the program.
• Wildlife Habitat Incentives Program funding has almost doubled from 2002 with NRCS in Arkansas rewarding $700,000 in 2005.
• The rediscovery of the Ivory-Billed Woodpecker has also helped the state with $1 million more going to WRP and $865,000 to WHIP. The WRP total includes regular funding and Wetlands Reserve Enhancement Program funding.
• NRCS has provided $4.7 million for watershed protection programs including land treatment, water conservation, water quality practices, irrigation projects and flood reduction measures throughout the state.
• Arkansas landowners have received more than $13.1 million through 571 contracts during the 2005 Conservation Security Program.
• More than $972,000 has been allocated to Resource Conservation and Development Council programs across Arkansas in 2005. RC&D supports a wide array or rural life improvements.

More than 275 employees serve all 75 Arkansas counties from 62 field service centers throughout the state. “Our employees work with private landowners to preserve and maintain the natural resources of Arkansas,” Trice said.

“Arkansas is a state blessed with a wealth of diverse and extraordinary natural resources that provide safe drinking water, recreation, wildlife habitat, commerce, aquaculture and irrigation for cropland. Protecting and maintaining these valuable resources are essential to the well-being and livelihood of all its residents as well as future generations of Arkansans,” Trice said.

NRCS was created as the Soil Conservation Service within USDA April 27, 1935, in response to the devastation of the Dust Bowl on the nation’s agricultural land. The agency’s primary mission then was to conserve soil on agricultural land. It became NRCS in 1994 to better reflect its expanded role of servicing other natural resources such as soil, water, air, plans and animals on private and tribal lands. 

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