Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS) Chief Aubrey Bettencourt has resigned from the agency, according to a letter sent to staff as reported by Agri-Pulse. Colton Buckley, NRCS associate chief, will assume the role of chief.
The Agriculture Department is planning to dismantle its presence in Washington, D.C., according to several officials briefed on the plans, and will relocate those it does not lay off to three hubs around the country, reports Government Executive publication.
The Senate's revived reconciliation deal would keep agricultural conservation, forestry and renewable fuels in the Democrats’ formula for fighting climate change.
The overall budget package, which is billed as an inflation fighter, booster of energy production and a down payment to fund climate-smart policies, could face a test as soon as Wednesday with a vote on a motion to proceed. If the motion is agreed to, a series of votes on amendments would follow Thursday.
The Agriculture Department would get $560 million more for rural broadband expansion, plus increases for research, food aid and combating animal and plant diseases, under a House spending bill for fiscal 2023.
The Food and Drug Administration, which also would be funded through the bill, would get $3.6 billion, an increase of $341 million over FY22, including $77 million more for food safety.
The Agriculture Department last week announced enrollment of 2.5 million acres of grasslands into the Conservation Reserve Program, twice as much acreage as last year's signup and a major step forward for the Biden administration's goal to sharply expand the program.