ASTA Provides Input on Conservation Program Standards

As the USDA’s Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS) updates its conservation practice standards, ASTA provided input on the draft changes.  

Conservation Practice Standards (CPS) are the official NRCS technical documents that define the minimum science-based criteria for planning, designing, installing, and maintaining each conservation practice. Each standard outlines what the practice is, why and where it is applied, and the quality requirements needed for it to function as intended. Because natural resource conditions vary widely, NRCS develops national standards that set the baseline requirements, and each state adapts these standards to address local soils, climate, topography, and regulations. The seed industry plays a unique and critical role in supporting conservation programs by developing and providing diverse, locally and broadly adapted, high-quality seed, enabling farmers to both increase agricultural productivity and conserve natural resources. 

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