Boosting Soil Surveys: NRCS Allocates $3 Million for CESU Partnerships to Enhance Research and Protect the Environment

The USDA Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS) is allocating $3 million to support partnerships that will enhance soil surveys through research. Institutions of higher education within the Cooperative Ecosystem Studies Unit (CESU) network are encouraged to submit proposals by the deadline of July 8, 2024.

Collaboration and partnerships are key to achieving the goals of community planning, protecting the environment, enhancing recreational opportunities, conserving natural resources, and addressing pollution. NRCS Chief Terry Cosby emphasized this in a statement, highlighting the importance of soil surveys in these areas.

Proposals must involve close cooperation with soil survey personnel, such as the National Soil Survey Center research staff or regional offices. The research should have a national or broad regional impact, filling gaps in soil survey databases, introducing new methods for data collection and analysis, or addressing emerging issues in research priority areas.

The funding period for approved projects could start as early as October 2024 and last up to three years. Each proposal must have a budget between $50,000 and $500,000. The research priorities for fiscal year 2024 were determined through discussions with the National Cooperative Soil Survey (NCSS) Research Priorities Committee, NRCS, and the Soil and Plant Science Division (SPSD). More detailed information can be found in the notice of funding for interested parties.