Arlington, Virginia, United States
Today the National Association of State Departments of Agriculture, along with eight additional agricultural associations, renewed a five-year memorandum of understanding with the U.S. Department of Agriculture Natural Resource Conservation Service. The MOU fulfills the goal of helping agricultural producers maintain the viability of their operations and sustain and conserve natural resources for future generations.
“We’re proud to continue investing in farmers as they serve as natural stewards of the environment,” NASDA CEO Dr. Barb Glenn said. “NASDA members understand that nurturing our environment is key to building climate resiliency, and working in partnership with natural resource stakeholders is the most effective way to advance climate solutions.”
Objectives within the MOU include:
- Continue to recognize successful local partnerships under the Certified Crop Advisor Conservationist of the Year Award
- Identify new technology that aligns with conservation goals and propose its adoption on farms
- Plan for educational outreach, support and promotion of soil health and 4R (Right source, Right rate, Right time, Right place) best management practices
Representatives from each organization signed the agreement. Signatories include USDA-NRCS; the National Association of Conservation Districts, NASDA, The Fertilizer Institute, the Agricultural Retailers Association, the American Society of Agronomy, the Soil Science Society of America, the Crop Science Society of America and CropLife America.
NASDA has stated before, addressing climate resiliency in agriculture requires a comprehensive approach. NASDA encourages the collaboration of governments, corporations and philanthropic communities to develop incentive-based agriculture conservation programs and pursue research on innovative conservation methods.
Background
NASDA has extensively worked to promote natural resource conservation over the course of the organization’s history. The renewing of this five-year MOU follows an initial agreement in 2016 to establish a collaborative framework of cooperative activities with USDA-NRCS and accelerate the transfer and adoption of technologies and approaches for improved agricultural production and natural resource stewardship.
NASDA’s most recent work on environmental conservation includes its participation as a founding member of the Food and Agriculture Climate Alliance (FACA), a coalition representing farmers, ranchers, forest owners, the food sector, state governments and environmental advocates working together to define and promote shared climate policy priorities. The coalition’s activities and 40+ policy recommendations were announced last month.
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NASDA is a nonpartisan, nonprofit association which represents the elected and appointed commissioners, secretaries and directors of the departments of agriculture in all fifty states and four U.S. territories. NASDA grows and enhances American agriculture through policy, partnerships and public engagement. To learn more about NASDA and its work on natural resource conservation, please visit www.nasda.org.
