Since 1935, the Natural Resources Conservation Service (originally called the Soil Conservation Service) has provided leadership in a partnership effort to help America's private land owners and managers conserve their soil, water, and other natural resources.

NRCS employees provide technical assistance based on sound science and suited to a customer's specific needs. We provide financial assistance for many conservation activities. Participation in our programs is voluntary.

• Our Conservation Technical Assistance (CTA) program provides voluntary conservation technical assistance to land-users, communities, units of state and local government, and other Federal agencies in planning and implementing conservation systems.

• We reach out to all segments of the agricultural community, including underserved and socially disadvantaged farmers and ranchers to ensure that our programs and services are accessible to everyone.

• We manage natural resource conservation programs that provide environmental, societal, financial, and technical benefits.

• Our science and technology activities provide technical expertise in such areas as animal husbandry and clean water, ecological sciences, engineering, resource economics, and social sciences.

• We provide expertise in soil science and leadership for soil surveys and for the National Resources Inventory, which assesses natural resource conditions and trends in the United States.

• We provide technical assistance to foreign governments, and participate in international scientific and technical exchanges.