USDA Agroforestry 

Strategic Framework,

Fiscal Year 2011–2016

United States 

Department of 

Agriculture

June 2011

Enriching Our Lives With Trees That Work
Additional copies of this Strategic Framework can be downloaded from 

<http://www.usda.gov/wps/portal/usda/usdahome?navid=FOREST_FORESTRY>.

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Enriching Our Lives With Trees That Work iii

Message From the Secretary of Agriculture .............................1

Vision, Mission, Motto, Guiding Principles .............................2

Strategic Roadmap....................................................................3

Introduction...............................................................................4

Strategic Goal 1–ADOPTION: Increase use of agroforestry by 

landowners and communities....................................................7

Objective 1.1–DEVELOP PARTNERSHIPS: Develop 

learning partnerships with stakeholders, with a priority on 

tribes, underserved, and minority audiences.....................7

Objective 1.2–EDUCATE PROFESSIONALS: Enable 

natural resource professionals to provide technical, educational, financial, and marketing assistance ........................7

Objective 1.3–ENGAGE GLOBALLY: Support exchange 

of agroforestry technology between the United States and 

other countries...................................................................8

Strategic Goal 2–SCIENCE: Advance the understanding of, 

and tools for, applying agroforestry..........................................9

Objective 2.1–PLAN: Identify, assess, and prioritize 

interagency agroforestry science and technology needs, 

opportunities, and investments..........................................9

Objective 2.2–DISCOVER: Conduct interagency and multidisciplinary research to advance agroforestry science and 

technologies.......................................................................9

Objective 2.3–TRANSLATE: Move agroforestry innovations into products and services.........................................9

Strategic Goal 3–INTEGRATION: Incorporate agroforestry 

into an all-lands approach to conservation and economic 

development............................................................................10

Objective 3.1–INSTITUTIONALIZE: Incorporate agroforestry into USDA policies, programs, and activities ........11

Objective 3.2–ASSESS PERFORMANCE: Account for 

and monitor agroforestry impacts and applications ........11

Objective 3.3–COMMUNICATE RESULTS: Promote 

awareness and appreciation of agroforestry ....................12

Appendix A: The Interagency Agroforestry Team..................13

Appendix B: Missions and Programs of USDA Agencies 

and Partners.....................................................................14

Appendix C: Summary of Stakeholder Feedback...................25

Appendix D: History of Agroforestry in the United States.....30

Contents
iv USDA Agroforestry Strategic Framework—Fiscal Year 2011–2016
Enriching Our Lives With Trees That Work 1

Message From the Secretary

The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) developed this Agroforestry Strategic 

Framework to increase awareness and support of agroforestry. It brings together the ideas 

and resources of five USDA agencies, two key partners, and a diverse group of 

stakeholders. This strategic framework creates a roadmap for advancing the science, 

practice, and application of agroforestry as a means of enhancing America’s agricultural 

landscapes, watersheds, and rural communities.

While Governor of Iowa, I saw first-hand the benefits associated with the application of 

agroforestry to local farms, ranches, and woodlands. As the Secretary of Agriculture, I am 

pleased with USDA’s efforts to balance agricultural production with natural resource conservation. Established with assistance from USDA or other public agencies and private organizations, riparian forest buffers and other agroforestry practices 

have helped to reduce soil erosion and nutrient run-off and conserve natural resources, such as water and wildlife, on several 

million acres. These practices have been a key component of landscape conservation efforts, such as the Chesapeake Bay 

and Gulf of Mexico initiatives.

I have, however, also noticed that the application of agroforestry is not widespread. Agroforestry—the intentional combining 

of agriculture and forestry to create integrated and sustainable land-use systems—presents an opportunity to address 

agricultural and conservation concerns and enrich human lives not only at the local level, but at the State, national, and global 

levels as well. Agroforestry addresses several of the top priorities identified in the USDA Strategic Plan for fiscal years 

2010–2015.

The USDA Agroforestry Strategic Framework is built around three simple goals: Adoption, Science, and Integration. These 

goals will enable USDA to provide additional knowledge, tools, and assistance to better combine agriculture and forestry for 

the benefit of landowners, communities, and the Nation. The principles of leadership, partnerships, engagement, and 

enrichment guide USDA efforts to enhance the production of food, feed, fiber, and renewable energy; to enhance the sustainability and prosperity of rural communities; and to protect, conserve, and restore natural resources.

I plan to release a policy statement on agroforestry and establish an Agroforestry Steering Committee that will guide the 

implementation of this strategic framework. Please join me in an “all lands/all hands” approach that expands the application 

of agroforestry and generates prosperity in new ways while helping to conserve the Nation’s natural resources and ensuring 

sustainable production of food, feed, fiber, and energy for the country and the world.

THOMAS J. VILSACK

Secretary of Agriculture
2 USDA Agroforestry Strategic Framework—Fiscal Year 2011–2016

Vision, Mission, Motto, Guiding Principles

Vision 

Creating productive and healthy farms, 

ranches, woodlands, and communities 

through agroforestry

Mission 

Provide knowledge, tools, and assistance 

to combine agriculture and forestry for the 

benefit of the landowner, the community, 

and the Nation

Motto

Enriching our lives with trees that work

Guiding Principles

Achieving the vision will require: 

•	 Leadership—Providing the leadership, 

knowledge, and assistance in agroforestry 

for the benefit of the Nation.

•	 Partnerships—Bringing together the diversity of public agencies and land stewards to capitalize on the strengths of all.

•	 Engagement—Continuously seeking the 

involvement, input, action, and feedback 

of partners and customers. 

•	 Enrichment—Contributing to conservation, restoration, and resiliency of all 

lands. 
Enriching Our Lives With Trees That Work 3

There are four key purposes for the USDA Agroforestry 

Strategic Framework:

•	 Increase USDA and partner awareness and support for agroforestry as a means to implement the 

USDA Strategic Plan (2010-2015);

•	 Identify the most important future USDA emphasis 

areas for agroforestry research, development, and 

technology transfer;

•	 Establish an interagency Agroforestry Steering 

Committee to guide USDA implementation of the 

strategic framework (including the activities of the 

Forest Service, Natural Resources Conservation 

Service, Agricultural Research Service, National 

Institute of Food and Agriculture, and the Farm 

Service Agency); and

•	 Expand on-the-ground application of agroforestry 

practices and systems to support attainment of the 

USDA Strategic Plan. 

To assist the Nation in addressing today’s challenges, 

USDA will:

•	 Increase use of agroforestry by landowners and 

communities (Goal 1—ADOPTION); 

•	 Advance the understanding of, and tools for, applying agroforestry (Goal 2—SCIENCE); and

•	 Incorporate agroforestry into an all-lands approach 

to conservation and economic development (Goal 

3—INTEGRATION). 

Each of these three goals has a desired outcome and three 

objectives that describe how USDA will carry out this 

strategic framework. Each objective has strategies that 

provide further specifics on how the goals, objectives, and 

desired outcome will be attained. To attain these goals and 

objectives, USDA must effectively incorporate agroforestry 

into its programs, policies, and activities. To facilitate this, 

USDA will need to:

•	 Issue a policy statement in support of agroforestry;

•	 Through a proposal in the Farm Bill, define agroforestry and specifically authorize its application;

•	 Develop a Memorandum of Understanding that 

establishes a steering committee to increase agroforestry collaboration among USDA mission areas, 

agencies, and cooperators;

•	 Guide implementation of this strategic framework 

through the Agroforestry Steering Committee;

•	 Develop an implementation plan for this strategic 

framework that will include progress indicators, 

baselines, metrics, and targets; and

•	 Establish an interagency reporting system that 

tracks the application of agroforestry practices and 

the change in benefits that accrue to landowners 

and communities. 

USDA mission area and agency plans, as they are being 

developed and updated, are expected to incorporate agroforestry, as appropriate, and support accomplishment of the 

USDA Agroforestry Strategic Framework. 

Strategic Roadmap
4 USDA Agroforestry Strategic Framework—Fiscal Year 2011–2016

The foundation of agroforestry is putting trees to work in 

conservation and production systems for farms, forests, 

ranches, and communities. Agroforestry begins with placing the right plant, in the right place, for the right purpose. 

Agroforestry is a unique land management approach that 

provides opportunities to integrate productivity and profitability with environmental stewardship, resulting in healthy 

and sustainable agricultural systems that can be passed on to 

future generations.

Agroforestry technologies, when used appropriately, help attain sustainable agricultural land-use systems in many ways. 

Specifically, agroforestry technologies:

• Provide protection for valuable topsoil, livestock, 

crops, and wildlife.

• Increase productivity of agricultural and horticultural crops. 

• Reduce inputs of energy and chemicals. 

• Increase water use efficiency of plants and animals. 

• Improve water quality. 

• Diversify local economies. 

• Enhance biodiversity and landscape diversity. 

• Reconnect agriculture, people, and communities. 

Agroforestry technologies ultimately enhance the quality of 

life for people.

There are five categories of agroforestry practices in the 

United States:

• Field, farmstead, and livestock windbreaks.

• Riparian forest buffers along waterways.

• Silvopasture systems with trees, livestock, and forages growing together.

• Alley cropping that integrates annual crops with 

high-value trees and shrubs.

• Forest farming where food, herbal (botanicals), and 

decorative products are grown under the protection 

of a managed forest canopy. 

These five practices can be designed to accommodate other 

purposes such as odor mitigation, improving pollinator habitat, trapping snow, or producing biomass feedstock. 

Introduction

Agroforestry: a unique land management approach of working trees

Agroforestry is the intentional mixing 

of trees and shrubs into crop and 

animal production systems to create 

environmental, economic, and social 

benefits

Windbreaks

Silvopasture
Enriching Our Lives With Trees That Work 5

There is a significant opportunity to apply agroforestry practices to address the priorities identified in the current USDA 

Strategic Plan, including landscape-scale conservation, 

climate change, clean and abundant water for communities, 

biomass energy, and sustainable agriculture. Integrated into 

individual farm operations and watersheds, agroforestry 

practices can create and enhance certain desirable functions 

and outcomes essential for sustainability. 

