IMPROVING NATURAL RESOURCES

ORGANIC FARMING PRACTICES REGENERATE SOIL, PROTECT WATER AND SUPPORT BIODIVERSITY.

Working lands and communities thrive when they work with natural ecosystems, balancing economic productivity with replenishing soil, protecting waterways, restoring biological diversity and adapting to a changing climate.

Through a contribution agreement with Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS) which started in 2010, Oregon Tilth has worked with NRCS staff across the country to increase conservation on organic farms.

The purpose of the collaboration is to increase NRCS staff knowledge of organic systems, develop technical information, increase conservation knowledge of organic certifiers and increase conservation assistance to organic producers.

NRCS HAS OVER 12,000 STAFF ACROSS THE COUNTRY WHO WORK WITH FARMERS AND LANDOWNERS TO SUPPORT CONSERVATION EFFORTS AND PROTECT NATURAL RESOURCES.

NRCS programs provide billions of dollars each year to support practices like cover crops, crop rotations, buffers, pollinator plantings and manure management.

OREGON TILTH TRAINED 3,665 NRCS STAFF MEMBERS ACROSS THE COUNTRY

We are going in the right direction with the crop rotations and cover crops. You have to believe that in the long run you are doing what is the right thing. - Eric Nelson of Nelson Grade Organics

Eric Nelson is a certified organic fourth generation farmer, growing small grains in a 12-inch precipitation zone—most of which comes between December and February. And if that isn’t enough of a challenge, he’s also working to reduce his use of tillage while he’s integrating diverse rotations and incorporating cover crops.