Georgia

Wildfire Relief Fund Established With Help of RC&D
Read about this new Wildfire Relief Fund that a Georgia RC&D helped establish.

Kansas

Agrotourism Could Be the Next Cash Crop
(from KTKA 49 News) Just weeks after attending an agritourism workshop series in Emporia, 13 new agritourism businesses registered with the State of Kansas this morning in Topeka.

Texas

Wetlands Reserve Program Preserves Landowners’ Passion for Conservation in Navarro County
Trading cattle for waterfowl may not be typical on most Texas ranches, but that’s what you will find on two Navarro County ranches 50 miles south of Dallas.




 

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Conservation Means Every Day is Earth Day
As we celebrate Earth Day this week, NRCS Chief Arlen Lancaster notes the contributions that agricultural producers make to the environment across this land with the help of NRCS.

USDA Earth Day
USDA held its Earth Day event at a historic Maryland family farm in Reisterstown.  Agriculture Secretary Ed Schafer (USDA), Baltimore County Executive James Smith, Maryland Secretary of Agriculture Roger Richardson, and Landowner Glenn Elseroad were the speakers. NRCS Chief Arlen Lancaster and USDA Deputy Under Secretary for Natural Resources and Environment Gary Mast also attended.  Maryland NRCS State Conservationist Jon Hall served as moderator.

Links...
Read the full news release at the USDA Website.

New Round of Grants for the Preserve America Initiative Announced
Preserve America is an Administration initiative that encourages and supports community efforts to identify, use, enjoy, and preserve America’s treasured cultural and natural heritage.  The goals of the initiative include a greater shared knowledge about the nation’s past, strengthened regional identities and local pride, increased local participation in preserving the country’s cultural and natural heritage, and support for the economic vitality of our communities. 
 

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Stabilizing Stream Banks
Listen to NRCS National Geologist Jerry Bernard describe how to help offset the cost of a stabilization project in this Living the Country Life interview.

Remote Sensing Laboratories Aid WRP Monitoring
Last year, the three NRCS Remote Sensing Laboratories (RSLs) began providing a new service to agency State and field staff — aerial photo interpretation for monitoring Wetlands Reserve Program (WRP) easements.  During the first year of this service, the RSLs provided photo interpretation for 3,207 easements from 17 States — about one-third of the total number of easements nationwide.  The WRP imagery is acquired under the USDA Small Area Photography Contract, which is also the source of National Resources Inventory (NRI) imagery.
 

Bureau of Soils Staff
This is a 1922 photograph of the USDA Bureau of Soils staff on the National Mall.  First standing row, center, is the first Chief of the Bureau of Soils Milton Whitney (NRCS image -- click to enlarge).

NRCS This Week features a weekly historical photo and caption.  NHQ, districts, States, RC&D councils, and all other NRCS entities are invited to submit a historical photo of activities or individuals who have worked or are working for the agency along with a caption. 

The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) prohibits discrimination in all its programs and activities on the basis of race, color, national origin, age, disability, and where applicable, sex, marital status, familial status, parental status, religion, sexual orientation, genetic information, political beliefs, reprisal, or because all or a part of an individual's income is derived from any public assistance program. (Not all prohibited bases apply to all programs.) Persons with disabilities who require alternative means for communication of program information (Braille, large print, audiotape, etc.) should contact USDA's TARGET Center at (202) 720-2600 (voice and TDD). To file a complaint of discrimination write to USDA, Director, Office of Civil Rights, 1400 Independence Avenue, S.W., Washington, D.C. 20250-9410 or call (800) 795-3272 (voice) or (202) 720-6382 (TDD). USDA is an equal opportunity provider and employer,