The effective application of agroforestry in the United 

States requires leadership and teamwork by USDA and 

its partners in both: (1) developing agroforestry science 

and tools and (2) delivering agroforestry assistance to 

the owners/managers of working farms, woodlands, 

ranches, and communities. Both are essential if we are 

to realize the many benefits of this unique approach to 

land management. 

Riparian Forest Buffer Alley Cropping

USDA Agroforestry Strategic Framework 

Development

In recognition of the significant contribution to society and 

the need to coordinate USDA programs, resources, and 

services to maximize public benefits, the Forest Service and 

Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS) initiated 

an effort in January 2010 to develop an Agroforestry Strategic Framework. The Forest Service and NRCS reached 

out to other USDA agencies and two key partners to charter 

an Interagency Agroforestry Team (IAT) that would jointly 

develop the strategic framework with input from a diverse 

group of stakeholders. 

USDA agencies on the IAT:

•	 Forest Service 

•	 Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS)

•	 Agricultural Research Service (ARS)

•	 National Institute of Food and Agriculture (NIFA)

•	 Farm Service Agency (FSA)
6 USDA Agroforestry Strategic Framework—Fiscal Year 2011–2016

Key partners on the IAT:

•	 National Association of State Foresters (NASF) 

•	 National Association of Conservation Districts 

(NACD)

Individual members of the IAT are listed in Appendix A, and 

a brief description of the mission and programs of each partner and USDA agency is provided in Appendix B. External 

and internal stakeholder input was solicited at a May 2010 

Agroforestry Roundtable Workshop conducted in Washington, DC. Approximately 90 stakeholders participated 

in the workshop, representing landowner and conservation 

organizations, tribes, universities/extension, State agencies, 

regional councils, as well as other USDA/Federal agencies. 

The IAT considered the stakeholder input and incorporated 

many of its ideas into the strategic framework. For a summary of the stakeholder input, see Appendix C. 

Forest Farming Special Applications

Previous Agroforestry Activity

The history of USDA and its partners’ roles in agroforestry 

can be traced back to the windbreaks that were established 

during the Dust Bowl years to reduce soil erosion in the 

Great Plains. More widespread interest in the United States 

began in the mid-1980s. Even though the science and practice of agroforestry has advanced in the United States since 

the 1980s, it has still not been institutionalized into USDA’s 

concepts, philosophy, strategies, and programs. This issue was recognized in 1996, when a USDA Interagency 

Working Group on Agroforestry was established under the 

leadership of the USDA Director of Sustainable Development Programs. The Working Group commissioned a task 

force in 1997 to assess the potential of agroforestry to help 

attain USDA sustainable development goals and to develop 

a strategy to realize that potential. Three other national 

agroforestry reports (two in 1994, one in 2000) and the 

2008 “joint forestry” Memorandum of Understanding also 

address agroforestry issues and opportunities in the United 

States. See Appendix D for more information about these 

reports and the history of agroforestry in the United States.
Enriching Our Lives With Trees That Work 7

Accomplishing Goal 1 will require establishing new agroforestry partnerships and networks and expanding technology transfer and assistance to support sustainable agriculture 

and effective agroforestry system development among 

natural resource professionals, tribes, landowners, and 

communities in the United States. International agroforestry 

activities will focus on creating food secure nations.

Objective 1.1—DEVELOP PARTNERSHIPS: 

Expand learning partnerships with stakeholders, with a priority on tribes and underserved 

and minority audiences.

Why Do This? 

The opportunities and prospects for agroforestry call for 

new approaches in learning and collaborating. Individuals are experimenting with various practices and plants 

while at the same time new knowledge is being discovered 

by scientists and transferred to stakeholders through new 

learning opportunities. Everyone engaged in agroforestry—

e.g., landowners, scientists, and technical advisors—can 

be a teacher, and everyone can be a learner. By using this 

approach, the needs of agroforestry practitioners can be 

identified and addressed, the community of learners can 

be expanded, and new learning networks will be created. 

Through learning partnerships, farm, ranch, and forest stewards will gain new knowledge that helps them establish and 

maintain agroforestry practices and market products derived 

from those practices.

Strategies

1.	 Create learning networks and “communities of 

practice” comprised of practitioners and technical 

advisors.

2.	 Strategically locate, establish, and maintain agroforestry demonstration sites.

3.	 Utilize the concepts of “on-farm research” and “action research” to connect practitioners, scientists, 

and technical advisors.

4.	 Support the creation of “peer-to-peer” learning 

networks.

5.	 Develop the full suite of learning opportunities, 

ranging from tried and proven approaches (publications, field days, and workshops) to technological 

innovations (e.g., electronic or e-learning).

Objective 1.2—EDUCATE PROFESSIONALS: 

Enable natural resource professionals to 

provide technical, educational, financial, and 

marketing assistance.

Why Do This?

Landowners and communities that are interested in agroforestry need to have access to expert assistance in “how to” 

plan and apply agroforestry practices, as well as understand 

the financial considerations and marketing of agroforestry 

products. Natural resource and other professionals need 

specific agroforestry training and education in order to 

provide the type and level of assistance needed. Individuals 

who complete a set of requirements to achieve an agroforestry competency will be better able to provide assistance to 

landowners and communities.

Strategic Goal 1–Adoption

Increase use of agroforestry by landowners and communities

Desired Outcome: Landowners, managers, tribes, and communities adopt agroforestry practices 

resulting in improved water, soil, and air quality; sustainable agriculture; product diversity; and rural 

wealth. 
8 USDA Agroforestry Strategic Framework—Fiscal Year 2011–2016

Strategies

1. Examine the feasibility of developing an agroforestry competency for adoption by universities to 

offer a major, certificate, or area of expertise in 

agroforestry.

2. Develop a professional recognition mechanism to 

acknowledge professionals who have participated 

in and completed a common set of agroforestry 

training requirements.

3. Provide technical agroforestry training to natural 

resource professionals at existing professional 

meetings and conferences.

4. Utilize the power of markets by linking the production of profitable products to agroforestry system 

design.

Objective 1.3—ENGAGE GLOBALLY: Support 

the exchange of agroforestry technology between the United States and other countries.

Why Do This? 

The utilization of agroforestry practices to produce food, 

feed, and fiber had a history of significant achievements 

around the globe long before agroforestry was recognized 

as an option for U.S. agricultural producers, forest landowners, and communities. Agroforestry practices can play a key 

role in creating sustainable agriculture systems and foodsecure nations in the face of global issues such as climate 

change and a growing population. The United States has 

much to learn from the international agroforestry community and much to contribute.

Strategies

1. Initiate partnerships between the U.S. agroforestry 

community and the World Agroforestry Centre, as 

well as with other international agroforestry organizations, in order to advance global and domestic 

food security and economic well-being.

2. Create linkages between USDA agencies whose 

technical assistance, research, financial planning, 

and extension/outreach programs in agroforestry 

would enhance the USDA “Feed the Future” Global 

Food Security initiative and other food security 

projects.

Goal 1 Progress Indicators

Performance indicators, baselines, metrics, and targets will 

be developed in the Goal 1 implementation process.
Enriching Our Lives With Trees That Work 9

The focus of Goal 2 is to advance the scientific underpinnings of agroforestry technologies that contribute to:

•	 Sustainable production of food, feed, fiber, and 

renewable energy;

•	 Enhanced landscape resilience to climate change;

•	 Protection, conservation, and restoration of natural 

resources; and

•	 Creation of rural prosperity and thriving communities. 

The goal also concentrates on translating these findings into 

products and delivery actions that support Strategic Goals 1 

and 3.

Objective 2.1—PLAN: Identify, assess, and 

prioritize interagency agroforestry science 

and technology needs, opportunities, and 

investments.

Why Do This? 

Due to agroforestry’s interdisciplinary and integrated nature, 

research and the resulting tools and technologies must be 

developed using an interactive process with feedback loops 

involving the full suite of players—from scientists and natural resource professionals representing multiple disciplines 

to landowners and communities. A team approach with 

these participants can provide a more rapid incorporation 

of on-the-ground findings by end users and lead to the next 

generation of science and tool development. The results 

will also better reflect the multifunctional nature of agroforestry and the practical needs of the agroforestry practitioner. 

By working together, key technology needs can be identified, prioritized, and used to formulate the most effective 

and efficient research directions and approaches.

Strategies

1. Form an interagency team to identify, assess, and 

prioritize agroforestry science and technology 

needs and outcomes to improve the quality, relevancy, and performance of end-user products.

2. Catalog USDA agroforestry research activities and 

resources.

3. Incorporate agroforestry, where appropriate, into 

requests for proposals through existing USDA 

science and technology programs. 

Objective 2.2—DISCOVER: Conduct interagency, multidisciplinary research to advance 

agroforestry science and technologies.

Why Do This? 

Agroforestry encompasses a complex system of interactions 

that must be managed for multiple objectives, alternatives, 

and social interests and preferences, while being applied 

across a wide range of landscapes. Landowners need 

regionally relevant decision support tools to quantify the 

objectives and goals that would result from various scenarios and that would aid in the application of agroforestry 

technologies on the ground.

Strategic Goal 2–Science

Advance the understanding of, and tools for, applying agroforestry

Desired Outcome: Tailored science-based agroforestry tools are created and used by landowners, 

managers, tribes, and communities to address complex environmental, economic, and social conditions across all lands. 
10 USDA Agroforestry Strategic Framework—Fiscal Year 2011–2016

Strategies

1. Establish regional interagency, multidisciplinary 

teams to frame priority issues that can be addressed 

by agroforestry.

2. Facilitate access to relevant data across participating agencies to support interagency, multidisciplinary, and cross-scale analysis.

3. Develop the knowledge and technologies to improve the application of agroforestry in: 

a) Protecting air, water, and soil resources.

b) Building healthy and productive farms, 

ranches, woodlands, and communities. 

c) Emerging environmental markets (e.g., carbon, 

water quality). 

d) Creating diversity and building landscapelevel resiliency to climate change impacts. 

e) Restoring ecological services across ruralurban lands and communities. 

f) Providing innovative and sustainable bioenergy production systems. 

g) Developing profitable and economically 

sustainable agroforestry-based systems that 

produce market goods.

