“Climate smart agriculture” was a term we heard a lot during the previous presidential administration. With each new administration, priorities obviously shift, but just because we don’t hear buzz words or terms like that, doesn’t mean conservation practices aren’t a priority.
“I’ve talked to the chief a number of times about, where do we want this administration’s NRCS policy? Where do we want their heads?” says Richard Fordyce, USDA Undersecretary for Farm Production and Conservation. “It’s all about putting voluntary conservation on agriculture land. All day. Every day. Period. I mean, no other political statements, no other kind of priorities but putting conservation on agriculture land voluntarily.”
Fordyce, a farmer from Missouri, says he’s spent most of his adult life advocating for soil conservation and water quality improvements, having served as chair of the Missouri Soil and Water Conservation Districts.
He says that they employ conservation practices on their farm and if they find something new, they want to implement it. But from a policy perspective, “We’re not telling anybody what they have to do.
“A farmer can choose to implement whatever conservation practice is going to fit on their land. So, in Indiana, you’ve got a myriad of soil types, and so one conservation practice in one part of the state is going to work, and a lot of people will subscribe to that. In another part of the state, it’s going to be something different. And what’s great about NRCS and that suite of conservation practices is we likely have something that will fit that farm the best for that geography.”
Fordyce encourages farmers to reach out to NRCS to explore what assistance could be available for your farm. You can also reach out to organizations like the Indiana Ag Nutrient Alliance or the Conservation Cropping Systems Initiative.
Hear more from Fordyce in the Indiana Ag Policy Podcast.
