Water comes from the faucet, doesn’t it?

Not by along shot! Every day, the average American uses about 50 gallons of water for drinking, bathing, cooking, and maintenance. Most people, however, are unaware of the source of their water. Sixty-four percent of public water systems use surface water as their source, the other 36 percent use ground water from wells.

Have you ever thought about where your food comes from?

As you eat your sandwich, do you ever think about the soil, water, and all the workers between the grain field and your sliced bread? When you put on a wool sweater, do you think about the sheep that provided the wool?

It all starts with agriculture. Farmers and ranchers grow the food and fiber we need everyday.

When you woke up this morning, you had your first encounter with agriculture. After all, your bed sheets were probably made from cotton plants.

Did you wash or shower with soap? Oil from corn and soybeans were used in making that soap.

Did you have cereal, eggs, milk, bacon, pancakes, buttered toast, or juice for breakfast? Thank agriculture again.

Did you pack a lunch in a paper bag, or print that report on paper? That paper comes from another agricultural crop – trees. Corn and soybean by-products helped hold the ink on the paper.

How did you get to work? Did you walk in shoes made of leather? Did you pass a city park, a golf course, an orchard, or nursery? All these involve agriculture too.

Agriculture touches everyone. The farm needs the city and the city needs the farm. We depend on agricultural products for food, clothing, and shelter.

So what does NRCS do?

NRCS - the Natural Resources Conservation Service - is part of the U.S. Department of Agriculture.

NRCS employees work with farmers and ranchers, helping them take care of their natural resources so they will never run out.

It’s about balance - never taking more from the earth than can be replaced or remade.

NRCS offers two kinds of assistance - technical and financial. Technical assistance is the expert assessment of environmental issues and possible solutions. Financial assistance is the federal money available to many private landowners to assist with the installation and maintenance of conservation projects. 

What are natural resources?

Soil, water, air, plants, animals, and people are the natural resources we depend on for everything from the air we breath to the food we eat to the clothes we wear.

Remember, milk comes from cows not grocery stores.

Did you know .... . . each American farmer feeds 120 or more people?

. . . agriculture is America’s #1 export?

. . . new technology means farmers are more environmentally friendly than ever before?

. . . we should all take pride in American agriculture? It touches all of our lives!

What can you do?

• Thank a farmer.
• Conserve water.
• Plant a tree.
• Join the Earth Team.
• Feed birds or other wildlife.
• Conserve energy.
• Do your part -- reduce trash, reuse old things and recycle.
• Tell your friends about conservation.
• Remember, food doesn’t come from the grocery store and water doesn’t come from the faucet.
• Visit us at www.ar.nrcs.usda.gov.

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