2010 Annual Report - 75th Anniversary

2010 marked the 75th anniversary of the USDA Natural Resources Conservation Service and the beginning of the federal commitment to conserving natural resources on private lands.

In honor of the occasion, a 75th Anniversary Commemoration program was held April 27, 2010, at the Arkansas State Capitol in Little Rock.

The event featured NRCS Central Region Regional Conservationist Tom Christensen, Arkansas First Congressional District U.S. Representative Marion Berry and Arkansas State Conservationist Mike Sullivan.

Arkansas Governor Mike Beebe also read a proclamation declaring April 27 as Natural Resources Conservation Service Day in Arkansas.

NRCS was created as the Soil Conservation Service within the USDA on April 27, 1935, in response to the devastation of the Dust Bowl on the nation’s agricultural land. The agency’s primary mission then was to conserve soil on agricultural land. It became NRCS in 1994 to better reflect its expanded role of servicing other natural resources such as soil, water, air, plants and animals on private and tribal lands.

In honor of the agency’s 75th anniversary, the Arkansas Secretary of State’s Office hosted an exhibit in the first floor galleries of the State Capitol entitled, "Helping People Help the Land." The exhibit offered a glimpse into the origins of the agency as the Soil Conservation Service, historical photos, conservation programs and practices, conservation tools and current programs including American Recovery and Reinvestment Act (ARRA) projects.

Last Modified: 12/20/2010

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