USDA Natural Resources Conservation Service

Your Career Starts Here: Apply for an NRCS Internship Today! Ready to make a real impact while crushing your studies??Apply today for a dynamic student internship. Grow your career and gain valuable experience helping to ensure a climate-resilient, sustainable future for our nation’s agriculture, forests, and natural resources USDA’s Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS) is offering paid internship positions in a variety of fields and specialties, including: ? Civil/Agricultural Engineering ? Natural Resources Management ? Soil Science and Conservation ? Rangeland Management ??Archaeology Dont miss out – Apply today ! Internship positions will be open on USAJOBS beginning Wednesday, October 16 and accepting applications through 11:59 PM EST Thursday, October 31. These positions are intended for current students in good academic standing. Here’s how to apply: ? Create a free USAJOBS account ? Complete an assessment questionnaire to confirm eligibility ? Submit current transcripts, proof of enrollment, resume, and any other relevant documents. Search keywords ‘NRCS’ and ‘Student Trainee’ or ‘Pathways’ on USAJOBS.gov to find current open internship announcements. Ready to make a difference? Apply now and join the NRCS team!

Choose a job you love, and you'll never work a day in your life. Most of us have heard that expression before.?On #NationalFarmersDay, we celebrate and pay tribute to the hardworking people in the field, who choose farming every day.?? We can all do more than just say thank you, especially this time of year. Farmers need grace and patience during and after harvest. Slowing down and taking care when passing farm equipment is one important things we can do to show our appreciation and keep our community farmers safe on the road.??? Our work at NRCS would not be possible without these dedicated people! Join us in “Helping People Help the Land” by sharing the road and preventing tractor tragedies.?

NRCS is proud to celebrate National Hispanic Heritage Month Cesar Chavez’s Granddaughter Continues His Legacy: Christine Chavez Reaches Out to Underserved Producers NRCS Outreach Specialist Christine Chavez is the granddaughter of iconic farmworker and @UFW cofounder Cesar Chavez. In her role at NRCS, she continues his legacy of equity in the agricultural sector. Learn more about Christine Chavez’s work at @usda @usda_nrcs. #unitedfarmworkers #usda #HispanicHeritageMonth https://lnkd.in/eaeqJcAC

NRCS Celebrates National Hispanic Heritage Month. Meet Kellyam Valle Cancel, Supervisory District Conservationist, North Carolina Kellyam 's passion for conservation began early in life, driven by a desire to give back. She adds, "What better way to fulfill that purpose than by helping landowners improve their properties and, in turn, give back to the land itself. My role allows me to collaborate with landowners to develop and implement conservation plans that protect natural resources while enhancing land productivity. I also have the opportunity to mentor and guide employees, helping them grow in their careers while ensuring that our team delivers high-quality conservation services. This combination of working with landowners and developing employees is what makes my role both fulfilling and impactful." https://lnkd.in/eiFSx2e4

NRCS is celebrating Hispanic Heritage Month. Pedro Torres is a proud descendant of the Taino Indians of Boriken (Puerto Rico) and has spent his entire NRCS career working with Tribes.?He started as a Tribal Planner, working directly with the tribes in Area IV of California conducting conservation planning and program participation activities.?While in that role he spent a year detailed to the Foreign Agriculture Service on a Provincial Reconstruction Team; working with the Pashtun tribes in the Kunar Province of Afghanistan.?After over 11 years in that position, he took the job of State Tribal Liaison for California NRCS coordinating with the State office to strengthen their tribal assistance program, engaging their Tribal Advisory Council for input into program priorities and providing support to the field on working with tribes.?He also had the opportunity to detail to the National Policy Division where he assisted with drafting the policy for Tribal Alternative Finding Arrangements. In December of 2023, Pedro was selected as National Tribal Liaison for NRCS, working with NRCS Leadership, Tribal representatives, Tribal non-governmental organizations, and officials of other agencies to address challenges related to implementation of NRCS programs and services on tribal lands and identifying partnership opportunities. Torres says, " I am humbly proud of my role in helping NRCS be of service to the first peoples of this land.?We are an agency founded on providing service to people to address their resource concern priorities, and the foundation of working with tribes is doing so on their terms and being sensitive to the cultural and spiritual viewpoints that guide their conservation priorities. By incorporating indigenous knowledge into NRCS programs we not only make our programs more inclusive to tribes, we create an environment where our programs; and especially our technical specialists, can benefit from generations of stewardship that predate the science our disciplines are founded on.?I am blessed to be nearly 20 years into a career that I can be as proud of as I am, working for an agency whose mission is founded in service of people and care of the land. " https://lnkd.in/eW4k6KJf