4. Develop the knowledge and technologies to improve the accounting of agroforestry benefits by:

a) Establishing measurement, inventorying, and 

monitoring protocols that more accurately reflect agroforestry plantings and their impacts.

b) Building the infrastructure to conduct lifecycle 

analyses of agroforestry practices/systems.

c) Quantifying the net economic benefits from 

agroforestry applications for comparison with 

those from other management systems.

Objective 2.3: TRANSLATE—Move agroforestry innovations into products and services.

Why Do This? 

Successful application of agroforestry depends upon pulling together diverse sources of information in a way that 

responds to users’ needs and resources. There is a lack of 

tailored products and services to address multiple issues at 

multiple scales for targeted audiences. Currently, there are 

limited methods for assessing profitability and investment 

worthiness.

Strategies

1. Facilitate ongoing interaction with end-users 

throughout the technology development cycle. 

2. Evaluate the ways of learning by customers to 

improve application of agroforestry.

3. Develop customized agroforestry products and 

services for targeted audiences and locations. 

4. Conduct evidence-based syntheses to provide agroforestry planning and design guidelines to address 

the following priorities:

a) Providing multifunctional and multi-scale 

planning and design.

b) Addressing mitigation and adaptation to climate change.

c) Meeting the needs of small and limitedresource landowners.

d) Protecting and creating critical habitat for 

wildlife, aquatic species, and pollinators.

Goal 2 Progress Indicators

Performance indicators, baselines, metrics, and targets will 

be developed in the Goal 2 implementation phase.
Enriching Our Lives With Trees That Work 11

Achieving Goal 3 depends on increasing USDA awareness 

of the current and potential contributions of agroforestry to 

agricultural production, sustainable development, community stability, and natural resource conservation.

Objective 3.1—INSTITUTIONALIZE: Incorporate agroforestry into USDA policies, programs, and activities. 

Why Do This? 

U.S. agriculture, in general, and USDA, in particular, have 

made limited use of agroforestry as a means to balance commodity production, resource conservation, and the retention 

or restoration of ecosystem services. Agroforestry initiatives are filtered through diverse and sometimes conflicting individual USDA agency missions, philosophies, and 

cultures. USDA needs a common understanding of agroforestry; recognition of the potential value and contribution to 

agriculture, conservation, and the American public provided 

by agroforestry; and a long-term commitment and an integrated and collaborative USDA approach to the practice of 

agroforestry.

Strategies

1. Develop a USDA agroforestry policy statement.

2. Through Farm Bill legislation, define agroforestry 

and specifically authorize its application in conservation and natural resource programs.

3. Establish a National Agroforestry Steering Committee that will direct implementation of this 

framework. This committee should consist of 

senior leaders from across USDA mission areas/

agencies, NASF and NACD.

4. Develop and adopt a Memorandum of Understanding formalizing the steering committee and establishing a framework of cooperation to advance the 

science, practice, and application of agroforestry 

by appropriate USDA mission areas/agencies and 

cooperators.

5. Develop an implementation plan for the strategic 

framework, including a reporting system to monitor progress.

6. Report annually to the Secretary of Agriculture, including a review of USDA financial commitments 

to agroforestry, accomplishments, and outcomes.

7. Include agroforestry as a strategy to achieve the 

goals of Statewide Assessments and Strategies for 

Forest Resources, State Wildlife Action Plans, U.S. 

Environmental Protection Agency Unified Watershed Assessments, NRCS Rapid Watershed Assessments, and other similar assessments and strategies.

Objective 3.2—ASSESS PERFORMANCE: Account for and monitor agroforestry impacts 

and applications.

Why Do This? 

Agroforestry can facilitate the integration of agricultural 

and environmental considerations across landscapes. As 

such, agroforestry can improve soil quality and productivity, collect sediment, protect water quantity and quality, help 

moderate microclimate, intercept waste, enhance wildlife 

habitat, provide ecological stability, diversify individual and 

local economies, and provide aesthetic and intrinsic values. 

There is, however, relatively little ongoing monitoring and 

evaluation of the impacts, benefits, and outcomes associated 

with agroforestry at the national, regional, and local levels. 

Strategic Goal 3–Integration

Incorporate agroforestry into an all-lands approach to conservation and 

economic development

Desired Outcome: USDA agencies understand, use, and integrate agroforestry into their policies and 

programs to maximize benefits and services to citizens.
12 USDA Agroforestry Strategic Framework—Fiscal Year 2011–2016

In addition, limited information is available about the actual 

application and adoption rate of agroforestry practices and 

systems in the United States. 

Strategies

1. Assess and report on the environmental, economic, 

and social impacts of agroforestry.

2. Work within USDA to establish a comprehensive 

continuous national inventory of on-the-ground applications of agroforestry practices/systems or include in existing inventory structures (e.g., Forest 

Inventory and Analysis or the National Resources 

Inventory).

3. Work with the USDA National Agricultural Statistics Service to utilize the Census of Agriculture to 

monitor the application of agroforestry practices/

systems by agricultural producers.

4. Utilize the National Woodland Owners Survey to 

monitor the application of agroforestry practices/

systems by nonindustrial private forest landowners.

5. Track agroforestry technologies applied by communities.

Objective 3.3—COMMUNICATE RESULTS: 

Promote awareness and appreciation of agroforestry.

Why Do This? 

Agroforestry application and design should be sciencebased. The benefits of agroforestry include opportunities to 

address global food security, energy security, and climate 

change. Creating greater awareness of these benefits will 

lead to better acceptance and use of new agroforestry 

technologies, with increased financial security and environmental protection for farmers, ranchers, forest owners, 

communities, and tribes.

Strategies

1. Communicate the economic, environmental, and 

social benefits of agroforestry to the full spectrum 

of land users, tribes, communities (urban to rural), 

minority landowners/limited-resource producers, 

natural resource professionals, and other stakeholders.

2. Advance agroforestry as a means to support sustainable agricultural systems, including increased 

resilience to the impacts of climate change (e.g., 

drought, floods).

3. Foster public-private partnerships that increase 

understanding, acceptance, and increased application of agroforestry.

4. Publicize and increase use of demonstration sites 

that increase acceptance and understanding of 

agroforestry.

5. Utilize USDA newsletters, market bulletins, and 

other publications to highlight the practice of 

agroforestry and its contribution to improving and 

diversifying agricultural production, enhancing 

environmental and economic resiliency, building 

vibrant communities, and conserving private working lands.

6. Create feedback mechanisms for stakeholders to 

the new National Agroforestry Steering Committee.

Goal 3 Progress Indicators

Performance indicators, baselines, metrics, and targets will 

be developed in the Goal 3 implementation phase.
Enriching Our Lives With Trees That Work 13

Appendix A: The Interagency Agroforestry Team

Agricultural Research Service (ARS)

Bob Fireovid, National Program Leader, Bioenergy

Ev Byington, National Program Leader, Livestock Forage Programs

Farm Service Agency (FSA)

Mike Linsenbigler, Deputy Director, Conservation and Environmental Programs Division

David Hoge, Agricultural Program Specialist, Conservation and Environmental Programs Division

Forest Service

Andy Mason, Director, USDA National Agroforestry Center

Carlos Rodriguez-Franco, Staff Director, Forest Management Science

Ralph Crawford, National Program Leader, Rangeland Ecology Research

Keith Cline, Program Manager, Urban and Community Forestry

Steve Covell, Program Manager, Forest Service Pesticides and S&PF Invasive Plants 

*Katrina Krause, Social Science Analyst, Research and Development

*Michele Schoeneberger, Research Program Leader, USDA National Agroforestry Center

*Richard Straight, Coleader, Technology Transfer, USDA National Agroforestry Center

*Cheryl Bailey, Program Analyst, Cooperative Forestry

*Dave Allen, Strategic Planning

*Katie Cerretani, Strategic Planning, Budget, and Accountability

*Kirsten Stuart, Support Services Specialist, USDA National Agroforestry Center

*Nancy Hammond, Secretary, USDA National Agroforestry Center

Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS)

Bruce Wight, National Forester

Sonya Neal-Reeves, Senior Program Analyst

*Doug Wallace, Coleader, Technology Transfer, USDA National Agroforestry Center

National Institute of Food and Agriculture (NIFA)

Eric Norland, National Program Leader, Forest Resource Management

Catalino Blanche, National Program Leader, Institute of Bioenergy, Climate and Environment

National Association of Conservation Districts (NACD)

Tom Crowe, NACD Forest Resource Policy Group, Indiana 

*Yenie Tran, Western Issues and Forestry Specialist 

National Association of State Foresters (NASF)

Scott Josiah, State Forester, Nebraska Forest Service

Steve Koehn, State Forester, Maryland Forest Service

*Jake Donnay, Director of Forest Policy

*Indicates support staff 

FOUNDED 1920

NAT OI NALASSOCIATION OF STATE FORESTERS

FOUNDED 1920

NAT OI NALASSOCIATION OF STATE FORESTERS

R
14 USDA Agroforestry Strategic Framework—Fiscal Year 2011–2016

USDA Agricultural Research Service

Mission

The Agricultural Research Service (ARS) is the principal 

in-house research agency of the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA). It is one of the four component agencies 

of USDA’s Research, Education, and Economics mission 

area. Congress first authorized federally supported agricultural research in the Organic Act of 1862, which established 

what is now known as the USDA. That statute directed the 

Commissioner of Agriculture “... To acquire and preserve in 

his Department all information he can obtain by means of 

books and correspondence, and by practical and scientific 

experiments...,” The scope of USDA’s agricultural research 

programs has been expanded and extended many times 

since it was first created.

ARS conducts research to develop and transfer solutions to 

agricultural problems of high national priority and provides 

information access and dissemination to:

•	 Ensure high-quality, safe food and other agricultural products; 

•	 Assess the nutritional needs of Americans; 

•	 Sustain a competitive agricultural economy; 

•	 Enhance the natural resource base and the environment; and 

•	 Provide economic opportunities for rural citizens, 

communities, and society as a whole.

