2005 Marks Milestones for NRCS

NRCS 70th Anniversary and Earth Team 20th Anniversary

The USDA Natural Resources Conservation Service has a lot to celebrate in 2005. It marks the 70th anniversary of the agency and its continued commitment to conservation on private lands and the 20th anniversary of the agency’s Earth Team, NRCS’ volunteer program in service to conservation. Both anniversaries reflect the agency’s long standing commitment to the nation’s natural resources and the people who volunteer on behalf of that commitment.

Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS)

On April 27, 1935, Congress established the Soil Conservation Service as an agency in the USDA with Hugh Hammond Bennett, regarded as the "father of soil conservation," as its first chief. The primary mission of the agency was to control erosion. It became NRCS in 1994 to better reflect its expanded role of caring for other resources such as water, air, and animals on private and tribal lands. More information is available on the Kansas NRCS History web site. In honor of the 70th anniversary, Kathleen Sebelius, Governor of Kansas, issued a certificate to the NRCS and partners for their contributions to conservation in Kansas. The following document requires Acrobat Reader. State of Kansas Certificate (PDF; 176 KB)

Earth Team

The Earth Team Program, created in 1985, offers all types of opportunities to anyone over the age of 14 who is interested in volunteering and making a positive difference for the nation’s natural resources.  In fiscal year 2004, more than 40,000 Earth Team volunteers nationally donated more than 950,000 hours to conservation.  Kansas had at least one volunteer in every NRCS Office:  452 volunteers donated 28,289 hours.

2004 Kansas NRCS Earth Team Awards

The 2004 Kansas NRCS Earth Team awards were recently announced. The winners included the following:

• 2004 Kansas Earth Team Resource Conservation and Development (RC&D)/Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS) Award - Western Prairie  RC&D Council for their effort in the wide range of recruiting of Earth Team volunteers
• 2004 Kansas Individual Earth Team Volunteer Award - Ms. Lori Hood, Liberal, for her office assistance to the Coronado Crossing RC&D.
• 2004 Kansas Earth Team NRCS/National Association of Conservation Districts Award - Ashland NRCS Field Office.
• 2004 Kansas Group Earth Team Volunteer Award - Kids Ag Day Committee for their work in the Great Bend Field Office.
• 2004 Kansas NRCS Employee Earth Team Volunteer Award - Ms. Susan Picking, Salina, for her work in preparing an invitation for the first Earth Team volunteer luncheon at the state office.

Congratulations to all the winners!

More information about the Earth Team is available on the NRCS web site.