Articles Tagged with ''NRCS''

Natural Resources Conservation Service Chief Aubrey Bettencourt on Tuesday said she hopes to address the longstanding workforce retention issues the agency has long struggled with. One of her first goals in this effort is to ensure offices have reliable internet access, as well as upgraded technology to better help both these staff and producers.

Jimmy Emmons was named assistant chief of the Natural Resources Conservation Service. Caleb Crosswhite joined USDA as deputy general counsel. The Peterson Group hired former House Ag Committee Democratic staff director Anne Simmons as a policy consultant. 

The American Feed Industry Association hired Greg Conner as senior manager of multilateral affairs and market access. Mallory Gaines was promoted to director of global affairs. Three new senior advisers were named to the Surface Transportation Board: Sharon Clark, Rob Reilly, and Chris Bertram. The Midwest Council on Agriculture appointed former undersecretary Greg Ibach as a policy adviser. 

Herders blocked from ag overtime relief * State Farm rates to increase * We’re on ‘side of angels’ * RFK back on the Hill

In a push to make more conservation practices improving water quality and soil health available to landowners, Sens. Joni Ernst, R-Iowa, and Martin Heinrich, D-N.M., reintroduced legislation to modernize the approval process of conservation technologies. 

A panel of conservation leaders told lawmakers Tuesday that as the Natural Resources Conservation Service sees cutbacks in staffing under the Trump Administration, partnerships would be key to ensuring farmers have access to technical assistance

DPR cracks down on Idaho company * US, China reach trade ‘deal’ * Suit offers glimpse into agency downsizing plans

The Natural Resources Conservation Service’s new chief says the agency is trying to “go mobile” with aims to have staff complete more work during in-person visits to farms while also attempting to reduce the time it takes producers to fill out paperwork.

USDA named Alec Varsamis deputy communications director. A veteran of the first Trump administration, he was press secretary and acting communications director for then-Agriculture Secretary Sonny Purdue. Since then, Versamis has worked at agencies Ketchum and Veno Group in account supervisor roles focused on agriculture, food and ingredients as well as crisis and issue management communications. He is a graduate of the University of San Francisco. 

Federal agencies including USDA say they’re working to comply with court orders to return probationary employees to their jobs, but instead have placed them on administrative leave with pay, citing logistical challenges in reinstating workers who were fired just a month ago.

As the Trump administration tightens its scrutiny over Biden-era climate programs, federal funding for the Working Lands Conservation Corps is drawing to a halt.