NRCS Practice Standard

Solution Strengths, Weaknesses and Critical Indicators

Overall Summary

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).

The national conservation practice standards should not be used to plan, design, or install a conservation practice. You must have the conservation practice standard adapted and modified by the state in which you are working to insure that you meet all state and local criteria, which may be more restrictive than national criteria.

State conservation practice standards are available through the NRCS Field Office Technical Guide (FOTG). If no state conservation practice standard is available in the FOTG, you should contact the appropriate NRCS State Office or your local USDA Service Center.

Updated or new national conservation practice standards are released with NRCS National Handbook of Conservation Practices (NHCP) notices.

Solutions Providers in order of 9-Point Scoring System

Cover Crop (340) Cover crop is growing a crop of grass, small grain, or legumes primarily for seasonal protection and soil improvement. Practice Information Cover and green manure crops are grown on land where seasonal or long-term benefits of a cover crop are needed. This practice is used to control…
Conservation Crop Rotation (328) Conservation crop rotation is growing a planned sequence of various crops on the same piece of land for a variety of conservation purposes. Practice Information Crops included in conservation crop rotation include high-residue producing crops, such as corn or wheat, in rotation with low-residue producing crops,…
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…
Amendments for Treatment of Agricultural Waste (591) The addition of chemical or biological additives to manure, process wastewater, contaminated storm water runoff, or other wastes to reduce adverse effects on air and/or water. Practice Information The purpose of this practice is to change the characteristics of the waste stream to…
Access Control (472) Access control includes temporary or permanent exclusion of animals, people, vehicles, and equipment from an area. Practice Information Controlling access is often used to protect, maintain, or improve the quantity and quality of natural resources in an area. The purpose also includes aesthetic resources as well as…
Wastewater Treatment, Milk House (627) The wastewater treatment for milk houses standard is for the physical, mechanical, and biological treatment of dairy milk house wastewater. Practice Information This practice is applied to improve water quality by reducing nutrients in surface and groundwater, and/or improve air quality by reducing odors. This…
Waste Treatment Lagoon (359) A waste treatment lagoon is an impoundment made by excavation or earth fill to provide storage for biological treatment of animal or other agriculture waste. Practice Information The purpose of this practice is to store and biologically treat organic waste, reduce pollution, and protect water quality.…
Waste Treatment (629) Waste Treatment is the use of mechanical, chemical, or biological technologies to change the characteristics of manure and agricultural waste. Practice Information The treatment of manure or agricultural waste is used to improve water quality in surface and groundwater by better management of excess nutrients from manure…
Waste Transfer (634) Waste Transfer is a system using structures, pipes, or other conduits installed to convey wastes or waste byproducts from an agricultural source to a storage facility, treatment facility, or land application site. Practice Information The purpose of the practice is to transfer animal waste, bedding material, spilled…
Waste Storage Facility (313) A waste storage facility is an agricultural waste storage impoundment or containment made by constructing an embankment, excavating a pit or dugout, or by fabricating a structure. Practice Information The waste storage facility provides temporary storage of manure, agricultural by-products, wastewater, and/or contaminated runoff. The facility…