State Conservationist’s Corner

April 2005

NRCS marks 70th anniversary

By Cecil B. Currin

On April 27th, the USDA Natural Resources Conservation Service will celebrate 70 years of conservation achievements. The anniversary’s theme, “A Partner in Conservation Since 1935,” reflects the agency’s mission—providing leadership in a partnership effort to help people conserve, maintain, and improve our natural resources and environment.

NRCS was created as the Soil Conservation Service within USDA on April 27, 1935 in response to the devastation of the Dust Bowl on the nation’s agricultural land. The agency’s primary mission then was to conserve soil on agricultural land.

The Dust Bowl and the resulting conservation movement led to the formation of not only the SCS at the national level, but also conservation districts at the local level. At the time, Congress realized that only active support from landowners would guarantee the success of conservation on private land, yet many farmers distrusted the federal government. The idea of locally-led conservation districts was born and model legislation was drawn up, which was eventually adopted by all 50 states.

Today, there are 14 conservation districts in Massachusetts and 3,000 across the U.S., all born in a time of ecological and economic disaster and an American soil and water conservation movement.

SCS became NRCS in 1994 to better reflect its expanded role of servicing other natural resources such as soil, water, air, plants, and animals on private and tribal lands.

Nationwide, our food supply, water and air have improved tremendously since the Dust Bowl days. Dramatic improvements in natural resources resulted from the use of conservation practices such as crop rotations, terraces, and contour farming.

Locally, conservation practices carried out by Massachusetts farmers and other landowners, with the help of NRCS and conservation districts, have improved the quality of life in communities from Cape Cod to the Berkshires. Together we are preserving farmland, restoring salt marshes, protecting wildlife habitat, preventing erosion and conserving and improving water.

This agency’s rich conservation legacy has resulted in many benefits to Massachusetts and American citizens—abundant food and fiber, clean water, pure air, productive soils and open spaces to use and enjoy.

Throughout 2005, NRCS will recognize landowners, employees and partners—all of whom have played a vital role in helping the agency accomplish its mission. Check the NRCS Massachusetts website, www.ma.nrcs.usda.gov, for information on 70th anniversary news and events.

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