NRCS Topics

The Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS), in cooperation with its partners, has the leadership role for conducting soil surveys on private lands across the country. The North Dakota NRCS soils program is responsible for providing technical soil services—assisting government agencies and private citizens in understanding and applying soil information for the state of North Dakota.

The Nation’s freshwater supply, shaped by rainfall, snowmelt, runoff and infiltration, is distributed unevenly across the landscape, throughout the seasons, and from year to year. In many areas, concerns are growing about the adequacy of the available ground and surface water supply and the quality of the water to support intended uses.

Honey bees pollinate $15 billion worth of crops each year, including more than 130 fruits and vegetables. Managed honey bees are important to American agriculture because they pollinate a wide variety of crops, contributing to food diversity, security and profitability.

Energy was added as a natural resource concern by NRCS in late 2010. It is now one of the several natural resource concerns, along with soil, water, air, plants, animals, of NRCS. NRCS considers energy conservation in its conservation planning for the same reason it protects the natural resources on private and public property. Energy from fossil fuel- based sources, which are nonrenewable resources, is the primary energy source for American agriculture. The stewardship or wise use of these nonrenewable resources is an important link in the conservation ethic that underlies the NRCS mission.

NRCS is an agency committed to “helping people help the land”—our mission is to provide resources to farmers and landowners to aid them with conservation. Ensuring productive lands in harmony with a healthy environment is our priority. With operations in the United States, the Virgin Islands, Puerto Rico, and Guam, our agency touches the lives of a diverse range of individuals.