Each year, we at the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service celebrate the vital role agriculture plays in our daily lives and express our deep appreciation for the people whose work sustains the nation. We want to recognize the agricultural community as key partners in advancing our conservation mission, supporting rural livelihoods and strengthening local economies. Happy National Agriculture Day!
Those who work the land know it best. American farmers, ranchers, growers, producers and private landowners are leading practical, on-the-ground efforts that keep soil healthy, protect water and support wildlife all while maintaining productive operations. Their stewardship keeps working lands productive and local economies strong. We deeply appreciate the hard work these land stewards invest in supporting both our shared livelihoods and our conservation mission.
Across our agency, we work alongside agricultural producers to improve ecosystem health and keep working lands sustainable. Whether restoring native vegetation, improving water quality or creating habitat for pollinators and other wildlife, these partnerships show that conservation and agriculture go hand in hand.
Our Center for Pollinator Conservation partners with producers and agriculture industry leaders to help reverse declines in pollinator populations while keeping crops productive. About 75% of fruit and seed producing crops depend on pollinators, something producers see firsthand every season. Across the country, farmers and ranchers are voluntarily adopting practical tools such as integrated pest management, targeted pesticides applications, adjusted mowing schedules and planting field borders with native flowering plants. The Center works with the Farmers for Monarchs coalition to boost monarch habitat on working farms and ranches through steps like planting milkweed, restoring native forbs and improving migratory corridors. The Center continues to lead innovative, partnership-based approaches to advance pollinator conservation in agriculture through collaborative work with private landowners.
Our Partners for Fish and Wildlife program works directly with landowners to conserve and enhance wildlife habitat across the nation. In northeast Iowa, the program works with local partners to restore or improve more than 2,100 acres of pollinator habitat on working lands. The program restores wetlands and prairies across Iowa in collaboration with the Iowa Soybean Association, improving water quality and creating habitat for pollinators and endangered species like the Topeka shiner. In the Caribbean, the Partners for Fish and Wildlife program continues to restore shade-grown coffee plantations in Puerto Rico by providing technical and financial assistance to convert sun-grown farms to native shade canopy. This restoration improves habitat for species such as the Puerto Rican parrot while reducing erosion and water runoff. These voluntary, incentive-based partnerships demonstrate how conservation practices on working lands can deliver environmental and economic benefits for farmers and ecosystems alike.
Our National Wildlife Refuge System’s Farm Conservation Program works in partnership with the U.S. Department of Agriculture to integrate conservation practices into farm and ranch operations. Our staff provide technical expertise and support Farm Bill conservation programs delivery through a $22.8 million investment from USDA’s Natural Resources Conservation Service.
Our Ecological Services teams also collaborate with farmers, ranchers, crop consultants and industry partners to support wildlife species and protect productive landscapes. In California’s Central Valley, Ecological Services and the Partners for Fish and Wildlife program are working with the agricultural community and native plant producers to create a mosaic of breeding, overwintering and migratory habitat for monarch butterflies and other native insect pollinators, and implement best management practices that reduce pesticide exposure in sensitive areas. In the Midwest, Ecological Services leads collaborations with growers, crop consultants, university extensions, businesses, agronomists, industry partners, states and chemical companies to promote practices that support endangered species conservation -many of which are pollinators- while aligning with agricultural goals.
Recently, staff from Ecological Services and the Center for Pollinator Conservation joined farm tours hosted by the National Alliance of Crop Consultants and Weed Science Society of America across Wisconsin, North Carolina and Virginia. These tours brought federal agencies, crop consultants and growers together to explore approaches that balance productive agriculture with species’ protection. Field visits and conversations continue to strengthen relationships and deepen shared understanding.
These examples represent only a small portion of the many initiatives across our agency connecting agriculture and conservation. Many more efforts are underway as we continue to strengthen and expand partnerships with the agricultural community to provide superior service to the American people.
Beyond the field, we also participate in national events like USDA’s National Ag Day in Washington, DC, building new relationships and finding opportunities to collaborate and support producers. Together, we are demonstrating that America's natural heritage is best protected by working hand in hand with the people who know the land the best.
