It’s important to understand that to receive financial payments from NRCS, you are entering into a contract with the U.S. government. That means you agree to complete certain conservation activities on your land within a set time frame to earn financial incentives. NRCS understands that things can happen outside your control that result in delays, so you may be able to modify the contract if needed. While NRCS accepts applications for its conservation programs year-round, there are state-specific, ranking dates to evaluate and prioritize applications for funding. You should apply by the ranking dates to be considered for funding in the current cycle.

NRCS contracts work kind of like a mail-in rebate. Typically, you pay the costs up-front for conservation practices, then NRCS issues you a payment after completion. Therefore, it’s important to consider your out-of-pocket costs up-front and determine if the proposed project makes financial sense for your operation. Advance payments are an option that can minimize your up-front costs if you qualify as a historically underserved producer. Ask your local NRCS office if that sounds like a better fit for you.

NRCS payments vary depending on the type of conservation practice. Check with your local office to find out more about payment amounts.

This means you’ll need to wait to begin working on a conservation practice until your contract is signed. NRCS will help you in the planning process to figure out the best schedule for your operation.

Because NRCS wants to ensure the conservation projects on your land will perform as intended, the agency has developed science-based conservation standards to reach of the conservation practices. When you implement projects on your land, they need to meet NRCS technical specifications – activities that fall short of these standards will not receive payment. Once work is completed, NRCS staff will visit your land to certify that the conservation practices have been comploeted according to the conservation standards. Once NRCS certifies the practice, you will receive payment via direct deposit.

By law, you must report any payments you receive from NRCS as taxable income when filing your annual income tax return. You may need to conser how this will impact your tax returns, before deciding whether NRCS assistance is right for you.

NRCS financial assistance programs require you to provide personal & financial information to process your applications, contracts, and payments. This information is kept confidential and is protected by the USDA.

The Conservation Technical Assistance Program (CTA) provides a landowner with the knowledge and tools they need to conserve, maintain and restore the natural resources on their land and improve the health of an operation for the future. NRCS offers this asssitance at no cost! The goal is to give you personalized advice and information, based on the latest science and research, to help you make an informed decision.

The Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS) draws on a long history of helping people help the land. For more than 80 years, NRCS and its predecessor agencies have worked in close partnerships with farmers and ranchers, local and state governments, and other federal agencies to maintain healthy and productive working landscapes.

On April 27, 1935 Congress passed Public Law 74-46, in which it recognized that “the wastage of soil and moisture resources on farm, grazing, and forest lands . . .  is a menace to the national welfare” and established the Soil Conservation Service (SCS) as a permanent agency in the USDA. In 1994, SCS’s name was changed to the Natural Resources Conservation Service to better reflect the broadened scope of the agency’s concerns. In doing so, Congress reaffirmed the federal commitment to the conservation of the nation’s soil and water resources, first made more than 80 years ago, that continues to this day. To read more about the history of NRCS click here: A Brief History of NRCS

Collectively, the Massachusetts conservation districts and the USDA Natural Resources Conservation Service are known as the Conservation Partnership. A conservation district is a subdivision of local government, established under state law to carry out programs for the conservation and wise management of soil, water and related resources. There are thirteen conservation districts in the Commonwealth of Massachusetts.

Each district is governed by a board of supervisors–locally elected citizens who volunteer their time and leadership to the conservation effort. Conservation district supervisors work hand-in-hand with NRCS to deliver technical assistance to the people of Massachusetts.  NRCS provides technical services while the districts provide representation from the local community and the leadership to set priorities for conservation activities and develop new programs. This partnership between NRCS and the conservation districts is one that was carefully designed. This unique and productive relationship continues to be a model for providing federal resources at the local level.  Find out more about locally-led conservation.

Conservation districts are the mechanism by which cooperation can take place through landowners, state agencies, federal agencies, programs, grants, and a variety of other partners. Districts provide help to landowners and others on resource management, land-use planning, and detailed soils information. Districts set the local priorities, administer grants, facilitate fund leveraging, and provide a variety of outreach services.