This Day in Conservation History: The Soil and Water Resources Conservation Act of 1977

The Resource Conservation Act of 1977 (P.L. 95-192) became law on November 18, 1977. The RCA, as the legislation is known, gave USDA the mission to prepare a national plan for soil and water conservation to based on a comprehensive inventory of America’s privately-owned lands. Since its passage, the RCA has helped to provide a template for the development of national conservation policy. In a state like Oklahoma, where we have an abundance of forest, range, and farm lands, the appraisals and analyses authorized by the RCA have worked to direct conservation resources where they are needed most.