The National Association of Conservation Districts (NACD) submitted a letter signed by over 200 national and local organizations to leaders of the U.S. House and Senate Appropriations Committees yesterday requesting $1.05 billion for the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) Natural Resources Conservation Service’s (NRCS) Conservation Operations account in Fiscal Year 2027.
With approximately 70% of our nation’s lands in private ownership, achieving landscape scale conservation goals requires the voluntary cooperation of the farmers, ranchers, and forest stewards who manage these lands each day. Conservation Operations supports critical programs used by communities nationwide, including soil survey, snow survey, water supply forecasting, and plant material centers. It also funds Conservation Technical Assistance (CTA), the backbone of America’s voluntary, locally led conservation system that provides for free, one-on-one, science-based guidance to producers across the country.
CTA is often where the conservation journey begins. It allows farmers, ranchers, and forest stewards to connect with a technical assistance provider who can help them address a natural resource concern on their lands. Some producers implement practices on their own; others go on to enroll in programs like a Farm Bill or a state-level financial assistance program. Without CTA, many producers would have nowhere to turn.
“America’s farmers and ranchers are facing real pressures. Tight margins, an uncertain economy, and the growing strain of issues like drought, flooding, wildfire, and soil losses on their operations,” said NACD President Gary Blair. “Conservation Technical Assistance meets producers where they are, with practical, science-based support that helps them protect their land and livelihoods. This model works because it’s locally led. Conservation districts and NRCS field staff know their communities, understand the land, and help producers build lasting resilience. This funding keeps that help accessible in every community.”
Demand for conservation assistance continues to grow, even as NRCS’s capacity to deliver it has been tested. Field offices in local communities have absorbed significant staffing losses. Conservation Operations sustain the network of expertise and trust that producers rely on when they walk through the door.
“Technical Assistance is how conservation gets done,” said NACD Chief Executive Officer Jeremy Peters. “It’s how producers get a conservation plan, learn to manage for soil health, and find the right path forward for their land and operation regardless of whether they’re seeking financial assistance. Without adequate funding, that support disappears and producers are left without the assistance they need.”
The letter urges Congress to maintain its long-standing, bipartisan commitment to Conservation Operations and ensure that appropriated funds are utilized to provide critical technical assistance to producers in a timely manner.