Programs and Activities

This is achieved through the agency’s four national programs. These programs serve to bring coordination, 

communication, and empowerment to approximately 1,000 

research projects carried out by ARS. The national programs focus on the relevance, impact, and quality of ARS 

research. The programs are:

•	 Nutrition, Food Safety/Quality

•	 Animal Production and Protection

•	 Natural Resources and Sustainable Agricultural 

Systems

•	 Crop Production and Protection

Appendix B: Missions and Programs of USDA Agencies and Partners

USDA ARS Dale Bumpers Small Farms 

Research Center, Booneville, AR

The mission of the Dale Bumpers Small Farms 

Research Center (DBSFRC) is to develop scientific principles and technologies to enhance 

the profitability and sustainability of smallscale farms. Research at the DBSFRC seeks 

knowledge that will increase sustainability of 

small farms by diversifying production, reducing inputs, and capturing a greater proportion 

of the post-farm value while protecting and/

or enhancing natural resources on small farms. 

The DBSFRC is colocated with the USDANRCS Booneville Plant Materials Center, which 

provides plant solutions addressing conservation 

problems in areas from the rugged Ozarks to the 

western coastal plain. The DBSFRC is also a hub 

within the Southeastern Regional USDA Biomass 

Research Center, which is tasked with increasing 

biomass production efficiency and to optimally 

incorporate biomass and other dedicated feedstocks into existing agriculture and forestry-based 

systems.
Enriching Our Lives With Trees That Work 15

Agroforestry is most relevant to the Natural Resources and 

Sustainable Agricultural Systems Program. This program 

supports researchers at 70 locations who are developing the 

technologies and strategies needed to help farmers, ranchers, 

and other managers effectively steward the diverse agricultural mosaic spread across the Nation. From livestock grazing on expansive natural western rangelands, to crops grown 

in the rich Midwestern Heartland and the Southern States 

regions, to the high-value produce that comes from the valleys and plains along both coasts, these diverse landscapes 

generate more than $200 billion in goods and services that 

are the basis of a strong rural economy. Emphasis is given 

to developing technologies that are economical to use and 

systems that support profitable production and enhance 

the Nation’s vast renewable natural resource base. ARS 

identifies research priorities through a continual dialogue 

with a wide range of customers and stakeholders to ensure 

that the agency’s science is relevant and provides effective 

solutions to their concerns. ARS addresses issues affecting 

both private and public lands, because together these are the 

foundation of a healthy and vibrant agricultural industry that 

not only provides food, feed, fiber, and renewable energy to 

the Nation, but also abundant and high-quality supplies of 

fresh water and clean air, as well as healthy ecosystems. 

Project areas within the Natural Resources and Sustainable 

Agricultural Systems Program are:

•	 Soil Resources Management 

•	 Air Quality 

•	 Global Change 

•	 Manure and Byproduct Utilization 

•	 Integrated Agricultural Systems 

•	 Water Availability and Watershed Management 

•	 Pasture, Forage, and Range Land Systems 

•	 Agricultural System Competitiveness and Sustainability 

•	 Bioenergy and Energy Alternatives 

The primary focus on agroforestry within the ARS is at two 

locations—the Appalachian Farming Systems Research 

Center in West Virginia and the Dale Bumpers Small Farms 

Research Center in Arkansas. However, research at many 

other locations generates applicable information.

For More Information 

Randy Raper; Research Leader; Dale Bumpers Small Farms 

Research Center; USDA, ARS; randy.raper@ars.usda.gov; 

(479)-675-3834

USDA ARS Appalachian Farming Systems 

Research Center, Beaver, WV

The mission at the Appalachian Farming Systems 

Research Center is to develop knowledge and 

technology to increase the profitability of smallfarm agricultural enterprises in the region while 

enhancing soil and water quality and environmental 

integrity. We do this by identifying and targeting 

products to satisfy niche market demands and by 

developing practices that help farmers overcome the 

challenges presented by climate, steep terrain, and 

eroded soil. The climate and varied topography of 

the region create a range of conditions supporting a 

variety of renewable woody and herbaceous plant 

resources. The goal is to capitalize on the rich botanical diversity and favorable climate of the region 

to create production systems for cattle, sheep, and 

goats. The current research program at the center is 

a product of stakeholder, producer, and client-cooperator input, with strong links to Miami University 

(Ohio), West Virginia University, Virginia State 

University, Virginia Tech, University of Georgia, 

Mountain State University, Concord University, 

Langston University, the USDA Natural Resources 

Conservation Service (NRCS) Plant Materials Center at Alderson, WV, and USDA ARS facilities with 

complementary and related programs.
16 USDA Agroforestry Strategic Framework—Fiscal Year 2011–2016

USDA Farm Service Agency

Mission

The Farm Service Agency (FSA) is dedicated to delivering 

to the American people an abundant, safe, and affordable 

food and fiber supply while sustaining agricultural communities and balancing agricultural production with natural 

resource conservation. FSA administers farm commodity, 

crop insurance, credit, environmental, conservation, and 

emergency assistance programs for the Nation’s farmers and 

ranchers. Regarding agroforestry, FSA is heavily dependent 

on the Forest Service and NRCS for outreach and technical 

assistance to landowners and agricultural producers participating in FSA programs and the technology transfer initiatives of the National Agroforestry Center in Lincoln, NE.

Programs and Activities

Agroforestry practices include alley cropping, forest farming, riparian forest buffers, silvopasture, and windbreaks. 

Many of these practices are consistent with participation in 

the agency’s commodity programs. Agroforestry practices 

can be established with technical and financial assistance 

provided by FSA and NRCS. However, some USDA conservation programs, like the Conservation Reserve Program 

(CRP), are designed to retire marginal agricultural land 

from production, and there are prohibitions against certain 

commercial use of land under CRP contracts. 

CRP is one of the largest conservation programs in USDA 

history. Approximately 31 million acres of land are currently enrolled in the program, providing soil, water, and 

wildlife benefits. CRP is a voluntary program available 

to agricultural producers to help them enhance environmentally sensitive lands. Producers enrolled in CRP plant 

long-term, resource-conserving covers, such as introduced 

or native grasses or hardwood trees to improve the quality 

of water, control soil erosion, and enhance wildlife habitat. 

Contract terms range from 10 to 15 years. 

The Biomass Crop Assistance Program authorized with the 

passage of the Food, Conservation, and Energy Act of 2008 

(2008 Farm Bill) and administered through FSA, also offers 

opportunity to integrate agriculture and energy production. 

For More Information 

David Hoge; Agricultural Program Specialist; Conservation 

and Environmental Programs Division; USDA, FSA;

david.hoge@wdc.usda.gov; (202)-720-7674
Enriching Our Lives With Trees That Work 17

USDA Forest Service 

Mission

The Forest Service mission is “to sustain the health, diversity, and productivity of the Nation’s forests and grasslands 

to meet the needs of present and future generations.” Within 

the Forest Service, there are three mission areas that primarily support agroforestry programs/activities: 

•	 Research and Development: Developing and communicating the scientific information and technology 

needed to manage, protect, use, and sustain the natural 

resources of forests and rangelands. 

•	 State and Private Forestry: Connecting people to 

resources, ideas, and one another so they can care for 

forests and sustain their communities.

•	 National Forest System: Protecting and managing the 

155 national forests and 20 national grasslands so they 

best demonstrate the sustainable multiple-use management concept, using an ecological approach to meet the 

diverse needs of people.

Programs and Activities

 Research & Development (R&D)

The Forest Service represents the world’s largest natural 

resources science capacity. Nationwide, Forest Service 

scientists carry out basic and applied research that result in 

science-based applications and tools that support management of all the Nation’s forests and trees, including the agroforestry R&D activities carried out by the USDA National 

Agroforestry Center (NAC) (described later in this section). 

The Forest Inventory and Analysis Program (FIA) surveys, 

analyzes, and reports on the status and trends in forest area 

and location. FIA includes some agroforestry plantings; 

however, many “linear forests” (e.g., windbreaks, shelterbelts, riparian buffers) are not currently surveyed.

State and Private Forestry (S&PF)

Through Forest Service grants and cooperative agreements, State forestry agencies and other partners deliver assistance directly to the customer through three 

S&PF “umbrella” program areas that receive annual 

Federal appropriations: Cooperative Forestry, Forest 

Health Protection, and Cooperative Fire Protection. 

The two most important Cooperative Forestry 

programs supporting agroforestry activities are the 

Forest Stewardship Program (FSP) and Urban and 

Community Forestry (U&CF) Program. Through 

FSP, landowners receive technical and financial assistance to complete a long-term, multi-resource Forest 

Stewardship Management Plan, which may include 

agroforestry systems. Through the U&CF Program, 

communities receive technical and financial assistance so they can establish and protect community 

trees and forests to improve air quality, water quality, 

human health, and wildlife habitat. This landscapescale approach often requires planning and integrating agroforestry systems into the green infrastructure 

of the larger landscape that includes a matrix of 

urban, rural, agricultural, and forest lands. 

Forest Health Protection programs provide national 

leadership in protecting America’s forest and tree 

resources through technical and financial assistance 

to Federal, State, tribal, and private landowners to 

assess, prevent, suppress, and control forest insects, 

pathogens, and invasive plants.
18 USDA Agroforestry Strategic Framework—Fiscal Year 2011–2016

National Forest System (NFS)

The application of agroforestry practices/systems through 

NFS programs is very limited (i.e., on national forests and 

grasslands, totaling 193 million acres nationwide). Nontimber forest products are “wild” and harvested on many 

national forests (e.g., florals, foods, and medicinal). Lowintensity silvopastoral practices/systems are also applied on 

some national forests. 

There may be opportunities in the future to expand the application of agroforestry on national forests and grasslands 

as part of a larger landscape-scale effort with adjacent cooperating landowners/land managers to accomplish conservation and sustainable production goals.

The Forest Service supports the science, practice, and application of agroforestry primarily through its R&D and S&PF 

programs, with a current focus on non-Federal working 

lands. In addition, through its international programs, the 

Forest Service, in cooperation with a wide range of partners, 

also provides some assistance to support agroforestry in 

other countries, primarily in the tropics.

For More Information 

Andy Mason; Director; USDA National Agroforestry 

Center; USDA, Forest Service; amason@fs.fed.us; (202)-

205-1694

USDA Natural Resources Conservation 

Service 

Mission

The USDA Natural Resources Conservation Service 

(NRCS) slogan is “Helping People Help the Land.” 

