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Conservation districts warn freeze on federal cooperative agreements, cut NRCS payment rates hurt on‑the‑ground work
Summary
Conservation‑district representatives told the Senate committee that a pause on new USDA NRCS cooperative agreements and steep cuts to national payment rates have removed field capacity, stranded forestry and water projects, and reduced technical assistance for farmers and towns.
Michelle Monroe, speaking for Vermont’s conservation districts, told the Senate Natural Resources & Energy Committee that recent federal actions are constraining the on‑the‑ground conservation workforce.
Monroe said cooperative agreements that let districts embed staff inside USDA NRCS offices have been paused and are not being extended, removing a long‑standing source of technical capacity. She said districts currently employ planners and foresters through these agreements and that recent freezes and funding delays have led to staff…
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