Helping You Care for the Land

The Natural Resources Conservation Service—

An Iowa Farm

Traditional products

Conservation farm “products”

Water

Soil

Animals

Plants

Benefits for everyone

Quality food

Recreation

Clean water

Healthy Plants

Benefits for everyone

Wildlife

Clean air

For the future

Conservation efforts now can ensure benefits for tomorrow.

Private Lands Conservation

More than 95 percent of Iowa’s land is privately owned.

Conservation affects us all

More than 90 percent of Iowa’s drinking water passes over private lands.

Working together

NRCS works with landusers to protect and improve natural resources on private lands.

NRCS Mission

To provide leadership in a partnership effort to help people conserve, maintain, and improve our natural resources and environment.

Our employees

Skilled technical specialists

Our employees

Committed to conservation and customers

Our customers

Farmers, ranchers, and many other landusers

Our customers

• Rural and urban communities

• Federal, state, and local agencies

• Policymakers

• Special-use districts

• American Indian tribes

Our Partners Soil & Water Conservation Districts

Our Partners Soil & Water Conservation Districts

Our Partners Iowa Conservation Partnership

• Conservation Districts of Iowa (CDI)

• State Conservation Committee

• Iowa Department of Agriculture & Land Stewardship, Division of Soil Conservation (DSC)

Our partnersA large and diverse group

• Universities

• Commodity groups

• Professional societies

• Environmental groups

• Agricultural organizations

• Local, state and federal agencies

Our partnersEarth Team Volunteers

Work in office, on the land, schools

Help with conservation work

Our partnersEarth Team Volunteers

Get involved!Call 1-888-LANDCARE

Learn new skills

Legacy of conservation

Soil Conservation Service, now the NRCS,

was established in 1935.

Legacy of Conservation

Programs and Services

• Conservation Operations

• Resources Conservation and Development

• Soil Surveys

• National Resources Inventory

• Emergency Watershed Protection

• Small Watershed Programs

Conservation operationsTechnical assistance

Technical assistance

Conservation planningInventory/ assessment

RC&DResource Conservation & Development

• Work locally to improve economic, social, and natural resources

• 15 multi-county RC&D areas in Iowa

Soil Surveys

• Published scientific inventories provide limitations and uses of soils

• Assist landusers make resource management decisions

NRINational Resources Inventory

•Evaluates resource conditions and trends

•Helps Americans make wise land use and management decisions

EWPEmergency Watershed Protection

• Helps protect lives and property following natural disasters

• Converts floodprone land to other uses

Small Watershed Programs

• Helps improve natural resources in small watersheds

1996 Farm Bill Programs

• Wildlife Habitat Incentives Program

• Environmental Quality Incentives Program

• Conservation Reserve Program

• Wetlands Reserve Program

WHIPWildlife Habitat Incentives Program

Improve habitat for fish and wildlife

EQIPEnvironmental Quality Incentives Program

Address serious threats to natural resources

CRPConservation Reserve Program

Establish permanent vegetation on environmentally sensitive cropland

WRPWetlands Reserve Program

Restore and protect wetlands

Iowans Meet Challenges

Conservation Achievements

The Future

For more information

• Contact your local NRCS office

• Contact your local Soil and Water Conservation District office

• Visit the NRCS homepage at www.ia.nrcs.usda.gov

The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) prohibits discrimination in all Its programs and activities on the basis of race, color, national origin, sex, religion, age, disability, political beliefs, sexual orientation, or maritalor family status. (Not all prohibited bases apply to all programs.) Persons with disabilities who require alternative means for communication of program information (Braille, large print, audiotape, etc.) should contact USDA’sTARGET Center at 202-720-2600 (voice and TDD). To file a complaint of discrimination, write USDA, Director, Office of Civil Rights, Room 326W, Whitten Building, 14th and Independence Avenue, SW, Washington, DC 20250-9410 or call (202) 720-5964 (voice and TDD). USDA is an equal opportunity provider and employer.