Natural Resources Conservation Service California Launches First Urban and Small-Scale Farms Subcommittee by Remote Meeting

USDA-NRCS in California is launching the first NRCS California Urban and Small-Scale Farms Subcommittee meeting on August 20, 2024, from 9 to 11 a.m. virtually on Microsoft Teams.

DAVIS, Calif., July 23, 2024 — The USDA Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS) in California is launching the first NRCS California Urban and Small-Scale Farms Subcommittee meeting on August 20, 2024, from 9 to 11 a.m. virtually on Microsoft Teams. Attendees should follow this link to join.

“NRCS California is dedicated to supporting our urban and small-scale farmers throughout the state,” said NRCS State Conservationist Carlos Suarez. This Urban and Small-Scale Farms Subcommittee, part of our State Technical Advisory Committee (STAC), will help us collect valuable information for our technical assistance and financial funding allocations.”

The NRCS California STAC serves in an advisory capacity to NRCS and other USDA agencies. The committee will aid in the protection of our natural resources and the implementation of conservation provisions in USDA Farm Bill legislation. Committees and subcommittees are intended to include members from a wide variety of natural resources and agricultural interests.

The subcommittee is an opportunity for our partners to provide feedback and shape the future of financial and technical assistance as it relates to urban and small-scale agriculture. The first meeting will focus on covering the basics of what technical and financial assistance NRCS currently provides. We will also open the floor up to our partners on what they would like to gain by participating in the subcommittee. For questions, please contact the California State Urban Conservation Program Manager, Annie Konjevoda at [email protected].

The charge of the subcommittee is the following:

• Provide information, analysis, and recommendations to NRCS on conservation priorities, criteria for natural resources conservation activities, recommendations for improving programs, including application and funding criteria, recommended practices, and program payment percentages as it relates to urban small-scale farms.
• Identify current and emerging natural resource concerns and program needs for urban and small-scale farms.
• Recommend conservation practice standards and specifications for urban and small-scale farms.
• Make recommendations to NRCS for increasing conservation participation by historically underserved producers and communities.
• Make recommendations to NRCS for public outreach and information efforts and identify producers’ educational or training needs for urban and small-scale farms.
• Make recommendations to NRCS for creating and improving upon the conservation network for urban and small-scale farms.

Since its inception in 1935, NRCS has worked in partnership with private landowners and a variety of local, state, and federal conservation partners to deliver conservation based on specific, local needs. Please visit www.ca.nrcs.usda.gov for more information about NRCS.