Introduction to the NRCS Conservation Plan
Windbreak in South Dakota. NRCS.
The Natural Resource Conservation Service (NRCS) is a division of the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) whose main mission to provide producers with knowledge and services to assist them in conserving their natural resources while still producing an agricultural commodity.
NRCS staff will visit the operation, talk to the producer about their production goals and design a conservation plan for the operation. A conservation plan is a written record of resource concerns and conservation practices and systems a landowner may implement to address the concerns. Concerns may include, but are not limited to, erosion by wind or water, droughty land, short season, wildlife and over-extending the land’s capability. NRCS conservation plans are tools designed to help land managers better manage natural resources on their properties. These plans evaluate soil, water, air, plant, and animal resources, and offer alternatives to address resource conditions.
NRCS uses a nine-step planning process that includes identifying problems, determining objectives, inventorying resources, analyzing data, formulating alternatives, evaluating them, making decisions, and implementing the plan. The plans are at no cost and voluntary and may offer cost share opportunities for implementation. Cost sharing opportunities may include, but are not limited to, tree plantings, irrigation, fencing, and season extension structures.
The benefits of a conservation plan are that a producer will protect their soil’s health and may attract desirable wildlife by creating nesting sites and winter cover. Producers will identify immediate or potential resource problems that could lower their production. By identifying potential issues and having a conservation plan, a landowner can more readily comply with environmental regulations. Landowners may be eligible for various USDA financial assistance programs to help you implement the actions identified in their plan. Working with NRCS, a landowner will establish a reasonable schedule and timeline to apply chosen conservation practices.
South Dakota has NRCS Service Centers across the state. Assistance in developing a conservation plan which protects SD resources while possibly increasing production is just a phone call away. Contact Malisa Niles with questions.