Public Television Series to Showcase California Farmers, USDA & Conservation

Original post by USDA (Jennifer Van Eps, NRCS)

Ann Johnson grows wine grapes in El Dorado County, Calif., where she carefully uses each drop of water. Water is imperative to her operation, and using it wisely and keeping it clean are important to private landowners like her.

Conservation practices, like a drip irrigation system, help her care for this natural resource. A public television series, “This American Land,” will showcase Johnson and other California farmers and ranchers who are working with USDA’s Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS) to put conservation on the ground.

The segment, “Precious Sierra Water,” is included in the season’s sixth episode, being released this month to public TV stations across the country.

Johnson, a fourth-generation wine grape grower, worked with the NRCS to create a conservation plan for her land. With the help of NRCS’ Environmental Quality Incentives Program (EQIP), she installed a drip irrigation system that uses 20 percent less water.

“It was great because they listened to what our ideas were and issues that we wanted to focus on and then gave us tools for our tool box that we could put into practice,” Johnson said.

Through a variety of Farm Bill conservation programs, NRCS helps farmers and ranchers ensure water is clean downstream and abundant.

To learn more about Farm Bill conservation programs, visit the NRCS website or a local NRCS field office. For more information on the public television series, visit NRCS’ “This American Land” page.