nrcs

On Friday, the Colvin family, along with NRCS leadership, presented Marty Chaney with the Colvin Ranch Conservation Partner Award.  Chaney was recognized for more than 20 years of collaboration and partnership.   “We’ve been very happy to work with Colvin Ranch for longer than the 20 years of the conservation easement,” said Natural Resource Conservation Service Acting State Conservationist David

With temperatures across the Northwest warming, and the start of Summer less than three weeks away, farmers, ranchers and producers are being reminded of the importance of water conservation.   “Drought cannot only develop due to water supply shortages stemming from below normal snowpack, but drought can also develop, especially during the summer, due to high temperatures driving high evaporative

With Memorial Day, the unofficial kick off to summer, this weekend, now is a good time to close the book on the snow season in Idaho.  Erin Whorton with NRCS said for the most part the 2024-2025 snow year was good with above normal snowpacks recorded across much of the Gem State.   “...

How could USDA’s Natural Resources Conservation Service improve and expand their field level service?   NRCS chief Aubrey Bettencourt said that happens by going mobile.  She noted moving in that direction will allow NRCS staff to have more time and resources to work with farmers and landowners.  But, what does goi...

When taking a look back on the Oregon snowpack this year, Matt Warbritton with NRCS said 2024-2025 was pretty good to the state.  He noted southern and eastern Oregon enjoyed a robust snowpack throughout much of the season.   "A lot of the storm impacts have favored the southern Oregon and northern California coasts and those impacts carried over to much of central and eastern Oregon as well,

The National Association of Conservation Districts wrote to leaders of the House and Senate Appropriations Committees, urging robust support for USDA’s Natural Resources Conservation Service’s operations budget.  With the support of more than 120 conservation and agriculture groups, NACD requested $1.2 billion in FY 2026 ...

Outside of a stray snowflake in the higher elevations, it’s safe to say the 2024-2025 snow season is over here in the Northwest.  So, how did the Washington snowpack turn out this year?   Matt Warbritton with NRSC says there were some regions that had a good snow year, such as the Upper Columbia Basin and in the southern Washington Cascades.   “But as we ...

It was a celebration of 90 years of service at USDA headquarters Friday.   “In what other place in the world has an agency of the federal government dedicated 90 years to this effort, and how amazing and what all we have accomplished,” NRCS Chief Aubrey Bettencourt said during last week's event, recognizing the agency a historical perspective, both its role in conservation nationwide, and on her

USDA layoffs and office consolidations are raising bipartisan concern in Congress.  Staffing levels could be pared by nearly 10% starting by early May, with the remaining staff relocated to three hubs around the country.  That’s according to briefed USDA officials, who are cited in a report by Government Executive, a government business news daily.   The layoffs and ...

Despite the warming daytime highs, the snowpack across Idaho still looks very good.  Erin Whorton with NRCS said the snow season was a good one across the state.   “We saw wetter than normal conditions north of the Snake River Plain, especially compared to last year, and we really saw a much better snowpack in northern Idaho compared to last year," she noted.  "The snowpack sout... Read