NRCS provides products and services that enable people 

to be good stewards of the Nation’s soil, water, and 

related natural resources on non-Federal lands. NRCS’ 

role is to provide technical and financial assistance to 

help customers care for the land. As a result of this 

assistance, land managers and communities take a comprehensive approach to the use and protection of soil, 

water, and related resources in rural, suburban, urban, 

and developing areas. NRCS serves, either directly or 

indirectly, all people of the Nation. NRCS provides the 

technical assistance and science-based information that 

these stewards want to make good decisions about their 

natural resources. These primary customers are farmers, 

ranchers, and forest owners who own, operate, or live on 

farms, ranches, and forests. 

Programs and Activities

Within NRCS there are five primary business areas. 

The following describes these business areas and their 

relationships to agroforestry.
Enriching Our Lives With Trees That Work 19

Conservation Planning and Technical Consultation 

NRCS provides data, information, or technical expertise 

that helps people collect and analyze information to identify 

natural resource problems and opportunities, clarify their 

objectives, and formulate and evaluate alternatives.

•	 Conservation Plans reflect a customer’s decision 

about the management of natural resources for 

a specific area—which may be a farm, forest, or 

ranch operating unit, a group of units, a community, or a landscape feature such as a watershed.

•	 Technical Consultations and Planning Assistance 

provides professional advice that helps customers 

make decisions about natural resource management.

Conservation Implementation

NRCS helps customers install on their land agroforestry 

conservation practices (alley cropping, multistory cropping, riparian forest buffers, silvopasture establishment, 

windbreak/shelterbelt establishment, and renovation) and 

associated conservation practices and systems that meet 

established technical standards and specifications.

•	 Designs allow for the application of conservation 

practices (practice survey, practice design, field 

layout of conservation practices, etc.).

•	 Follow-up ensures the treatment is working properly and identifies if additional treatment is needed.

•	 Checks and Reviews are formal program status reviews of land where program contracts are in effect 

or subject to conservation compliance.

Natural Resource Technology Transfer

NRCS develops, documents, and distributes a wide array of 

technology pertaining to resource assessment, conservation 

planning, and conservation system installation and evaluation.

•	 Technology Tools include agroforestry conservation standards, specifications, guides and references, and modeling systems. NRCS has automated much of this technology to facilitate sound 

conservation decisions by the public.

•	 Training and Certification include agroforestry 

technical training to internal and external customers and administration of certification standards 

and procedures.

•	 Plant Materials and related technologies provide 

for improved plant species and better agroforestry 

treatment.

Financial Assistance

NRCS provides financial assistance to encourage the adoption of land treatment activities, including agroforestry 

practices. Financial assistance is awarded to participants 

who voluntarily enter into contracts, easements, and agreements to conserve natural resources. These contracts 

provide funding through cost-share, incentives, easements, 

grants, and land-use payments. Major financial assistance 

programs administered by NRCS that support agroforestry 

adoption include: 

•	 Environmental Quality Incentives Program 

•	 Wildlife Habitat Incentive Program 

•	 Conservation Stewardship Program 

•	 Conservation Innovation Grants 

Natural Resource Inventory and Assessment

NRCS assesses, acquires, develops, interprets, analyzes, 

and delivers natural resource data and information to enable 

knowledge-based natural resource planning and decisionmaking at all landscape scales.

•	 Data Gathering Protocols ensure that reliable 

natural-resource data are acquired and delivered.

•	 Databases and Delivery include the maintenance 

and delivery of geospatial datasets and information.

•	 Assessments and Analyses include the modeling and interpretation of natural resource data to 

better inform decisionmakers and facilitate policy 

development.

For More Information 

Bruce Wight; National Forester; USDA, NRCS; bruce.

wight@wdc.usda.gov; (202)-720-3921
20 USDA Agroforestry Strategic Framework—Fiscal Year 2011–2016

USDA National Institute of Food and 

Agriculture

Mission

The mission of the National Institute of Food and Agriculture (NIFA) in the Research, Education, and Economics 

mission area is to lead food and agricultural sciences to create a better future for the Nation and the world.

Programs and Activities

The NIFA was established by the 2008 Farm Bill to serve 

the Nation’s needs by supporting exemplary research, 

education, and extension that addresses many challenges 

facing the Nation. NIFA works with the best and brightest 

scientists at universities and colleges throughout the United 

States and around the world to find innovative solutions to 

global problems. With a timely, integrated approach and 

collaboration with other Federal science agencies, NIFA 

will also serve as a vital contributor in science policy decisionmaking. Research enables us to develop the knowledge 

needed to solve many of the issues facing our Nation and 

the world. Education strengthens schools and universities to 

train the next generation of scientists, educatiors, producers, and citizens. Extension brings the knowledge gained 

through research and education to the people who need it 

most–in the United States and around the world.

NIFA has two key mechanisms for accomplishing its mission. 

•	 National program leadership. NIFA helps States 

identify and meet research, extension, and education priorities in areas of public concern that affect 

farm, forest, and ranch producers; small business 

owners; youth and families; and communities.

•	 Federal assistance. NIFA provides annual formula 

grants to the Land-Grant University System and 

competitively granted funds to researchers in landgrant and other universities.

NIFA collaborates or has formal working partnerships 

with many institutions. Its key partners are the institutions 

of higher learning, making up the Land-Grant University 

System. However, NIFA also partners with other Federal 

agencies, within and beyond USDA, nonprofit organizations, 

professional societies, commodity groups, grower associations, multistate research committees, private industry, 

citizen groups, foundations, regional centers, the military, 

task forces, and other groups and organizations. 

Research

NIFA solicits applications for competitive programs, several 

of which may include agroforestry. Awards are made to 

land-grant and other universities, Federal research agencies, and nongovernmental organizations. Applications 

are reviewed by panels of experts from outside NIFA, and 

recommendations are made for funding. In addition to 

competitive grants, NIFA awards Hatch Act formula grants 

to land-grant universities for research in the agricultural 

and environmental sciences. The McIntire-Stennis formula 

funds are awarded to more than 70 universities and are used 

specifically to support forestry research.

Education

NIFA makes competitive awards to universities, faculty 

members, and graduate students through several programs 

directed at 1862, 1890, and 1994 Land-Grant Universities; 

Hispanic-Serving Institutions; tribal colleges; and Alaska 

Native-Serving and Native Hawaiian-Serving Institutions. 

These awards support faculty development, fellowships, 

capacity building, resident instruction, distance learning, 

and curriculum development at eligible institutions of higher 

education. Agroforestry projects can be funded through 

higher education programs.
Enriching Our Lives With Trees That Work 21

Extension

Through an extensive network of State, regional, and county 

extension offices in every State and territory, NIFA supports the application and extension of new and existing 

research-based information to a wide variety of audiences. 

These offices have educators and other staff who respond to 

public inquiries and conduct informal, noncredit workshops 

and other educational events. Information and programs 

are delivered through print media, video, CDs, workshops and seminars, Internet sites and Webinars, and other 

means. With support from more than 600,000 volunteers, 

4-H—USDA’s 105-year-old youth development program 

administered through NIFA—engages more than 6.5 million 

young people every year and teaches them life skills through 

hands-on learning and leadership activities. Smith-Lever 

and Renewable Resources Extension Act funds are used 

to plan, conduct, and evaluate extension programs, including agroforestry, delivered by the Cooperative Extension 

System. 

For More Information 

Eric R. Norland; National Program Leader, Forest Resource 

Management; USDA, NIFA; enorland@nifa.usda.gov; 

(202)-401-5971

Catalino Blanche; National Program Leader, Forest Biology; 

USDA, NIFA; cblanche@nifa.usda.gov; (202)-401-4190

USDA National Agroforestry Center 

Mission

The USDA National Agroforestry Center (NAC) is a partnership between the Forest Service Research and Development (R&D) and State and Private Forestry (S&PF) and the 

USDA Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS). 

The NAC mission is “to accelerate the application of 

agroforestry through a national network of partners.” The 

center conducts research, develops technologies and tools, 

coordinates demonstrations and training, and provides useful information to natural resource professionals who work 

with farmers, ranchers, forest owners, and communities 

nationwide. 

NAC was authorized by the 1990 Farm Bill and established 

in 1992 in Lincoln, NE, with NRCS becoming a full partner 

in 1995. NAC is administratively assigned to the Forest 

Service’s Southern Research Station in Asheville, NC. Support from NRCS is in the form of a national agroforester at 

NAC and additional assistance from three regional foresters 

located at the NRCS National Technology Support Centers 

in North Carolina, Oregon, and Texas. NAC develops and 

delivers technology on a broad suite of agroforestry practices and conducts research on how to design and install these 

practices to help landowners improve their economics and 

restore environmental benefits.

Programs and Activities

NAC is purposefully configured with minimal but strategic 

infrastructure. Through its reliance on a wide variety of 

external partners, NAC is able to leverage the resources and 

expertise necessary for addressing the most pressing needs 

for agroforestry science and tools. 
22 USDA Agroforestry Strategic Framework—Fiscal Year 2011–2016

Research and Development (R&D)

R&D at NAC is operationally unique, given its direct ties to 

a technology transfer and applications (TT&A) program and 

the center’s networks with Forest Service S&PF, NRCS, 

Agricultural Research Service (ARS), National Institute of 

Food and Agriculture (NIFA), universities/extension (including the 1890 Agroforestry Consortium), State forestry 

agencies, conservation districts, Resource Conservation and 

Development Councils, regional councils, and other private 

land entities. Through its R&D activities, NAC strives 

to provide the scientific knowledge and tools required to 

effectively manage trees and forests in mixed land-use landscapes for providing, restoring, and sustaining ecosystem 

services. NAC’s R&D activities are currently focused on:

•	 Agroforestry tools and technologies to restore ecosystem services in mixed land-use landscapes: 

s Develop scientific knowledge and tools to support site design of agroforestry systems.

s Develop scientific knowledge and tools for 

strategic placement and management at landscape 

scales. 

s Develop knowledge of factors that influence 

the adoption of agroforestry practices.

