By Scout Nelson
Kansas played a major role in the history of soil conservation when the Dust Bowl of the 1930s devastated farmland across the Great Plains. The severe storms led to the formation of what is now the Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS), marking a turning point in agricultural sustainability.
Pamela Riney-Kehrberg shared how families in southwest Kansas lived through the dust storms, including Black Sunday in 1935, which caused massive soil loss and darkened skies as far as Washington, D.C. “It took a little while for the people in Washington to get really concerned,” she said. That month, Congress created the Soil Conservation Service, later renamed NRCS.
In the early days, the agency taught practices like crop rotation, terracing, and contour plowing to help prevent further erosion. “It was not hard to get people on board with these conservation practices because they were desperate,” Riney-Kehrberg said.
Today, the Kansas NRCS office faces a different storm—budget cuts and staff reductions. The agency has reportedly lost over 2,400 positions nationwide, with workforce numbers dropping from 11,623 to nearly 9,200. This includes layoffs, early retirements, and deferred resignations.
Conservation leaders worry about delays. “You're going to lose basically a generation of conservation planners,” said Jamey Wood, who formerly worked with NRCS in Kansas.
Long wait times and fewer staff could mean fewer conservation plans and missed opportunities. “If there's a longer wait list… that producer might just opt to forego cover crops for that given year,” said policy manager Kalee Olson.
Despite challenges, Olson believes NRCS staff remain committed. “I do think NRCS has really proved themselves to be nimble,” she said, emphasizing their dedication to Kansas agriculture and conservation.
Photo Credit:usda-nrcs
Categories: Kansas, Government & Policy, Sustainable Agriculture