NRCS & C2A3 Sign National Memorandum of Understanding
Troy Daniell, Minnesota state conservationist, and Dr. Hara Charlier, president of Central Lakes College (Minn.), display a memorandum of understanding (MOU) they signed Monday on behalf of nine members of the Community College Alliance for Agriculture Advancement (C2A3) and the Natural Resource Conservation Service (NRCS) The MOU is designed to develop a cooperative framework to enhance and accelerate training and adoption of technologies and best practices for improved agricultural productivity and natural resources stewardship.
News Release
USDA Partners with Midwest Community Colleges to Teach Agricultural Conservation
Contact:
FPAC.BC.Press@usda.gov
WASHINGTON, Sept. 21, 2020 – The U.S. Department of Agriculture’s (USDA) Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS) is partnering with nine Midwest community colleges to support hands-on student learning about conservation and to foster conservation-minded farmers and ranchers. On Monday, Community College Alliance for Agriculture Advancement (C2A3) representatives and NRCS signed a national memorandum of understanding, agreeing to enhance and accelerate training and adoption of technologies and best practices for improved agricultural productivity and natural resources stewardship.
“This partnership provides the necessary framework to work together on common needs from a national perspective while also providing the flexibility to address local concerns,” said Jimmy Bramblett, deputy chief of programs for NRCS. “The more successful we are, the more likely we are to drive further innovation and adoption of practices and to impact the long-term sustainability of our nation’s resources.”
The agreement aims to reach not only agriculture students but also the broader community, through events such as field days. NRCS and the member institutions are developing local plans to address regional and statewide challenges and to support student internships and other training opportunities for college faculty, producers, and NRCS employees. The colleges are also using the C2A3 network to share resources, knowledge, and expertise with one another.
All C2A3 member institutions have college farms where they can implement conservation practices to educate and inform students and producers. Collectively, they are working on a grant through USDA’s North Central Sustainable Agriculture Research and Education (SARE) program, which seeks to increase awareness, knowledge, and skills related to soil health, cover crops, and no till agriculture. Newly developed content, like videos and case studies, will help illustrate profitability, sustainability, and productivity concepts. They will share these assets with all member institutions.
The C2A3 collaboration was formed to provide more ongoing education, training, and demonstration projects for future farm producers and agricultural service providers to improve soil health, long-term productivity, resilience, and sustainability.
C2A3 member institutions include Central Lakes College (Staples, Minnesota), Clark State Community College (Springfield, Ohio), Illinois Central College (Peoria, Illinois), Ivy Tech Community College (Lafayette, Indiana), Northcentral Technical College (Wausau, Wisconsin), Northeast Community College (Norfolk, Nebraska), Northeast Iowa Community College (Calmar, Iowa), North Dakota State College of Science (Wahpeton, North Dakota), and Richland Community College (Decatur, Illinois).
For more information, visit nrcs.usda.gov or contact your local NRCS field office. For more information about C2A3, visit the organization’s website at agalliance.net.
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