•	 Sustainable management of nontimber forest products (NTFPs):

s Develop methodologies and protocols for 

determining NTFP production and their potential 

contributions to local and regional economies. 

s Develop the knowledge and guidelines needed 

for sustainable production and harvest of NTFPs.

s Develop the knowledge and guidelines for integrating NTFPs into forest farming practices that 

can improve landowner opportunities.

Technology Transfer & Application (TT&A)

NAC’s TT&A program, along with its many partners, delivers agroforestry technology nationally across the entire suite 

of agroforestry practices, including alley cropping, forest 

farming, riparian forest buffers, silvopasture, windbreaks, 

and special applications. 

Natural resource professionals and conservation district 

partners are the primary audience for the TT&A products: 

Inside Agroforestry newsletter, Technical Notes, Working 

Trees brochures, Web site, displays, and training sessions. 

In the last 3 years, NAC has delivered 280,000 requested 

publications in all 50 States and numerous other countries. 

This information is also incorporated into the NRCS technical guidelines and training courses. For information about 

NAC’s TT&A products, visit http://www.unl.edu/nac/.

For More Information 

Andy Mason, Director, USDA National Agroforestry Center, USDA, Forest Service; amason@fs.fed.us, (202)-205-

1694
Enriching Our Lives With Trees That Work 23

National Association of Conservation 

Districts 

Mission

Delivering Conservation on a Landscape Scale. The 

National Association of Conservation Districts (NACD) is 

the nonprofit organization that represents America’s 3,000 

conservation districts and the 17,000 men and women who 

serve on their governing boards. Conservation districts 

are local units of government established under State law 

to carry out natural resource management programs at the 

local level. Districts work with millions of landowners and 

operators to help them manage and protect land and water 

resources on all private lands and many public lands in the 

United States.

The current board-approved policy regarding agroforestry 

issues states that NACD supports sustainable management, 

funding, and educational outreach; provides assistance to 

districts in all 50 States and U.S. territories; encourages 

locally led initiatives; and lobbies for such programs to be 

included in each new Farm Bill. NACD is a member of the 

Joint Forestry Team, which was established via a Memorandum of Understanding with the Forest Service, National Association of State Foresters, and Natural Resources Conservation Service to provide a coordinated interagency delivery 

of forest conservation assistance to private landowners.

Conservation districts have been involved in delivering 

locally driven conservation across America for more than 

70 years. No other conservation or environmental group in 

the country implements more conservation practices on the 

ground. The beauty of conservation districts is that they 

exist in virtually every county and community in the Nation 

where they work on meaningful, landscape-scale projects 

that produce verifiable improvements in environmental 

quality.

Among other things, conservation districts help communities to:

•	 Implement farm, ranch, and forest land conservation practices to protect soil productivity, water 

quality and quantity, air quality, and wildlife 

habitat; 

•	 Conserve and restore wetlands, which purify water 

and provide habitat for birds, fish, and numerous 

other animals; 

•	 Protect groundwater resources; 

•	 Assist communities and homeowners in planting 

trees and other vegetation to hold soil in place, 

clean the air, provide cover for wildlife, and beautify neighborhoods; 

•	 Guide developers in controlling soil erosion and 

protecting water and air quality during construction;

•	 Provide technical expertise to landowners to identify, apply for, and participate in local, State, and 

Federal conservation programs; and 

•	 Reach out to communities and schools to teach the 

value of natural resources and encourage conservation efforts.

Programs and Activities

Conservation districts work with landowners to put agroforestry practices, such as buffers and windbreaks, on 

private land. Conservation districts often serve as a nexus 

for landowners seeking funding or education materials on 

agroforestry practices. 
24 USDA Agroforestry Strategic Framework—Fiscal Year 2011–2016

The NACD Forest Resource Policy Group is a board committee that addresses issues related to private and public 

forest land management within conservation districts. 

NACD also supports collaborative programs like The Backyard Woods and the Tropical Reforestation and Ecosystem 

Education Center (TREE Center), as well as implementation and funding for S&PF programs. 

Some of our many partners who work with us on agroforestry practices are: 

•	 National Association of State Foresters

•	 U.S. Department of Agriculture

s Farm Service Agency

s Forest Service

s Natural Resources Conservation Service

•	 U.S. Department of the Interior

s Bureau of Land Management

s Bureau of Reclamation

For More Information 

Rich Duesterhaus, National Association of Conservation 

Districts, rich-duesterhaus@nacdnet.org, (202)-547-6223 

ext. 230

National Association of State Foresters

Mission

The National Association of State Foresters (NASF) 

is the nonprofit organization that represents the directors of all 50 State forestry agencies, 5 U.S. territories 

(American Samoa, Guam, the Northern Marianas 

Islands, Puerto Rico, and the U.S. Virgin Islands), 3 

freely associated States (the Federated States of Micronesia, Palau, and the Republic of the Marshall Islands), 

and the District of Columbia. Through public-private 

partnerships, NASF seeks to discuss, develop, sponsor, 

and promote programs and activities that will advance 

the practice of sustainable forestry, the conservation and 

protection of forest lands and associated resources, and 

the establishment and protection of forests in the urban 

environment.

Programs and Activities

State forestry agencies are responsible for administering a wide range of programs that ensure the protection, 

health, and sustainability of forests in communities and 

on State and private lands. State forestry agencies cooperate with the Forest Service to deliver S&PF programs 

and with the Natural Resources Conservation Service to 

deliver forestry assistance to private landowners. Many 

State forestry agencies are the primary source for forestry assistance and fund programs that provide technical assistance, as well as cost-share assistance to private 

landowners for forestry and agroforestry practices.

State forestry agencies are required to establish a State 

Forest Stewardship Coordinating Committee for consultation on key program and project actions that are necessary to deliver Cooperative Forestry programs. State 

forestry agencies are also responsible for comprehensive 

forest resource planning within their States. These plans 

are developed with input from partners and the public.

In addition to its national role, NASF works with regional 

organizations—the Northeastern Area Association of State 

Foresters, the Southern Group of State Foresters, and the 

Council of Western State Foresters—to support forest 

management practices and policies unique to the regional 

characteristics and needs of our diverse forest resources in 

the United States.

For More Information 

Scott Josiah, State Forester and Director, Nebraska Forest 

Service, sjosiah2@unl.edu, (402)-472-1467
Enriching Our Lives With Trees That Work 25

Following is a brief summary, compiled by Meridian Institute, of comments received at the Agroforestry Roundtable Workshop with approximately 90 stakeholders on May 26, 2010, in Washington D.C. The stakeholders met with the Interagency 

Agroforestry Team (IAT) to discuss barriers and opportunities associated with a wide range of agroforestry topics. The 

Meridian Institute provided facilitation and other meeting support services to the IAT for the workshop. Meridian Institute 

compiled a detailed summary of the entire May 25-26 workshop, including comments received from stakeholders after the 

workshop, which can be viewed at: http://www.unl.edu/nac/iat.htm

Session I Topics

1.	 Landowner Awareness, Acceptance, and Adoption of Agroforestry (including economic, social, and cultural dimensions)

Barriers: 

•	 Farm Bill policy penalizes practices needed to implement agroforestry. 

•	 Agricultural infrastructure and regulations support large-volume, large-scale approach to agriculture, food and fuel 

products. 

•	 Lack of technical expertise to help build awareness and acceptance for practices amongst farmers. 

•	 Lack of brand or marketing mechanism inhibits the promotion in a comprehensive manner. 

Opportunities:

•	 Regional working teams/groups/authorities or stakeholder groups that include development, nonprofit and minority 

representation to promote awareness. 

•	 Support for practitioner tools which could be disseminated through various USDA agencies. 

2.	 Understanding and Quantifying Ecosystem Goods & Services from Agroforestry (measurement of production, carbon sequestration, water quality, erosion reduction, crop protection, wildlife habitat, etc.)

Opportunities:

•	 Better communications including clarifying/defining what agroforestry means, identifying target audiences and 

developing key applicable messages.

•	 Calculating carbon and water ecosystem benefits associated with agroforestry practices will be key to sustained 

health and life for both humanity and wildlife

•	 Identify roles and responsibilities for creating and sustaining an agroforestry network to promote understanding of 

associated inter-linked ecosystem benefits.

Appendix C: Summary of Stakeholder Feedback
26 USDA Agroforestry Strategic Framework—Fiscal Year 2011–2016

3.	 Planning, Designing and Applying Agroforestry Practices and Systems (including the six practices – alley cropping, 

forest farming, riparian forest buffers, silvopasture, windbreaks/shelterbelts, special applications; and landscape-scale 

systems/models)

•	 Scientific and technical needs around agroforestry practices need to be met at the regional and local levels; forest 

farming practices should be considered a research priority. 

•	 Develop regionally-based toolkits that include economic decision-making tools, demonstration areas, and modeling 

of the transitional stages of different practices.

•	 Pursue a high-level government mandate to make agroforestry a priority and encourage nation-wide agency collaboration. 

•	 Develop incentives for implementation such as an index for aggregating payments for ecosystem services. 

4.	 Education and Training of Natural Resource Professionals to Deliver Agroforestry Assistance (including training 

needs, methods, tools, and certification).

•	 Pursue partnerships cross-training opportunities with special interest groups and nontraditional partners (e.g., transportation, land-use planning, and air quality sectors).

•	 Education and training components need strategic planning for short, medium and long-term goals. 

•	 Pursue training opportunities such as landowner-to-landowner, peer-to-peer, local organizations, and professional 

training of different audiences.

Session II Topics

1.	 Biomass and Bioenergy

Barriers: 

•	 Lack of available markets for bioenergy or biomass and a cart/horse dynamic that promotes investment in a bioenergy plant only once there is assurance of a biomass source. 

•	 Not enough equipment available to properly harvest biomass that becomes available. 

•	 Food security and supply also serves as competition for biomass production. 

Opportunities:

•	 Diversify and stagger the production and availability of agroforestry products at different times of the year. 

•	 Modify the conservation reserve program in the 2012 Farm Bill, with the idea that rental payments would be authorized to be received by a landowner while that person is harvesting trees for biomass energy.

2.	 Clean Water

Barriers: 

•	 Need to establish load reduction efficiencies associated with agroforestry practices. A number of practices are good 

for water quality, but we are currently unaware of what the load reduction efficiencies are. 

