These are the different types of land uses that can be selected:
Land associated with farms and ranches that are not purposefully managed for food, forage or fiber and are typically associated with nearby production and/or conservation lands. This could include incidental areas such as: idle center pivot corners, odd areas, ditches and watercourses, riparian areas, field edges, seasonal and permanent wetlands, and other similar areas.
Land used primarily for the production and harvest of annual or perennial field, forage, food, fiber, horticultural, orchards, vineyards and/or energy crops.
Land or water used for the preservation, protection, and observation of the existing resources, archaeological or historical interpretation, resource interpretation, or for aesthetic value. These areas are officially designated by legislation or other authorities. Examples: legislated natural or scenic areas and rural burial plots.
Land occupied by buildings and related facilities used for residences, commercial sites, public highways, airports, and open space associated with towns and cities.
Land used for facilities and supporting infrastructure where farming, forestry, animal husbandry and ranching activities are often initiated. This may include dwellings, equipment storage plus farm input and output storage and handling facilities. Also includes land dedicated to the facilitation and production of high intensity animal agriculture in a containment facility where daily nutritional requirements are obtained from other lands or feed sources. Land used for dwellings, barns, pens, corrals, or other facilities used in connection with farm and ranch operations.
Land on which the primary vegetation is tree cover (climax, natural or introduced plant community) and use is primarily for production of wood products and/or non-timber forest products.
Land that is barren, sandy, rocky or that is impacted by the extraction of natural resources such as minerals, gravel/sand, coal, shale, rock, oil or natural gas.
Lands composed of introduced or domesticated native forage species that is used primarily for the production of livestock. They receive periodic renovation and/or cultural treatments, such as tillage, fertilization, mowing, weed control, and may be irrigated. They are not in rotation with crops.
Land used primarily for the production of grazing animals. Includes native plant communities and those seeded to native or introduced species, or naturalized by introduced species, that are ecologically managed using range management principles.
Geographic area whose dominant characteristic is open water/permanent ice or snow. May include intermingled land, including tidal influenced coastal marsh lands.
The USDA's Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS) recognizes certain groups as "Historically Underserved" (HU) to promote equitable access to conservation programs. These groups include:
Individuals or entities who have operated a farm or ranch for less than 10 consecutive years. All members of an entity must qualify individually. Learn more.
Individuals who are members of groups that have been subjected to racial or ethnic prejudice. This includes, but is not limited to, American Indians or Alaska Natives, Asians, Black or African Americans, Native Hawaiians or other Pacific Islanders, and Hispanics. Learn more.
Producers with direct or indirect gross farm sales not exceeding specific limits in each of the previous two years and a total household income at or below the national poverty level for a family of four, or less than 50% of county median household income in each of the previous two years. Check your LRF/R status here.
Individuals who served in the U.S. Army, Navy, Marine Corps, Air Force, or Coast Guard, including reserves, and were discharged or released under conditions other than dishonorable. Must also qualify as Beginning Farmers or Ranchers, having never operated a farm or ranch or for no more than 10 consecutive years. Entities qualify only if all members meet these criteria. Learn more.
NRCS offers additional incentives to these historically underserved producers, such as higher payment rates for conservation practices and access to advance payments for practice implementation. Learn more.
These are the different categories of resource concerns that can be selected:
Select this category if you have any concerns related to soil on your farm.
Management-induced degradation of water stable soil aggregates resulting in destabilized soil carbon; surface crusting; reduced water infiltration, water holding capacity, and aeration; depressed resilience to extreme weather; increased ponding and flooding; increased soil erosion and plant stress; and reduced habitat and soil biological activity.
Erosion resulting from poor land management practices, storm events, wave action, rain, ice, wind, runoff, loss of vegetation, hydrologic dynamics, stream isolation from floodplains, and/or other disturbed/altered geomorphological processes.
Gullies created by runoff that can enlarge a channel progressively by head cutting and/or lateral widening.
Management-induced soil compaction at any level throughout the soil profile resulting in reduced plant productivity, biological activity, infiltration and aeration.
Concentration of salts leading to salinity and/or sodicity reducing productivity or limiting desired use, or concentrations of other chemicals impacting productivity, populations of beneficial organisms or limiting desired use.
Soil erosion that results in small gullies in the same flow area that can be obscured by tillage.
Management-induced depletion of any or all pools of soil organic matter resulting in limited soil function and processes that support plant productivity, biological activity and water and nutrient cycling.
Detachment and transport of soil particles caused by rainfall, melting snow, or irrigation.
Quantity, quality, diversity or connectivity of food, cover, space, shelter and/or water is inadequate to meet requirements of beneficial soil organisms.
Loss of volume and depth of organic soils due to oxidation caused by above normal microbial activity resulting from excessive water drainage, soil disturbance, or extended drought. This excludes karst sinkholes and issues, or depressions caused by underground activities. This resource concern is only applicable when the soil is a histosol.
Detachment and transport of soil particles caused by wind.
Select this category if you have any concerns related to water on your farm.
