About Us
The Resource Conservation and Development acts as a catalyst to help local people:
- Protects their natural resources.
- Expands markets for local products.
- Promotes tourism.
- Provides community facilities and services.
- Generally makes their communities better places to work and live.
RC & D was established by Congress as a unique program to ultimately empower rural people to help themselves. These organizations are set up by local citizens to help people improve the quality of life in rural communities in Nebraska through development of human and natural resources.
RC&Ds are self-directed, locally led regional grassroots rural development organizations. It is important to note that such a group is not a unit of government. The USDA Natural Resources Conservation Service supports the RC&D with personnel, office space and equipment, and sometimes financial and technical assistance for projects. Each location is governed by a local council which defines problems and sets priorities for assistance. These councils provide direction, planning, and implementation of selected projects within their boundaries.
RC&D council members represent counties, towns, natural resource districts, farmers, ranchers, bankers, business personnel, homemakers, local officials, non-profit groups, and much more.