•	 Agroforestry practices that contribute to water quality have not been open to existing program eligibility. 

Opportunities:

•	 Greater public-private partnerships, especially around load reduction efficiencies. 
Enriching Our Lives With Trees That Work 27

3.	 Climate Change

•	 Gain greater clarity on whether or not trees planted for agroforestry contribute significantly to reduce global warming (e.g., trees diminish albedo effect)

•	 Agroforestry practices could reduce tillage and result in less oxidation of organic matter and soils. 

•	 Pursue a more holistic perception of agroforestry that consists of healthy soils, crops, and other factors that provide a 

net benefit - beyond just carbon credits. 

4.	 Integrating Agroforestry and Urban Forestry (working trees and urban landscapes)

•	 These practices are already happening with greater public interest in urban agriculture and community gardens 

•	 Focus on the integration of the principles of agroforestry with food production.

•	 About 80 percent of Americans live in cities; therefore adoption of agroforestry principles should start with urban 

populations and landscapes. 

•	 Employ education methods to build better connections between people and food.

5.	 Island Tropical Agroforestry

Barriers: 

•	 Losses of traditional knowledge as people leave islands for greater economic opportunity; many island communities 

have been practicing agroforestry for a long time. 

•	 Continental models do not fit within the island ecosystem or culture, including paperwork barriers for receiving 

government assistance. 

Opportunities:

•	 Collect, catalog, and retain people in current agroforestry practices

•	 The large international community of island neighbors provides access to all kinds of different cultures, countries, 

and government programs that could be helpful in promoting and advancing agroforestry. 

6.	 Markets for Agroforestry Products/Rural Economic Wealth

Barriers: 

•	 Available economic information is lacking in truly assessing the value of agroforestry to local areas and the country 

as a whole; USDA could track agroforestry products.

•	 The omnipresence of agribusiness which is centralized processing is essentially the opposite direction of agroforestry which focuses more on small farms. 

•	 Regulatory barriers for small farmers due to the tendency for regulations to be geared more towards agribusiness. 

•	 Lack of certainty over small farmers’ appetite for risk in producing for niche markets. 

Opportunities:

•	 Growth and increasing demand for organic and more diversified products. 

•	 From a food and biosecurity perspective, there are benefits of cultivating a decentralized small farm system over big 

agribusiness processing. 

•	 USDA could consider conducting a market analysis to determine available and needed infrastructure and how to enable rural and small farmer access to markets. 
28 USDA Agroforestry Strategic Framework—Fiscal Year 2011–2016

7.	 Multi-functional Working Lands

Barriers: 

•	 Many of the current policies discourage multifunctional uses on the landscape and may not have the flexibility 

needed to promote and develop multifunctional lands.

•	 Diversifying may only lead to land fragmentation; it will be important to think about how to maintain ecological 

integrity and sustainability. 

•	 Multifunctional land management may require more labor input and specialized equipment.

Opportunities:

•	 Support multifunctional lands in the 2012 Farm Bill. 

•	 USDA Rural Development agency and community level engagement could promote agroforestry as an energy 

source. 

•	 Focus outreach, grants and incentives on new land managers in order to capture that audience. 

•	 Utilize existing open spaces such as wind farms or power lines for cropping or companion plantings.

8.	 Sustainable and Organic Agriculture

Barriers: 

•	 Further define ‘organic’ and ‘sustainable’ in terms of agroforestry agriculture. Principles might include: agriculture 

practices that do not cause harm to the land; practices that incorporate environmental, economic and social dimensions and that utilize resources in a sustainable manner (e.g., replaceable or renewable).

•	 Challenging bureaucracy around organic certifications pose significant challenges to small farms. 

Opportunities:

•	 Develop a two-tier certification system that delineates between small family farms and large agribusiness; reinstate 

or replicate state or local area certifications for small farms. 

•	 Educate consumers, increase demand and augment incentives for farmers to practice agroforestry by creating a “forest foods” or “forest-friendly foods” label. 

9.	 Policies, Opportunities and Barriers (examined the overall goal for agroforestry and what the landscape level 

objective(s) might be for both large and small-scale farms).

Barriers for large-scale farms (over $250,000/annum):

•	 Increasing farm size, as compared to forest land, and increasing crop prices.

•	 Greater demand for food, and bioenergy which will drive up crop prices.

•	 Increasing pivot irrigation systems and equipment size.

•	 Decreasing farmer interest in increasing complexity; they want to simplify operations, 

•	 Declining agroforestry plantings on the landscape.

•	 Needing policies to provide incentives for participation and some disincentives for lack of participation. This includes cost-share payments, and compensation for increased risk and complexity.

Barriers for small-scale farms:

•	 Lack of continuity in programs and funding, as well as limited opportunities for business incubation. Additionally, 

there are many inconsistencies in Federal monies for small farms and how those are applied.
Enriching Our Lives With Trees That Work 29

Opportunities:

•	 Ensure language in the 2012 Farm Bill, and in forthcoming energy, climate or transportation legislation that appropriates specific funding for agroforestry practices on small farms. 

•	 The National Agroforestry Center will need more stable funding if they are to serve at the national level. This will 

require appropriations from a dedicated source to maintain continuity of programming.

10.	 Agency Cooperation

Barriers:

•	 Limitations posed by budget cycles and resource specific budgets. 

•	 Units of measure, language, and definitions often differ between agencies. 

Opportunities:

•	 To succeed at the agency level, participants suggested promoting agroforestry as a societal issue that includes shared 

goals and benefits for integrated science. 

•	 The National Agroforestry Center should look at existing collaborative models and garner some key lessons learned. 

•	 Foster agency cooperation through public private partnerships or fund matching programs.
30 USDA Agroforestry Strategic Framework—Fiscal Year 2011–2016

The history of the Department of Agriculture (USDA) and 

its partners’ roles in agroforestry can be traced back to the 

windbreaks that were established during the Dust Bowl 

years to reduce soil erosion in the Great Plains. More widespread interest in the United States began in the mid-1980s, 

probably informed by a growing body of agroforestry 

information from the international community. Since that 

time, USDA and its partners (e.g., universities/extension, 

conservation districts, and State forestry agencies) have carried out agroforestry-related research and development and 

technology transfer. This research has provided the science 

and technology for the agroforestry assistance (primarily 

through Farm Bill programs) that has been provided to landowners/producers and, in some cases, communities.

Even though the science and practice of agroforestry has advanced in the United States since the 1980s, it has still not 

been institutionalized into USDA’s concepts, philosophy, 

strategies, and programs. Coordination of agroforestry activities within USDA, to a large degree, has been “ad-hoc,” 

and agroforestry has not been explicitly incorporated into 

many USDA programs. For example, the term “agroforestry” occurs only once in the 628 pages of the Food, Conservation, and Energy Act of 2008 (also known as the 2008 

Farm Bill). This is not a new issue and was recognized in 

1996 when a USDA Interagency Working Group on Agroforestry was established under the leadership of the USDA 

Director of Sustainable Development Programs. The working group commissioned a task force in 1997 to assess the 

potential of agroforestry in helping attain USDA sustainable 

development goals and developing a strategy to realize that 

potential. The agencies participating in the working group 

were the Forest Service, Natural Resources Conservation 

Service (NRCS), Agricultural Research Service (ARS), 

National Institute of Food and Agriculture (NIFA) (then 

the Cooperative State Research, Education, and Extension 

Service), and the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency. 

The task force in its 1997 report “Integrating Agroforestry 

into USDA Programs” (http://www.unl.edu/nac/morepublications/agroforestry-usda-1997.pdf) noted that “the 

fundamental barrier to adoption of conservation practices 

is socio-economic acceptance.” The task force also stated, 

“Tree-based conservation practices are especially hard to sell 

because of the element of permanence and perceived problems, yet established permanent vegetative buffers in the 

system is exactly what we want to achieve!” They further 

added: “This is exacerbated by institutional and disciplinary 

segregation of agriculture and forestry in the United States. 

In other words, there is a perception that agriculture and 

forestry should be separated on the land. That is certainly 

not the case in many other countries, where integrated systems have received more widespread adoption and acceptance.” Many of the other findings and recommendations in 

the 1997 task force report are still relevant today. The task 

force found that agroforestry addressed USDA’s stated goals 

for sustainable development and that it provided one of the 

“best concrete examples of how we can implement the principles of sustainable development.” The task force made 7 

key recommendations and also recommended 50 supporting 

actions:

1. Institutionalize agroforestry and incorporate it 

into USDA’s concepts, philosophy, and principles of sustainable development: A USDA 

policy statement is needed to recognize agroforestry, define the linkage between agroforestry and 

sustainable development, and establish a strategy to 

incorporate agroforestry into programs.

2. Provide leadership to catalyze interdisciplinary, 

interagency, and intersector collaboration to 

incorporate agroforestry into USDA programs. 

There presently are no compelling reasons for 

scientists to depart from traditional lines of research 

and sources of funding. To catalyze efforts within 

the sustainable development operating paradigm, 

USDA should identify integrating subject areas, 

including agroforestry that link agencies, programs, 

Appendix D: History of Agroforestry in the United States
Enriching Our Lives With Trees That Work 31

and disciplines in common efforts, and refocus 

resources to stimulate the process.

3. Clearly define and apply agroforestry principles 

through training and technology transfer. Agroforestry needs to be clearly defined and communicated to cooperators, stakeholders, and customers. 

A concerted effort is needed to synthesize what 

we already know about agroforestry concepts and 

practices, incorporate it into delivery programs, and 

get agroforestry applied on the ground.

4. Fully research and develop agroforestry practices, application guidelines and tools, and 

document benefits. In concert with the effort 

to enhance agroforestry technology transfer and 

training (#3), focused research and development 

are needed to fill knowledge gaps, develop appropriate tools and guidelines to facilitate delivery of 

technical assistance, and document the benefits of 

agroforestry practices.

