Partnership Member Index

Agricultural Research Service 

As the in-house research arm of the U.S. Department of Agriculture, the Agricultural Research Service has a mission to conduct research to develop and transfer solutions to agricultural problems of high national priority and provide information access and dissemination to ensure high-quality, safe food, and other agricultural products, assess the nutritional needs of Americans, sustain a competitive agricultural economy, enhance the natural resource base and the environment, and provide economic opportunities for rural citizens, communities, and society as a whole.

American Farmland Trust, Farmland Information Library 

In 1993, USDA's Soil Conservation Service (now NRCS) designated American Farmland Trust as a FIC (Farmland Information Center) under the Farmland Protection Policy Act.

American Indian/Alaskan Native Employees Association of NRCS

An organization that advocates for:

• Service to reservations, Indian Lands, and the meeting of trust responsibilities by serving as liaison between American Indian and Alaskan Native communities and our NRCS colleagues and organization in shaping the future of natural resource management
• A culturally diverse workforce by promoting the recruitment, retention, and professional development of American Indian and Alaskan Native employees and identifying and resolving barriers to employment of American Indian and Alaskan Natives. Membership in the organization is open to all interested parties.

American Institute of Hydrology 

The only national and international professional organization that certifies Professional Hydrologist and Professional Hydrogeologists. AIH was formed in 1981 to provide certification, training and education for hydrologists.

Asian Pacific Islander Organization

APIO is a forum for employees to exchange ideas, network, mentor, train, and add value to the agency by being a linguistic, cultural, and ethnic bridge to our communities and other employee organizations.

Associated General Contractors of America 

AGC is a national trade association of construction contractors. The AGC has over 34,000 members nationwide, and is recognized as a primary spokesperson for the construction industry. AGC members are active in constructing the various watershed and water control projects that the NRCS funds and/or controls. Members represent prime contractors, specialty contractors, subcontractors, and all other aspects of the industry. AGC members actively participate with the NRCS through their national committee through periodic meetings and frequent communications between headquarters personnel.

Cooperative State Research, Education, and Extension Service

In cooperation with our partners and customers, CSREES provides the focus to advance a global system of research, extension and higher education in the food and agricultural sciences and related environmental and human sciences to benefit people, communities, and the Nation. The CSREES mission emphasizes partnerships with the public and private sectors to maximize the effectiveness of limited resources. CSREES programs increase and provide access to scientific knowledge; strengthen the capabilities of land-grant and other institutions in research, extension and higher education; increase access to and use of improved communication and network systems; and promote informed decision-making by producers, families, communities, and other customers.

Equality USDA

Equality USDA is focused on enriching the work-life of LGBTQ+ NRCS and other USDA employees and retirees by building a Federal workplace where employees feel safe bringing their full authentic selves to work. The acronym “LGBTQ+” is used by Equality USDA to represent the range of sexual orientations, gender identities, and gender expressions present in our world, including but not limited to: lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, queer, questioning, pansexual, two Spirit, gender nonconforming, nonbinary, intersex, asexual, and ally. The mission of Equality USDA is to create and continue to foster a work environment free of discrimination and harassment based on sexual orientation, gender identity, and gender expression.

Farm Service Agency 

This agency of the U.S. Department of Agriculture ensures the well-being of American agriculture, the environment and the American public through efficient and equitable administration of farm commodity programs; farm ownership, operating and emergency loans; conservation and environmental programs; emergency and disaster assistance; domestic and international food assistance and international export credit programs.

U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service

This bureau of the U.S. Department of the Interior has the mission of working with others to conserve, protect, and enhance fish and wildlife and their habitats for the continuing benefit of the American people. Major responsibilities: migratory birds, endangered species, freshwater and anadromous fish, the National Wildlife Refuge System, wetlands, protecting habitat, conserving coastal areas, environmental contaminants.

USDA Forest Service

The phrase, Caring for the Land and Serving People, captures the Forest Service mission. As set forth in law, the mission is to achieve quality land management under the sustainable multiple-use management concept to meet the diverse needs of the people.

Land Improvement Contractors of America (LICA)

LICA is an organization composed primarily of small contractors whose activities relate to the conservation, use, and improvement of land and water resources ranging from terrace and pond building to septic tank installation to logging operations.

National Arbor Day Foundation 

A non-profit education organization with programs to help people plant and care for trees to conserve soil, energy, water, wildlife, and the atmosphere.

National Association of State Departments of Agriculture

NASDA is a nonprofit association of public officials representing the Commissioners, Secretaries, and Directors of Agriculture in the fifty states and four territories. NASDA supports the use of Resource Management Plans (RMP). The RMP provides farmers and ranchers with a voluntary opportunity to enhance their resource protection and meet the requirements of the laws and regulations in a manner tailored to their operation.

