Barry HughesJim Schroering

NRCS Outreach Coordinators

•Started as the Soil Erosion Service in 1933 by Hugh Hammond Bennett ‘…if we take care of the land, it will take care of us…’;

•Renamed the Soil Conservation Service (SCS) on April 27, 1935;

•Renamed the Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS) in 1994;

•Celebrated it’s 75th anniversary on April 27, 2010;•NRCS currently has over 11,000 employees with an

annual budget of $5B.

NRCS programs help people help the land by:•Protecting the soil, reducing soil erosion, improving forage, reducing damage from floods and natural disasters;•Protecting water, enhancing water supplies and improving water quality; •Increasing and improving wildlife habitat;Providing technical advice;Providing cost share payments.

TECHNICAL ASSISTANCE – Conservation planning to address on-farm natural resource issues.

FINANCIAL ASSISTANCE – Providing cost share payments to implement the conservation plan.

Cooperative Agreement between Virginia State University (VSU) and the Natural Resources

Conservation Service (NRCS):

Cooperative Agreement signed January, 2010;Two Outreach Coordinators hired in February, 2010;Cooperative agreement renewed in September, 2010 and extended to October, 2011.

The 2008 Farm Bill allocated up to 10% of conservation cost share funds to Historically Underserved (HU) landowners. They are defined as:

1)     Limited Resource Farmers – based on income guidelines;

2)     Socially Disadvantaged (minority) Farmers:a.    American Indiansb.   African Americansc.    Hispanics/Latinosd.   Asians/Pacific Islanders

3)     New and Beginning Farmers – in operation for 10 years or less.

Work with Farm Service Agency, VA Cooperative Extension Service, Chesapeake Bay Foundation, VA Dept. of Conservation and Recreation, VA Dept. of Forestry, VA Dept. of Game and Inland Fisheries and local soil and water conservation districts to increase NRCS participation levels;

Work with community leaders, churches, civic organizations, agricultural industries, farmer’s associations, farmer’s markets, master gardeners and master naturalists to increase NRCS participation levels;

  Make all landowners aware that technical assistance from NRCS is always available.

FARM BILL (Food, Conservation and

Energy Act of 2008) CONSERVATION

PROGRAMS:

RIPARIAN FENCING:

RIPARIAN FENCING:

RIPARIAN PLANTINGS:

LANE (high use) FENCING:

LANE FENCING:

LANE FENCING:

CROSS FENCING:

CROSS FENCING:

WATERING SYSTEMS:

WATERING SYSTEMS:

WATERING SYSTEMS:

WASTE STORAGE FACILITIES:

VEGETATIVE BUFFERS:

VEGETATIVE BUFFERS:

FIELD BORDERS:

NO TILL PROGRAMS:

NO TILL – HIGH RESIDUE:

NO TILL – HIGH RESIDUE:

COVER CROPS:

COVER CROPS:

COVER CROPS:

HOOP HOUSES:

HOOP HOUSES:

FOREST MANAGEMENT:

FOREST MANAGEMENT:

FOREST MANAGEMENT:

FOREST MANAGEMENT:

WILDLIFE HABITAT:

WILDLIFE HABITAT:

WILDLIFE HABITAT:

WILDLIFE HABITAT:

WILDLIFE HABITAT:

WILDLIFE HABITAT:

WILDLIFE HABITAT:

WETLANDS RESTORATION:

QUESTIONS?

Cooperative Extension programs and employment are open to all, regardless of race, color, religion, sex, age, veteran status, national origin, disability, or political affiliation. An equal opportunity/affirmative action employer. Issued in furtherance of Cooperative Extension work, Virginia State University, Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University and the U.S. Department of Agriculture cooperating. Wondi Mersie, Interim/Administrator, 1890 Extension Program, Virginia State, Petersburg; Mark McCann, Director, Virginia Cooperative Extension, Virginia Tech, Blacksburg.