Wind-blown snow accumulates around and over surface structures, which restricts access to humans or animals; or wind removes snow from desired location where it can be used to accumulate water.
Surface water temperatures exceed State/Federal standards in downstream receiving waters which limits its use for intended purposes.
Underground water is used at a rate greater than aquifer recharge.
Irrigation water is not stored, delivered, scheduled and/or applied efficiently.
Natural precipitation is not optimally managed to support desired land use goals or ecological processes.
Nutrients (organic and inorganic) stored, concentrated, or applied are transported to groundwaters in quantities that degrade water quality and limit its use for intended purposes.
Nutrients (organic and inorganic) stored, concentrated, or applied are transported to receiving surface waters in quantities that degrade water quality and limit its use for intended purposes.
Pathogens, pharmaceuticals, leachate and chemicals from manure, biosolids or compost transported to groundwaters in quantities that degrade water quality and limit uses.
Pathogens, pharmaceuticals, leachate and chemicals from manure, bio-solids or compost transported to receiving waters in quantities that degrade water quality and limit uses.
Pesticide loses from the application area are transported to groundwater sources in quantities that degrade water quality and limit its use for intended purposes.
Pesticides are lost from their application area and transported to surface water sources in quantities that degrade water quality and limit its use for intended purposes.
Petroleum, heavy metals, and other chemical pollutants for on-farm use are lost from areas of concentration (handling, storage, or processing facilities and areas) to receiving groundwater in quantities that degrade water quality and limit its use for intended purposes. This resource concern does not cover pathogens/manure, sediment (although sediment contaminated with petroleum, heavy metals, or other chemical pollutants would be covered), nor naturally occurring salts.
Petroleum, heavy metals, and other chemical pollutants for on-farm use are lost from areas of concentration (handling, storage, or processing facilities and areas) to receiving surface waters in quantities that degrade water quality and limits its use for intended purposes. This resource concern does not cover pathogens/manure, sediment (although sediment contaminated with petroleum, heavy metals, or other chemical pollutants would be covered), nor naturally occurring salts.
Water covering the land surface, along with saturated conditions below the surface, degrades natural resources, or restricts capability of land to support its intended use.
Irrigation or rainfall infiltration transport salts to groundwater in quantities that degrade aquifer water quality and limit intended uses.
Irrigation or rainfall runoff transports salts to receiving surface waters in quantities that degrade water quality and limit use for intended purposes
Groundwater or a perched water table causing saturated conditions near the surface degrades water resources or restricts capability of land to support its intended use.
Offsite transport of sediment to surface water degrades water quality and limits use for intended purposes.
Sub-surface saturated flows that percolates slowly to the surface, degrades water resources, or restricts capability of land to support its intended use.
Water from collected precipitation runoff, ponds, lakes, surface watercourses and reservoirs is used at a rate that is detrimental to ecological functions or other identified uses and threatens sustained availability of surface water.
Select this category if you have any concerns related to air on your farm.
Emissions of airborne reactive nitrogen – ammonia and oxides of nitrogen – can negatively impact atmospheric chemistry, cause unwanted fertilization via deposition in sensitive ecosystems, and degrade regional visibility.
Emissions of methane, nitrous oxide, and carbon dioxide increase atmospheric concentrations of greenhouse gases.
Emissions of ozone precursors – oxides of nitrogen and volatile organic compounds – result in formation of ground-level ozone, which can have negative impacts to human, plant, and animal health.
Direct emissions of particulate matter – dust and smoke – as well as the formation of fine particulate matter in the atmosphere from other agricultural emissions – ammonia, oxides of nitrogen, and volatile organic compounds – can cause multiple negative environmental impacts.
Emissions of odorous compounds – volatile organic compounds, ammonia, and odorous sulfur compounds – can cause nuisance conditions.
Select this category if you have any concerns related to plants on your farm.
Excessive pest damage to plants including that from undesired plants, diseases, animals, soil borne pathogens, and nematodes. This concern addresses invasive plant, animal and insect species.
Improper fertility, management or plants not adapted to site negatively impact plant productivity, vigor and/or quality
Plant communities have insufficient composition and structure to achieve ecological functions and management objectives. This resource concern includes degradation of wetland habitat, targeted ecosystems, or unique plant communities.
The kinds and amounts of plant biomass create wildfire hazards that pose risks to human safety, structures, plants, animals, and air resources.
Select this category if you have any concerns related to animals on your farm.
Habitat requirements of identified fish and other organisms are inadequate.
Feed and Forage quality or quantity is inadequate for nutritional needs and production goals of the kinds and classes of livestock.
Livestock lack adequate shelter from climatic conditions to meet basic needs.
Quantity and quality of drinking water are insufficient to meet basic needs for the kind and
Quantity, quality or connectivity of food, cover, space, shelter and/or water is inadequate to meet requirements of identified terrestrial wildlife or invertebrate species.
Select this category if you have any concerns related to energy on your farm.
Stationary equipment or facilities are using energy inefficiently.
Mobile on-farm, ranching, forestry or field operations are using energy inefficiently.