NRCS Earth Team

USDA Secretary Tom Vilsack presented the NRCS Presidential Volunteer Service Awards to Jerry Hattan, Torrington, Wyoming; and Russell Dorrough of Clarksville, Texas. From left: Agriculture Secretary Vilsack, Donna Hattan, Jerry Hattan, Torrington Wyoming; Russell Dorrough, Clarksville, Texas and Chief Jason Weller, Natural Resources Conservation Service. Hattan and Dorrough have a combined volunteer effort of 12,000 hours. Both Dorrough and Hatten are part of NRCS’ Earth Team volunteer program, which helps the agency meet conservation needs in communities. Volunteers enable NRCS to stretch available resources and help put additional conservation practices on the ground. “Without the volunteer program, NRCS would not be able to accomplish what is has,” NRCS Associate Chief Leonard Jordan said at an event honoring them Tuesday. 

This is but a quick look at what two of the thousands of NRCS Earth Team Volunteers do each year in providing Agency services to lands users. The volunteer program came about back in the early '70's when my wife worked with the Forest Service,  which had a volunteer program. I worked in SCS/NRCS Personnel and using the FS program as a model. wrote the first draft of the legislation that led to the Earth Team program. It was just part of a days work at the time.