The Urban Agriculture and Innovative Production Advisory Committee: October 23, 2004. The Urban Agriculture and Innovative Production Advisory Committee will hold a public meeting on?October 23, 2024, 2:00 PM – 5:00 PM EDT. The public may attend virtually via Zoom with advance registration (see link below). The public comment period is open and written comments will be accepted via email ([email protected]) until November 6, 2024.?All relevant public comments will be shared with the Committee for consideration. The final agenda will be posted below at least 24 hours prior to the meeting. Zoom Meeting Registration - Register by October 23,?2024 https://lnkd.in/eYB4sCxk Federal Register https://lnkd.in/eDGgNHx4

Tomorrow at 11:30am ET, USDA Farm Production and Conservation Under Secretary Robert Bonnie will speak alongside several producers who have implemented our programs with the help of the Inflation Reduction Act. The focus will be on voluntary conservation on working lands.?Join us!

NRCS is excited to observe National Heritage Month. Damarys Mortenson began her career with NRCS in 1992 as a soil conservationist trainee in Iowa and quickly moved through the ranks.?She served as district conservationist in Iowa and Wisconsin and later moved to Michigan to become an area resource conservationist.?In 2012, Mortenson moved back to Iowa as assistant state conservationist for field operations.?She transitioned into the state resource conservationist position in West Virginia in 2016 before becoming the assistant state conservationist for management and strategy. Damarys joined Indiana NRCS in November of 2023 as the tenth state conservationist.? Mortenson is a native of Mayaguez, Puerto Rico where she earned a Bachelor of Science degree in Agricultural Mechanization (Engineering) Technology from the University of Puerto Rico, Mayaguez campus. Mortenson said, "My passion for working with NRCS started during college when I participated in a unpaid internship. This experience instilled in me the mission of conserving and improving our natural resources and emphasized our responsibility to protect resources for future generations. As a Hispanic woman, I feel NRCS embraces the diversity and inclusion of a working environment that respects cultural backgrounds and offers opportunities to contribute a unique perspective." Read Damarys' op-ed article: https://lnkd.in/enDxaVss

NRCS is thrilled to observe National Heritage Month. Beverly álvarez-Torres, a North Dakota Urban Soil Scientist with NRCS, embarked on a career in natural resources conservation after growing up on her parents' suburban farm in Puerto Rico. Witnessing firsthand the challenges faced by farmers there, Beverly developed a profound respect for the labor and commitment necessary to maintain agriculture.·???? ?Beverly adds, “At NRCS, I feel particularly connected to projects related to salt-affected soils. This type of soil provided me with my first opportunity to engage in research and led to the publication of my first paper and a chapter in a book. It was a pivotal moment in my career, allowing me to contribute to the field in a meaningful way. Additionally, I am deeply connected to initiatives focused on the empowerment of women and minorities. Growing up, I rarely saw women in leadership roles or positions in agriculture. These initiatives resonate with me because they aim to create opportunities and representation for underrepresented groups, something I am passionate about advocating for.” Check out Beverly's Linkedin: https://lnkd.in/e4stvSEt

NRCS is celebrating National Hispanic Heritage Month. Waldemar Garcia, North Dakota Natural Resource Specialist at NRCS.? ???? A new level of curiosity and excitement was sparked in Waldemar when he encountered the "Helping People Help the Land" motto. His environmental awareness served as the primary inspiration for pursuing a career in natural resources conservation. Beyond the superficial job description, Waldemar recognized that a career with the USDA-NRCS offered a commitment and a fulfilling professional experience. The agency's focus on serving people and the environment resonated deeply with Waldemar, aligning with their dedication to public service and science. Waldemar adds "Research into the NRCS evoked memories of a biblical principle about agriculture and the human relationship with the soil, emphasizing the importance of rest, sustainability, and social justice in agricultural practices. In a world facing environmental challenges, the realization that the agency could address these concerns fueled my determination to pursue a career in conservation." Waldemar says, “My diverse background working at the Ponce and Río Piedras campuses of the University of Puerto Rico, from scientific to administrative roles, and my active involvement in institutional committees and labor-management relations by means of the labor union; taught me the value of teamwork and shaped my approach to problem-solving. I have grown and evolved as a result of these experiences, making me ready to launch this journey.” Check out Waldemar's Linkedin :https://lnkd.in/gXFV_2CZ