Contact:
Dave Heilig, (951) 323-7359

RIVERSIDE, Calif., November 19, 2008—For more than 70 years, USDA's Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS) has delivered conservation assistance to farmers, ranchers and other landowners. Now, they are taking "conservation delivery" to a whole new level using kiosks in business locations and mobile field offices that can drive the full range of technical services right up to a customer’s farm or ranch.

The kiosk and a fully equipped mobile office are on display this week at the annual conference of California’s Association of Resource Conservation Districts (CARCD) and Resource Conservation and Development Councils (RC&D) at the Riverside Convention Center. This conference is the first time the two conservation partners have held a joint annual conference, allowing the groups to share resources and opportunities, facilitating future collaborations.

"It's very appropriate that we unveil these potential new services at this historic conference with our close partners," said Ed Burton, State Conservationist for NRCS in California. "The future is now and new technology and new partnerships are what is going to position conservation to grapple with modern challenges."

The Mobile Field Office is a pilot project that equips a truck with broadband network connections and remote access to NRCS conservation data and planning systems. With the Mobile Field Office, NRCS conservation planners can print information on soils, practices and technical specifications from field locations. The approach allows clients to take less time out of their busy schedules for office visits or additional meetings to get the information they need.

The next step in the advancement of this new conservation delivery system is to equip the Mobile Field Office with Web camera technology to allow clients to talk to any of our specialists, wherever they are. Instead of scheduling a site visit with a specialist, the conservation planner would be able to send real-time images and obtain on-the-spot feedback from technical experts, including engineers, agronomists, foresters and others. These specialists could be miles away, yet still provide site-specific consultation.

"NRCS is developing the Mobile Field Office because we understand that every farm or ranch is unique," Burton said. "Our clients want what’s right for them and their land—the mobile office brings our full conservation technology and expertise onsite to develop customized solutions."

Similarly, kiosks can provide NRCS information in frequently-visited locations without producers needing to go to the physical USDA office. Currently, they are operating in Palo Verde Irrigation District, Imperial County Farm Bureau, and Coachella Valley Resource Conservation District offices.

Earlier this year the kiosks and Mobile Field Offices began operating on a pilot basis in Imperial and Riverside counties. As budgets and technology advances allow, farmers and ranchers statewide and nationwide could benefit from these innovations in conservation delivery.

-NRCS-

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