NRCS Practice Standard: Conservation Cover (327)

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NRCS Practice Standard: Conservation Cover (327)

About the Company:

The Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS) is the US Department of Agriculture (USDA)’s primary private lands conservation agency. The NRCS helps producers protect and conserve natural resources on private lands through voluntary conservation programs. Through Practice Standards and technical guides, the NRCS provides information about the conservation, energy resources, and provides personalized advice to individual producers.

The NRCS’ Environmental Quality Incentives Program (EQIP) provides technical and financial assistance to producers as they implement NRCS Conservation Practice Standards.

Technical guides used in each field office are localized so that they apply specifically to the geographic area for which they are prepared. Thus, while national guidelines have been provided as a framework for each standard, each state has adopted and modified the conservation practice standards to suit their individual landscape.

To find a local NRCS Service center click here.

To find the specific guideline for each state click here.

About the Solution:

Conservation Cover (327)

Conservation cover is establishing and maintaining perennial vegetative cover to protect soil and water resources on lands needing permanent protective cover that will not be used for forage production.

Practice Information

Conservation cover reduces soil erosion and sedimentation, enhances wildlife habitat, and improves water quality.

Conservation cover is applied on all lands needing permanent vegetative cover. It does not apply to plantings for forage production or to critical area plantings.

Operation and maintenance of the conservation cover includes mowing to control weeds and maintain vegetative cover. Additional measures may be necessary to control noxious weeds and other invasive species.

If wildlife habitat enhancement is a goal, maintenance practices and activities must not disturb cover during the reproductive period for the desired species. To benefit insect food sources for grassland nesting birds, spraying or other control of noxious weeds will be done on a “spot” basis to protect forbs and legumes that benefit native pollinators and other wildlife.

Common Associated Practices

NRCS Conservation Practice Standard (CPS) Conservation Cover (Code 327) is commonly applied with other conservation practices such as:

  • Brush Management (314)
  • Critical Area Planting (342)
  • Tree and Shrub Establishment (612)
  • Upland Wildlife Habitat Management (645)


    • To view the national NRCS standard for Conservation Cover please click here.

    Natural Resources Conservation Service, US Department of Agriculture 1400 Independence Ave., S.W. Washington, DC United States 1-833-ONE-USDA Visit Company Website

    Solution Type

    • NRCS Practice Standard

    Vendor

    • Others

    Product

    • Other

    Problem

    • Nitrogen
    • Phosphorous

    To view additional information about this vendor, click below.

    Solution Strengths, Weaknesses and Critical Indicators

    NRCS Conservation Practice Standards contain information on why and where practices are applied, and they set forth the minimum planning criteria that must be met during the implementation of a practice in order for it to achieve its intended purpose(s).

    Neat Matrix
    Nitrogen Recovery
    Phosphorus Recovery
    Storage Reduction
    GHG Reduction
    Odor Control
    Pathogen Reduction
    P Peer Reviewed
    D Documented
    E Expert Opinion
    Click on the graphic to learn more about the solution type.

    Newtrient Comments/Opinions:

    Newtrient is using the USDA-NRCS conservation practice standards as tools to assist dairy producers in understanding the standards and how they can be used to address resources concerns.

    To establish a Practice Standard a system or practice must be thoroughly vetted, approved, and standardized by the USDA at the federal and state level. These conservation practices have been developed to address various environmental resource concerns. Newtrient has developed a 9-point scoring process for ranking additives, practices, services, and technologies for the dairy industry. Recognizing the rigorous approval procedure used during the development of the NRCS Practice Standards, many of them score very highly and are worthy of consideration on any dairy where they apply.

    The information provided here is a summary of the selected conservation practices. For up to date and detailed information related to the full Practice Standards, please see the USDA NRCS website, linked above.

    Newtrient 9-Point Scoring Rating

    View the Scoring Page

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