NRCS State Conservationist’s Message

As Fiscal Year 2025 begins, I’m setting personal goals and priorities for the NRCS State Conservationist’s office in lieu of making the standard resolutions and would like to share them with you today. My list of top priorities, which closely mirror our national goals, over the next 12 months will be:

• Treating team members as our most valued resource, ensuring they are equipped for their jobs and that their concerns are heard in addition to bringing new and diversified talent to Virginia.
• Keeping Virginia NRCS at the forefront of conservation planning, program delivery and implementation while providing outstanding customer service.
• Continuing development of a leadership structure at Virginia NRCS that includes leaders at all levels of our agency.
• Sustaining  and enhancing collaborations with local, state and federal agencies in the commonwealth as well as in neighboring states.
• Ensuring team members receive core technical training while exploring innovative approaches to conservation planning.
• Expanding our partner network, which will allow us to increase awareness of agency programs and services among all target audiences (young, beginning, small, military veteran and historically undeserved farmers).
• Continuing our focuses on water quality, soil health, forestry and urban agriculture to further enhance the delivery of conservation solutions in our state.

Dr. Edwin Martinez Martinez, Virginia State Conservationist