Federal Agency of the Year

Government employee public service recognition week is celebrated the first week of May. Each year, the Greater Madison Federal Agency Association (GMFAA) honors men and women who serve America as federal, state, and local government employees. Throughout the nation and around the world, public employees use the week to educate citizens about the many ways in which government serves the people and how government services make life better for all of us.

The Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS), Wisconsin State Office was selected as 2015's award winner in the Federal Agency of the Year, Small Category, honoring them with achieving the greatest impact in meeting the agency's goals, mission, and overall success of the organization. GMFAA representatives; guest speaker, U. S. Congressman Mark Pocan; and representatives from both U.S. Senator Tammie Baldwin's and Senator Ron Johnson's offices presented NRCS Wisconsin State Office with the award during a recognition ceremony held May 4, 2015, at the William S. Middleton Memorial Veterans Hospital in Madison. U.S. Congressman, Mark Pocan (pictured) spoke to Federal Employees about their work efforts, "Personally, thank you so much for what you do; your work is valued and it really does matter…I appreciate all the different services you provide to our country as public employees and what you do for the people to fundamentally and substantially help them."

Jimmy Bramblett, State Conservationist in Wisconsin and NRCS award winner, said of the experience, "We are honored as an agency to accept this award which represents our state office meeting agency goals and our overall mission of helping people help the land."

NRCS is the primary federal agency, within the U.S. Department of Agriculture, that works with private landowners to help them conserve, maintain, and improve their natural resources. The agency emphasizes voluntary, science-based conservation; technical assistance; partnerships; incentive-based programs; and cooperative problem solving at the community level. Even though conservation investments take place on private lands, there are many public benefits associated with the work of NRCS.

For example, many individuals living in urban communities enjoy lower water bills because of conservation practices placed on farms to improve water quality, others enjoy abundant wildlife when visiting Wisconsin's woodlands, and we all benefit from sustainable farms producing the most reliable and least expensive food, in part, due to conservation practices promoted by NRCS that reduce soil erosion and improve soil health.

For more information on NRCS?Wisconsin visit www.wi.nrcs.usda.gov. For more information on public service recognition week and GMFAA visit www.GMFAA.org.
Return to Industry Buzz.


5.7.2015