NEWS RELEASE

USDA Announces Establishment of New Working Lands Climate Corps in Partnership with NACD, AmeriCorps, and the Corps Network 

San Diego, CA – Today, at NACD’s 78th Annual Meeting, U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) Deputy Secretary for Agriculture Xochitl Torres Small and Undersecretary for Farm Production and Conservation Robert Bonnie announced the USDA Natural Resources Conservation Service’s (NRCS) establishment of a new Working Lands Climate Corps (WLCC).  

The National Association of Conservation Districts (NACD) is pleased to serve alongside the USDA, AmeriCorps, and The Corps Network in establishing the WLCC. The WLCC is part of the American Climate Corps (ACC), a government wide workforce training and service initiative. The WLCC aims to provide skills-based training for careers in conservation. Its establishment is reflective of the critical role of voluntary, incentive-based conservation in meeting our climate goals. 

“USDA is proud to partner with the National Association of Conservation Districts in the development and implementation of the Working Lands Climate Corps,” said Agriculture Deputy Secretary Xochitl Torres Small. “This new program will provide technical training and career pathway opportunities for young people and help deliver climate-smart agriculture solutions for farmers, ranchers, and producers across the United States now and in the future.” 

Conservation districts have a long history of partnership with USDA, NRCS, and the original Civilian Conservation Corps. Together, we share nearly a century of history tackling our country’s most pressing conservation needs through a voluntary, locally led, incentive-based approach.   

“Climate change is this generation’s Dust Bowl, presenting us with new challenges to agriculture, ranching, and forestry,” said NACD President Kim LaFleur. “Preparing the next generation of conservationists to tackle issues such as soil erosion, drought, water quality and quantity, biodiversity, and habitat restoration is critical. NACD is pleased to collaborate with the USDA and NRCS to provide training support to the host sites that will be providing day-to-day mentorship, on-the-job training, and job experiences for a new generation launching careers in conservation.” 

The Corps Network is soliciting proposals from host sites interested in providing conservation training and mentorship opportunities to WLCC members. The request for proposals is available at www.corpsnetwork.org/WLCC. The deadline to apply is Friday, March 8, 2024, at 5 p.m. ET. The Corps Network, National Association of Conservation Districts, AmeriCorps, and USDA will hold webinars on Feb. 15 at 2 p.m. ET and Feb. 20 at 11 a.m. ET to provide additional information for organizations interested in applying.

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About the National Association of Conservation Districts:
The National Association of Conservation Districts is the nonprofit organization that represents the nation’s 3,000 conservation districts, their state and territory associations and the 17,000 men and women who serve on their governing boards. For more than 70 years, local conservation districts have worked with cooperating landowners and managers of private working lands to help them plan and apply effective conservation practices. For more information about NACD, visit: www.nacdnet.org.