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USDA encourages conservation measures in California agriculture
Opportunities for business careers in sustainable agriculture and forestry may have gotten even better with new funding to support a program that encourages California producers to adopt conservation measures on their land.
The project, administered by the U.S. Department of Agriculture's Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS), was authorized by Congress in the 2008 Farm Bill and will run through 2017. It covers a variety of lands, including cropland, grassland, improved pastureland, rangeland, non-industrial private forestland as well as agricultural land under jurisdiction of an Indian tribe.
"The program will reward producers who manage their operations to prevent soil erosion, prevent water contamination, and manage dust from roads," explains Gayle Norman, NRCS acting state conservationist in California.
Specialists who make recommendations about sustainable agriculture techniques and administer similar grants are often graduates of masters and doctoral programs in environmental sciences. Due to a growing interest in preventing climate change and protecting the planet, individuals with such skills can expect to see bright employment prospects in the years to come.
In fact, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, environmental specialists will see job growth in their field average 25 percent until 2016, and the top salaries could exceed $94,670.
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