Established in 1862, the Department of Agriculture serves all Americans through anti-hunger efforts, stewardship of nearly 200 million acres of national forest and rangelands, and through product safety and conservation efforts. The USDA opens markets for American farmers and ranchers and provides food for needy people around the world.
NRCS provided conservation technical assistance to nearly 3 million customers, in fiscal year 2000. Of the customers assisted, over 347,000 were members of minority groups. As a result of these conservation planning services, a total of 10.2 million acres of cropland and 10.8 million acres of grazing land were treated to the resource management system level (sustainable management). On 4.2 million acres of cropland that had been eroding at excessive rates, NRCS technical assistance enabled farmers to reduce erosion to the tolerable rate or less, thus preserving the productive capacity of the soil. Overall, NRCS provided conservation planning assistance on more than 34 million acres of land in all uses and application assistance on more than 29 million acres.
Uses and Use Restrictions
Technical assistance to the general public in planning and applying natural resource conservation practices, systems, and treatment; and furnishing technical natural resource conservation information to State and local governments.
Eligibility Requirements
Applicant Eligibility
Land users, Land owners, Community organizations State governments and local governments.
Resource assistance needed is usually reviewed with the conservation district governing body.
Individuals and groups may become cooperators with local conservation districts to which application for assistance is directed.
Applicants are also eligible in Puerto Rico, the Virgin Islands, and Western Pacific U.S.
Trust Territories.
Beneficiary Eligibility
General public, State governments, and local governments.
Credentials/Documentation
None.
Aplication and Award Process
Preapplication Coordination
This program is excluded from coverage under E.O.
12372.
Application Procedures
Contact the local Natural Resources Conservation Service office in nearly all counties. Preapplication coordination of this program is not required. This program is subject to the provisions of OMB Circular No. A-110.
Award Procedures
Not applicable.
Deadlines
None.
Authorization
Soil Conservation and Domestic Allotment Act of 1936, as amended, Public Law 74-46, 16 U.S.C. 590 a-f.
Range of Approval/Disapproval Time
Not applicable.
Appeals
Not applicable.
Renewals
Not applicable.
Assistance Considerations
Formula and Matching Requirements
Not applicable.
Length and Time Phasing of Assistance
Not applicable.
Post Assistance Requirements
Reports
Not applicable.
Audits
Not applicable.
Records
Not applicable.
Financial Information
Account Identification
12-1000-0-1-302.
Obigations
(Salaries and expenses) FY 07 $634,320,000; FY 08 est not available; and FY 09 est not reported.
Range and Average of Financial Assistance
Not applicable.
Regulations, Guidelines, and Literature
"Conquest of the Land," AIB99; "Soil Erosion by Water," AIB513; "Assistance Available from the Natural Resources Conservation Service," AIB345; "Controlling Erosion on Construction Sites," AIB347; "Community Improvement Through Resource Conservation and Development," PA1077; "Save Soil Systematically," PA1366. "List of Published Soil Surveys;" "Going Wild with Natural resource Conservation," PA1363; "Conversation Planning-You and Your Land," PA 1376, "Farming and Maintaining Terraces," LN570.
Information Contacts
Regional or Local Office
State and local Natural Resources Conservation Service offices (see Appendix IV of the Catalog).
Headquarters Office
Jose Acevedo, Deputy Chief for Natural Resources Conservation Programs, Natural Resources Conservation Service, Department of Agriculture, P.O. Box 2890, Washington, DC 20013. Telephone: (202) 720-4527.
Criteria for Selecting Proposals
Not applicable.
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