United States Department of Agriculture (USDA)

The United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) has many functions/mission areas. These areas include Farm and Foreign Agricultural Services, Food Nutrition and Consumer Services, Food Safety, Marketing and Regulatory Programs, Natural Resources and Environment, Research, Education and Economics, and Rural Development (USDA Mission Areas, 2007). It is easy to see how the USDA deals with more than just food safety. The USDA deals with many different things within the stated above areas; such as, biology, geology, soil, environmental protection, and so many more. In order for anyone to fully appreciate how the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) offers environmental protection they must first understand its function in regards to the environment.

There are many important questions that have to be answered when trying to understand the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA). One the questions are, what are the functions of the USDA in regards to the environment? In order to answer this it is necessary to look at the 'mission areas' of the USDA. Even thought, the main focus in understanding the USDA is on the environment, it also important to understand natural resources. Thus, the mission area that is going to be focused on in regards to the environment states that the "Natural Resources and Environment ensures the health of the land thorough sustainable management. Its agencies work to prevent damage to natural resources and the environment, restore the resource base, and promote good land management" (USDA Mission Areas, 2007). Even though, it is very important to understand the mission or function of the USDA, especially the Natural Resources and Environment mission, it is equally important to understand who the two agencies that work under the USDA and what their functions are.

The two agencies that work under the United States Department of Agriculture are the Forest Service (FS) and the Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS) (USDA Mission Areas, 2007). The Forest Service's functions include managing "public lands in national forests and grasslands..." (Caring for the land and serving people, 2009) The mission that the Forest Service says "to provide the greatest amout of good for the greatest amoutn of people in the long run" (About Us, 2008). This agency basically keeps its eyes on the forests and grasslands in the United States. The other agency that is under the USDA is Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS) in which was "origionally called the Soil conservation Service" (About the Natural Resources Conservation Service, N/A). The NRCS provides much assistance to the USDA. They "provide leadership in a partnership effort to help America's private land owners and managers consere their soil, water, and other natural resources" (About the Natural Resources Conservation Service, N/A). Even though it is important to uderstand the agencies that work under the USDA, it is also important to understand how the USDA impacts the environment with the help of theses agencies.

The United States Department of Agricluture (USDA), along with the help of its agencies the Forest Service (FS) and the Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS), has an impact on the protection of the enviornment. The USDA with the help of FS helps to manage and protect the natural resources that are with in the nations forests from fires, over logging, and so much more. With the assistance of the NRCS the USDA is able to provide protection on the environment by the conservation of soil, water, and other natural resources. With the USDA impacts on the environment all togeather by providing regulations, management, conservation, and so much more in the effort to protect the environment. All in all the USDA assists the EPA and all the other environemntal agencies in protecting the environment.

In conclusion, the United States Department of Agriculture has many functions in so many areas. They provide assistance in the effort of environmental protection with the help of the Forest Service (FS) and the Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS). These agencies work togeather to cover the forest, biology, archeology, soils, geology, etc. The USDA has a large impact in the protection of the environment. This is the reason why the agency has been a great asset in the United States especially in the efforts to conserving the environment and its natural resources.

Resources

About the Natural Resources Conservation Service. (N/A). Retrieved September 14, 2009, from

NRCS - Natural Resources conservation Service: http://www.nrcs.usda.gov/about/

About Us - Meeting the Forest Servicce. (2008, March 08). Retrieved September 14, 2009, from

US Forest Service: http://www.fs.fed.us/aboutus/meetfs.shtml

About Us. (2008, July 08). Retrieved September 14, 2009, from US Forest Service:

http://www.fs.fed.us/aboutus/

Caring for the land and serving people. (2009, September 11). Retrieved September 14 , 2009,

from US Forest Service: http://www.fs.fed.us/

USDA Mission Areas. (2007, December 13). Retrieved September 14, 2009, from United States

Department of Agriculture: http://www.usda.gov/wps/portal/!ut/p/_s.7_0_A/7_0_1OB?navid=USDA_MISSION_AREAS&parentnav=AGENCIES_OFFICES&navtype=RT