ABSTRACT
Today in the United States, Americans generally accept abundant agricultural production and environmental quality as compatible national goals—but it has not always been this way. This attitudinal shift is one facet of the legacy of the Natural Resources Conservation Service or NRCS, a U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) agency established in 1935 as the Soil Conservation Service (SCS). This entry explores the agency's creation and the enduring influence of its founding chief, soil scientist Hugh Hammond Bennett. It examines the rise of soil and water conservation districts and their continuing role in helping NRCS to deliver conservation technical and financial assistance to the nation's farmers and ranchers. The achievements of this partnership are reviewed, and the work of Bennett's heirs in addressing modern challenges to conservation agriculture is discussed, underscoring the validity of his advocacy for an ongoing program of soil and water conservation on working lands.
