USDA announces Lincoln will be the home of a new regional hub for land conservation

LINCOLN, Neb. (KLKN) – Lincoln will soon be the home to a regional hub where farmers can get financial help to conserve their land.

The U.S. Department of Agriculture announced that it will open an office for the Natural Resources Conservation Service.

The USDA chose Nebraska as the location for this office over 10 other states in the region.

“I think a lot of people realize the grand importance of the heartland area of the United States,” said farmer Gary Hellerich. “And I think they’re giving us the opportunity to show and demonstrate the good we can do for local people, the region and the United States.”

Conserving farmland is vitally important. But it can be expensive.

So, farmers and ranchers can get assistance through the conservation service.

Along with being a farmer, Hellerich is a board member for the Lower Platte South Natural Resources District.

He said farmers can get help with a range of projects on their land, including soil conservation, water retention, and dams.

The new regional office in Lincoln will make those resources easier for Nebraskans to access.

But Hellerich said it won’t just benefit farmers and ranchers; it will benefit everyone in the state.

For example, farmland sheds water when it rains.

And if the land doesn’t have somewhere for that water to go, there will be excess runoff.

That rainwater could cause problems for water systems in nearby cities.

But if farmers utilize conservation resources, it could help prevent flooding.

Hellerich said having an accessible office in Lincoln will allow Nebraskans to help protect land for the future.

“I think it will give Nebraska the opportunity to have a voice in Washington,” he said.