AFT Congratulates Colton Buckley on Appointment as NRCS Chief

AFT congratulates Colton Buckley on his appointment as Chief of NRCS. Since joining the Trump Administration, Chief Buckley has been an ardent advocate for a farmer-first agenda, including elevating the issue of agricultural land loss as a priority within the Department and supporting funding to help farmers and ranchers who want to permanently protect their land. He comes to the role with not just the experience of being Associate Chief of NRCS, but also the invaluable experience of leading a conservation organization and growing up on his family's cattle ranch. We look forward to continuing to work closely with him in his new role. 

We also want to thank Chief Bettencourt for her service at NRCS and wish her the best as she begins her next chapter. During her tenure, she declared farmland loss the agency's top priority and helped strengthen USDA's Agricultural Conservation Easement Program, the Department's flagship program for helping farmers and ranchers to voluntarily protect their land.