5. Stimulate research to understand the roles and 

functions of agroforestry within the concept of 

an ecological systems approach to sustainable 

land use. The fields of agroforestry, agroecology, 

and sustainable agriculture share common principles and are idea-rich to catalyze collaboration 

toward the goal of sustainable land use. USDA 

should foster interdisciplinary research to integrate 

and evaluate agroforestry with other concepts and 

technologies. The effort should evaluate integrated 

agricultural systems beyond traditional production 

parameters and connect the integrative approach 

with locally led collaborative groups focused on 

private land stewardship.

6. Focus attention on overcoming the real and 

perceived social and economic limitations to 

the adoption of agroforestry practices by the 

agricultural community. As an emerging applied 

science, agroforestry carries with it many concerns and misconceptions. The bottom line is that 

agroforestry will prosper only if it is accepted by 

the agricultural community. Research, development, and extension are urgently needed to address 

the social and economic barriers to adoption of 

agroforestry and conservation practices, in general. 

Furthermore, the value of externalities needs to be 

understood, as well as to whom they accrue.

7. Foster collaborative efforts with international 

organizations focused on agroforestry development and integration into sustainable land-use 

systems. Agroforestry has been recognized in a 

number of other countries working to identify more 

sustainable land-use practices. There are many 

possibilities for collaboration and exchange.

Noticeably absent in the 1997 report is any reference to 

climate change or the use of the term “ecosystem services.” 

Agroforestry, however, was noted as a means to restore 

and enhance eight potential roles and functions, including 

“ecological stability—increase system resilience and ability 

to absorb and recover from disturbances and stresses.” The 

report noted that “...there is currently little scientific basis 

for incorporating agroforestry practices, or other conservation buffer practices, into the landscape, understanding 

the interactions that are generated, predicting benefits and 

outcomes, and avoiding conflicts.”
32 USDA Agroforestry Strategic Framework—Fiscal Year 2011–2016

There is certainly a much stronger scientific basis for applying agroforestry today, as evidenced by many articles in 

refereed journals and numerous publications. One recent 

example of a stronger scientific basis overall in agroforestry 

is North American Agroforestry: An integrated Science and 

Practice, 2nd Edition (Garrett, H.E. (ed.) 2009). Another 

example, which relates specifically to conservation buffer 

practices (a synthesis of over 1,400 research publications): 

Conservation buffers: design guidelines for buffers, corridors, and greenways (Bentrup, G. 2008). 

 

The Interagency Agroforestry Team has considered the 

findings and recommendations from the 1997 report and 

incorporated some of the ideas into the strategic framework. 

There are three other national agroforestry reports that address similar issues and opportunities in the United States:

•	 Agroforestry in the United States; Research and 

Technology Transfer Needs for the Next Millennium (Association for Temperate Agroforestry, fall 

2000). http://www.unl.edu/nac/morepublications/

aftareport.pdf

•	 Agroforestry for Sustainable Development: A 

National Strategy to Develop and Implement Agroforestry (Workshop to “Develop a Framework for a 

Coordinated National Agroforestry Program”; June 

29-30, 1994: Nebraska City, NE). http://www.

aftaweb.org/resources1.php?page=33

•	 Agroforestry: An Integrated Land-Use Management System for Production and Farmland Conservation. A Comprehensive Assessment of U.S. 

Agroforestry—Long Version. The Agroforestry 

Component of the Resource Conservation Act Appraisal for the Soil Conservation Service.

(Prepared for USDA SCS (Account 68-3A75-3-

134), February 1994). http://www.aftaweb.org/

resources1.php?page=36

In 2008, the National Association of State Foresters (NASF), 

National Association of Conservation Districts (NACD), 

NRCS, and Forest Service signed a national “joint forestry” 

Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) (http://jointforestryteam.org/Websites/jointforestryteam/Images/jft_mou.

pdf). The purpose of the MOU is to “strengthen cooperation among the parties that result in coordinated interagency 

delivery of forestry-related conservation assistance to 

private landowners in order to sustain the health, diversity, 

and productivity of America’s private working lands – forest 

land, cropland, pasture, and rangeland.” In the MOU, the 

parties recognized five barriers to the delivery of forestryrelated conservation assistance and included agroforestry in 

barrier 3. This barrier is “Funding devoted to forestry and 

agroforestry is inadequate and inconsistent.” The MOU has 

64 action items (17 joint and 47 individual agency/organization), including 10 actions that mention agroforestry.

•	 Joint #3: “Promote the delivery of timely, coordinated interagency forestry and agroforestry 

assistance to landowners through actions such as 

co-location of agency staff at field and State offices, 

jointly funded positions, increased use of technical 

service providers and technology, and related actions that increase assistance for working lands.”

•	 Joint #4: “Share information regarding priorities 

for conservation of private forest lands and other 

working lands that could benefit from the application of agroforestry practices.”

•	 Joint #8: “Collaborate with other appropriate 

entities to facilitate development and implementation of conservation plans and agreements on forest 

lands and to promote agroforestry on other working lands.”

•	 Joint #12: “Collaborate to deliver agroforestry

training for natural resource professionals and 

develop technical information to support technical 

assistance to private landowners.”
Enriching Our Lives With Trees That Work 33

•	 NACD #3: “Cooperate with NASF, State forestry 

agencies, NRCS, and Forest Service in the identification of needs for forestry and agroforestry 

assistance on private lands and participate in the 

delivery of this assistance.”

•	 NRCS #1: “Incorporate an increased emphasis 

on providing forestry assistance to nonindustrial 

private forest (NIPF) landowners to help them address resource concerns and increase the emphasis on applying agroforestry on working agricultural lands in its national strategic plan.”

•	 NRCS #2: “Encourage State Conservationists to 

collaborate with State forestry agencies, conservation districts, and Forest Service to allocate 

appropriate resources to address resource concerns 

on NIPF land and to help meet landowner needs 

for technical and financial assistance in forestry 

and agroforestry.”

•	 NRCS #6: “Invite and encourage State forestry 

agencies, conservation districts, and Forest Service 

to be involved on State Technical Committees 

and associated subcommittees, as well as local 

working groups, to provide expertise in forestry 

and agroforestry relative to program priorities, 

ranking processes, and practice standards. As per 

section 1261 of the 2008 Farm Bill, ensures that 

each State technical committee includes representatives from the Forest Service, State Forester or 

equivalent State official, and the State Association 

of Conservation Districts.”

•	 NRCS #10: “Jointly produce and promote 

agroforestry technology, training, and educational 

resources in cooperation with Forest Service.”

•	 Forest Service #9: “Conduct research and jointly 

produce and promote agroforestry technology, 

training, and educational resources in cooperation with NRCS, through Forest Service State and 

Private Forestry and Research and Development.

Examples of current agroforestry-related activities currently 

supported by USDA and its partners include:

•	 ARS’s Natural Resources and Sustainable Agricultural Systems Program that supports researchers 

at 70 locations nationwide. Agroforestry research 

is a primary focus at two ARS locations: Dale 

Bumpers Small Farms Research Center (Booneville, AR) and the Appalachian Farming Systems 

Research Center (Beaver, WV). Researchers at the 

Center in Booneville cooperate with the University 

of Missouri Center for Agroforestry to determine 

best management protocols for trees in agroforestry practices. At the center in Beaver, agroforestryrelated research is conducted on systems such as 

silvopasture for cattle, sheep, and goats.

•	 Farm Service Agency’s (FSA) Conservation 

Reserve Program, which provides assistance 

to plan and install agroforestry practices (e.g., 

riparian forest buffers and shelterbelts). FSA 

cooperates with NRCS, State forestry agencies, 
34 USDA Agroforestry Strategic Framework—Fiscal Year 2011–2016

and conservation districts that provide the necessary technical assistance to landowners/producers. 

FSA’s Biomass Crop Assistance Program provides 

assistance to agricultural and forest land owners for 

the establishment and production of eligible crops 

including woody biomass in selected project areas 

for conversion to bioenergy (agroforestry practices/

systems would be eligible).

•	 Forest Service’s Forest Stewardship Program. 

Through this program, State forestry agencies 

provide assistance to landowners to plan and 

design agroforestry practices, which are included 

in a larger comprehensive, multi-resource Forest 

Stewardship Plan. State forestry agencies deliver 

this program with financial and technical support 

provided by the Forest Service.

•	 NIFA’s support to agroforestry-related research, 

education, and extension activities. NIFA provides 

support through a wide range of programs including the McIntire-Stennis Cooperative Forestry Research Program, Renewable Resources Extension 

Act Grant Program, Agriculture and Food Research 

Initiative, and Hatch Act grants.

•	 NRCS conservation planning services. NRCS provides conservation planning services to landowner/

producers to help them address natural resource 

concerns, which include agroforestry practices. 

NRCS also provides technical and financial assistance to help with planning and installation of the 

full range of agroforestry practices through Farm 

Bill programs (e.g., Environmental Quality Incentives Program, Wildlife Habitat Incentive Program, 

and Conservation Stewardship Program). Technical service providers, such as consulting foresters, 

State forestry agencies, and conservation districts 

provide the technical assistance for these programs.

•	 USDA National Agroforestry Center’s (NAC) 

efforts. Located in Lincoln, NE, NAC is a partnership between Forest Service and NRCS. NAC 

works through a national network of partners to 

develop and deliver technology on a broad suite of 

agroforestry practices to help landowners improve 

their economic situation and to optimize public 

benefits and ecosystem services. NAC’s key customers are the natural resource professionals who 

work directly with farmers, forest owners, ranchers, and communities nationwide.

See Appendix B for more detailed information about the 

mission, roles, customers, and agroforestry-related programs 

and activities conducted by each of the agencies/organizations that are represented on the Interagency Agroforestry 

Team.
Enriching Our Lives With Trees That Work 35

Where To Get More Agroforestry Information

USDA National Agroforestry Center: http://www.unl.edu/nac

National Sustainable Agriculture Information Service: http://attra.ncat.org/attra-pub/summaries/summary.php?pub=62 

The Center for Agroforestry: http://www.centerforagroforestry.org/

The Center for Subtropical Agroforestry: http://sfrc.ifas.ufl.edu/cstaf/

Association for Temperate Agroforestry: http://www.aftaweb.org/

Nontimber Forest Products:http://www.sfp.forprod.vt.edu/
36 USDA Agroforestry Strategic Framework—Fiscal Year 2011–2016