About the NRCS Plant Materials Program

Updated 07/10/2008

The NRCS Plant Materials Program selects conservation plants and develops innovative planting technology to solve the nation's most important resource concerns. The Program includes a network of 27 Plant Materials Centers (PMCs) and associated Plant Materials Specialists serving all 50 states and territories.  To date, the program has released over 600 conservation plants, most being grown by commercial growers.

For over 70 years, PMCs and Specialists have provide essential and effective plant solutions for critical habitats, environmental concerns, management practices, and key farm and ranch programs.

The Plant Materials Program:

• Focuses on using plants as a natural way to solve conservation issues and re-establish ecosystem function.
   
• Collects, selects and releases grasses, legumes, wildflowers, trees and shrubs.
   
• Cooperates with public, private, commercial and tribal partners and land managers to apply new conservation methods using plants.
   
• Provides plant materials and new applied technologies for national initiatives, like the Farm Bill.
   
• Offers plant solutions to battle invasive species, heal lands damaged by natural disasters, reduce the effects of drought,
  promote air and water quality, and produce alternative energy.
   
• Assists Native American tribes with projects to protect and produce culturally significant plants.

The following document requires Acrobat Reader.

Implementing the Farm Bill (PDF; 197 KB) June 2008
Plant Materials Program Brochure (PDF; 768 KB) March 2007

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