General Info

Since 1935, the United States Department of Agriculture s Natural Resources Conservation Service, originally called the Soil Conservation Service, has provided leadership in a partnership effort to help America's private land owners and managers conserve their soil, water and other natural resources. NRCS employees provide technical assistance based on sound science and suited to a customer's specific needs. The agency provides financial assistance for many conservation activities. Participation in its programs is voluntary. Its Conservation Technical Assistance program provides voluntary conservation technical assistance to land-users, communities, units of state and local governments, and other federal agencies in planning and implementing conservation systems. The agency reaches out to all segments of the agricultural community, including underserved and socially disadvantaged farmers and ranchers, to ensure that its programs and services are accessible to everyone. It also manages natural resource conservation programs that provide environmental, societal, financial and technical benefits. Its science and technology activities provide technical expertise in such areas as animal husbandry and clean water, ecological sciences, engineering, resource economics and social sciences. The Natural Resources Conservation Service maintains an office in Davis, Calif.