Usda Agronomy Manual

United States Department of Agriculture Natural Resources Conservation Service

National Agronomy Manual

(190-V-NAM, 3rd Ed., July 2001)

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National Agronomy Manual

October 2002

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(190-V-NAM, 3rd Ed., October 2002)

Part 500

Authorities, Policies, and Responsibilities

Contents:

Subpart 500A Authority 500–1 500.00 Soil Conservation and Domestic Allotment Act of 1935................................. 500–1 500.01 Purpose of the Agronomy Manual .................................................................... 500–1 Subpart 500B Agronomic policies 500–2 500.10 Location of policy ............................................................................................. 500–2 500.11 Amendments to NAM....................................................................................... 500–2 Subpart 500C Responsibilities of agronomists 500–2 500.20 Responsibilities of national, State, area, and field agronomists ........................ 500–2 500.30 Technical information—preparing, transferring, and training .......................... 500–3 500.40 Certification ...................................................................................................... 500–3500.50 Affiliation with professional organizations ...................................................... 500–3

(190-V-NAM, 3rd Ed., October 2002)

500–i

Part 500

Authorities, Policies, and Responsibilities
500.01 Purpose of the Agronomy Manual

Subpart 500A Authority
500.00 Soil Conservation and Domestic Allotment Act of 1935

The National Agronomy Manual (NAM) contains policyfor agronomy activities and provides technical procedures for uniform implementation of agronomy tools and applications.

The basic legislation for soil and water conservation programs by the Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS) is the Soil Conservation and Domestic Allotment Act, Public Law 74–46 of 1935 (16 U.S.C. 590a-590f). This original act recognized that agronomy, the science offield crop production, is essential in fulfilling the agency’s responsibilities. The Buchanan Amendment to the Agricultural Appropriations Bill for FY 1930 (Public Law 70-769) led to the enactment of Public Law 74-46. In 1933, the Soil Erosion Service was established as a temporary agency of the Department of the Interior. The agency was transferred to USDA in 1935 and named the Soil ConservationService (SCS). In 1994, the Natural Resources Conservation Service was established by Public Law 103–354, the Department of Agriculture Reorganization Act (7 U.S.C. 6962). The NRCS combines the authorities of the former Soil Conservation Service as well as five natural resource conservation cost-share programs previously administered by other USDA agencies. The mission of the NRCS is to provideleadership in a partnership effort to help people conserve, maintain and improve our natural resources and environment. NRCS provides technical assistance through local conservation districts on a voluntary basis to land users, communities, watershed groups, Federal and State agencies, and other cooperators. The agency’s work focuses on erosion reduction, water quality improvement, wetland...