Resource Conservation & Development Background

The Resource Conservation and Development (RC&D) Program was developed under the Soil Conservation and Domestic Allotment Act, (16 U.S.C. 590a-590F), the Bankhead-Jones Farm Tenant Act, (16 U.S.C. 1010 and 1011), and the Food and Agriculture Act of 1962, and is authorized under subtitle H, title XV of the Agriculture and Food Act of 1981, (16 U.S.C. 3451-3461), as amended. The Food Security and Rural Investment Act of 2002 permanently authorized the program. The Natural Resources Conservation Service administers the program.

The purpose of RC&D is to improve the capability of local leaders to plan and execute projects for resource conservation and community development in their geographically designated RC&D areas. Congress created this partnership between the federal government and local communities as a way of engaging local leaders in investing limited federal dollars in community projects, which are carried out in the areas of land conservation, community development, land management, and water management. The program’s goal is to promote conservation, improve land use, develop natural resources, and enhance social, economic, and environmental conditions in primarily rural areas of the United States. Through the RC&D program, local governments, Indian tribes, non-profit organizations, and councils come together to carry out community-oriented projects in accordance with the priorities of area residents.

Local leadership and decision-making is provided by a council that is established as a non-profit corporation with Internal Revenue Service IRS 501(c) tax exempt status. RC&D councils provide leadership in enhancing the environment and standard of living in their geographically designated areas. Councils are composed of local government officials, farmers, ranchers, civic leaders, business leaders and others who are interested in contributing to the overall well-being of the region. The local RC&D council sets policy, direction, and priorities for the operation of their non-profit within RC&D legislative authority and national guidelines. The council is required by law to prepare and implement an area plan. The development of an area plan encourages the RC&D volunteers to seek input from various interests and to identify what services are strong or weak in the geographic area they have chosen to serve. Councils can obtain technical and financial assistance from a broad range of sources including the Federal, State, and local levels of government, other public organizations, private sources, and individual contributions.

RC&D Councils have a national association with an office in Washington, D.C. More information about the National Association of Resource Conservation and Development Councils, Inc. (NARC&DC), is available at rcdnet.org. NARC&DC is a member of the National Conservation Partnership.

NRCS State Conservationists are assigned Federal responsibility to follow national program guidelines for the RC&D program in each State. The State Conservationist ensures cooperation among the USDA services sought by the RC&D councils to implement local projects. NRCS employs coordinators to provide technical day-to-day coordination of resources sought by RC&D councils. RC&D coordinators assist local program participants in developing and implementing RC&D area plans that direct local action to improve environmental, social, and economic conditions within the designated RC&D area. Coordinators must understand programs that fit local needs and build working relationships with USDA, and other Federal, State, and local agencies. Coordinators match those resources with local RC&D council volunteers to implement the RC&D area plan.

Currently, there are 375 designated RC&D areas, and 32 applicant areas that are awaiting designation by the Secretary of Agriculture. RC&D areas serve more than 85 percent of U.S. Counties and over 80 percent of the U.S. Population. In fiscal year 2004, RC&Ds completed more than 4,586 projects. These resulted in 551 businesses created and 1,543 businesses expanded; 5,939 jobs created; and 5,244 miles of streams and 3,190,000 acres of wildlife habitat improved. Over 363,580 people learned new skills, and 16 million people were served.

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