National Audubon Society 

The National Audubon Society's mission is to conserve and restore natural ecosystems, focusing on birds, other wildlife and their habitats for the benefit of humanity and the earth’s biological diversity. Each year, Audubon and Cornell Lab of Ornithology conduct the Great Backyard Bird Count during mid-February. Another activity called Audubon At Home is a way to improve backyard habitat by taking personal conservation action to improve the environmental health and habitat quality of our yards and neighborhoods.

National Organization of Professional Black NRCS Employees

The Organization is to enhance the awareness of and improve the level of education and professional development in training Blacks within NRCS to increase the participation of Blacks in agriculture, natural resources, and related fields. Membership is open to all employees.

National Organization of Professional Hispanic NRCS Employees

The Organization assists NRCS in the delivery of program benefits and services to the Hispanic rural/urban community by strengthening NRCS efforts in the recruitment, retention, development and advancement of Hispanics.

National Organization of Professional Women in NRCS

WiN strives to improve networking, support, and advancement opportunities for women employed by NRCS; serve as a liaison in the development of family-friendly employment policies with NRCS; address current workplace barriers that impede the growth and advancement of women; promote an employee’s advancement potential by providing information on career planning, upward mobility specialized training, continuing education opportunities, and balancing work and family; and motivate all female employees to be proactive in creating and achieving a successful career with NRCS.

National Watershed Coalition

The NWC is a nonprofit 501(c)(3) coalition made up of national, regional, state, and local organizations, associations, and individuals, that advocate dealing with natural resource problems and issues using the watersheds as the planning and implementation unit. NWC advocates using total resource management principles in planning and believes the USDA-assisted water resource programs are among the best planning and implementation vehicles available for wise water and land management. NWC represents the concerns and needs of watershed project sponsors at the national level. NWC is governed by a Steering Committee of over 30 conservation organizations.

NWC and NRCS have a long history of working together to promote partnership activities at the local level. Because of the interrelated objectives of NRCS and NWC, close coordination between the two will serve to more efficiently and effectively meet the objectives of both parties, and meet the intent of Congress by enhancing the nation's soil, water and related resources.

Service Center Initiative Team

Multi-agency USDA Service Center team.

Society for Range Management 

A professional scientific society and conservation organization concerned with studying, conserving, managing and sustaining the varied resources of rangelands, which comprise nearly half the land in the world.

Rural Business-Cooperative Service (RBS) 

The mission of RBS is "to enhance the quality of life for all rural Americans by providing leadership in building competitive businesses and sustainable cooperatives that can prosper in the global marketplace." RBS accomplishes this mission by investing its financial resources and technical assistance in businesses and communities, and by building partnerships that leverage public and private, cooperative resources to create jobs and stimulate rural economic activity.

USDA Rural Development 

Committed to helping improve the economy and quality of life in all of rural America. Through our programs, we touch rural America in many ways. Our financial programs support such essential public facilities and services as water and sewer systems, housing, health clinics, emergency service facilities and electric and telephone service. We promote economic development by supporting loans to businesses through banks and community-managed lending pools. We offer technical assistance and information to help agricultural and other cooperatives get started and improve the effectiveness of their member services. And we provide technical assistance to help communities undertake community empowerment programs.

Southern Appalachian Man and the Biosphere Cooperative 

SAMAB is a consortium of Federal and State Agencies established by an inter-agency agreement to promote the enhancement of environmental health, economic use, and cultural values across the Southern Appalachians.

Sustainable Agriculture Network

SAN is the communications and outreach arm of the Sustainable Agriculture Research and Education (SARE) program. SARE is a U.S. Department of Agriculture-funded initiative that sponsors competitive grants for sustainable agriculture research and education in a regional process nationwide.

Soil and Water Conservation Society 

SWCS is a professional organization dedicated to soil and water conservation.

Society of American Foresters 

It's mission is to advance the science, education, technology and practice of forestry; and to use the knowledge, skills and conservation ethic of the profession to ensure the continued health of forests and the availability of forest resources to benefit society. Our members include public and private practitioners, researchers, administrators, educators, forest technicians and students.

USDA National Agroforestry Center

NAC has its origins in the 1990 Farm Bill. It began as a Forest Service effort in 1992 and expanded into a partnership with the Natural Resources Conservation Service in 1995. NAC conducts research on how to design and install forested buffers to protect water quality and develops and delivers technology on a broad suite of agroforestry practices to natural resource professionals who directly assist landowners and communities.

Urban Greening

It has a primary focus on the living part of the urban environment – gardens, parks, urban forests, and urban waters (watersheds, rivers, creeks, lakes, ponds, wetlands, deltas, beaches, harbors, ports, and bays). It includes EcoIQ Magazine on Urban Greening, more than 100 Link Center and Directory pages linking to online urban greening resources, a calendar, anthologies, related educational and media resources, and more.

Wildlife Habitat Council

WHC works to increase the amount of quality wildlife habitat on corporate, private, and public lands. WHC, along with NRCS and the National Association of Conservation Districts, helped develop the Backyard Conservation Campaign and continues to promote backyard conservation practices and activities, incorporating them into nonagricultural and corporately owned lands.