Today, the USDA Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS) in Delaware released its fiscal year (FY) 2022 Accomplishments Report. This report highlights the conservation achievements attained through NRCS conservation programs and services in conjunction with conservation partners. It offers insight into delivery of technical and financial assistance to further advance conservation and its benefits to Delaware’s agricultural community and beyond.    

Conservation deliverables contained within this report underscore the beneficial impact of conservation practices on agricultural land in Delaware through NRCS programs. A reduction of 239,244 lbs. of nitrogen, phosphorus, sediment combined can be linked to the following practices applied by Delaware farmers in FY2022:

• 169 heavy use area pads, 25 animal mortality facilities and 29 waste storage structures
• Nutrient management practices on 5,725 acres
• 7,428 acres of cover crops

Technical and financial assistance for these water quality improvement practices were provided by NRCS’ Environmental Quality Incentives Program. The full report is available here and can be found on the Delaware NRCS website under Related Resources.

USDA encourages urban producers, innovative producers, and other stakeholders to virtually attend the second public meeting of the Federal Advisory Committee for Urban Agriculture and Innovative Production on Nov. 29 from 3-5pm ET.  This Committee will discuss recommendations it intends to submit to Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack to remove barriers to urban and innovative producers and increase access of urban and innovative producers to USDA programs and services.

Learn more, submit a comment, or register to attend online at Federal Advisory Committee for Urban Agriculture and Innovative Production | USDA. 

USDA has released a nationwide survey asking for feedback from all farmers, ranchers, and forest managers. Agricultural producers are key to the Nation’s production of food, fuel and fiber, and feedback is essential in helping the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) improve government programs and services.

USDA would like to hear from existing customers and hopes to reach a new audience of prospective customers, specifically those that don’t know about USDA, have yet to work with USDA, and those who were unable to participate in the past.

Please visit https://www.farmers.gov/contact/survey by March 31, 2023, to access the survey online in multiple languages! The survey will take approximately 10 minutes to complete, and responses are anonymous.