NRCS Conservation Practice Standards for Agroforestry

Conservation Practice Standards are a key component in USDA Natural Resource Conservation Service (NRCS) Conservation Plans and the delivery of Technical Assistance by NRCS to its cooperators. NRCS Financial Assistance is directly tied to these Standards, and is delivered through programs such as the Environmental Quality Incentives Program (EQIP), the Conservation Stewardship Program (CSP), and other USDA and State conservation programs. A variety of NRCS Conservation Practice Standards can be used to implement agroforestry practices. This page focuses on the practice standards that are specific to agroforestry.

Use the map below to see if your state offers standards for the following practices, referenced with their practice code number: Alley Cropping (311), Forest Farming (379), Riparian Forest Buffers (391), Silvopasture (381), and Windbreak Establishment/Renovation (380). This information is also available in NRCS Practice Standards for Agroforestry (PDF, 156 KB).

This document also includes information about the Caribbean Area (Puerto Rico and the Virgin Islands) and Hawaii and the Pacific Islands Area (American Samoa, Federated States of Micronesia, Guam, the Marshall Islands, the Northern Mariana Islands, and Palau). More information about these state standards can be found in your state's Field Office Technical Guide (FOTG).

How to find conservation practice standards in your Field Office Technical Guide (FOTG)

Go to the Field Office Techincal Guide County website or select a state or regional area on the map and select the FOTG button that appears, which takes you to the NRCS website.

1. Choose a state or regional area in the dropdown alphabetical list of state and regional area names and click “submit” to reach the local FOTG. A document tree on the left side of the screen lists the five sections’ contents. Document collections and search results are displayed clearly in the center of the screen.
2. After submitting the appropriate state, on the left-hand side of the webpage click on "Section 4 – Practice Standards and Supporting Documents."
3. Section 4 has a dropdown list. Select “Conservation Practices and Support Documents” to view the practices listed in alphabetical order.
4. Select a specific Agroforestry practice such as “Riparian Forest Buffer” to see a list of collected documents appear in the center of the screen.
5. Not all states have conservation standards for each agroforestry practice.