[Code of Federal Regulations]
[Title 7, Volume 6]
[Revised as of January 1, 2003]
From the U.S. Government Printing Office via GPO Access
[CITE: 7CFR613.2]

[Page 358-359]
 
                          TITLE 7--AGRICULTURE
 
   CHAPTER VI--NATURAL RESOURCES CONSERVATION SERVICE, DEPARTMENT OF 
                               AGRICULTURE
 
PART 613--PLANT MATERIALS CENTERS--Table of Contents
 
Sec. 613.2  Policy and objectives.

    (a) It is NRCS policy to assemble, comparatively evaluate, release, 
and distribute for commercial increase new or improved plant materials 
needed for broad programs of resource conservation and development for 
agriculture, wildlife, urban, recreation, and other land uses and 
environmental needs. It is NRCS policy to conduct plant materials work 
in cooperation with other agencies of the U.S. Department of 
Agriculture, such as the Agricultural Research Service, and with other 
federal and state research agencies including state agricultural 
experiment stations. The emphasis of the NRCS plant materials work is to 
find suitable plants for erosion control adapted to soil and site 
conditions where vegetation is difficult to establish. In contrast, the 
emphasis of research agencies and organizations in plant development is 
to improve economically important crops. The

[[Page 359]]

NRCS program of testing and releasing new seed-propagated plant 
materials follows the guidelines in ``Statement of Responsibilities and 
Policies Relating to the Development, Release, and Multiplication of 
Publicly Developed Varieties of Seed-Propagated Crops,'' which was 
adopted in June 1972 by land grant colleges and interested federal 
agencies. NRCS releases improved conservation plant materials requiring 
vegetative multiplication in ways appropriate for particular states and 
particular species by working with experiment stations, crop improvement 
associations, and other state and federal agencies.
    (b) The objective of the plant materials activity is to select or 
develop special and improved plants, and techniques for their successful 
establishment and maintenance to solve conservation problems and needs 
related to:
    (1) Controlling soil erosion on all lands.
    (2) Conserving water.
    (3) Protecting upstream watersheds.
    (4) Reducing sediment movement into waterways and reservoirs through 
the stabilization of critical sediment sources such as surface mined 
lands, highway slopes, recreation sites, and urban and industrial 
development areas.
    (5) Stabilizing disposal areas for liquid and solid wastes.
    (6) Improving plant diversity and lengthening grazing season on 
dryland pastures and rangelands.
    (7) Replacing brush on mountain slopes with fire-retarding plant 
cover to reduce the possibility of fires that threaten life and property 
or result in serious sediment sources.
    (8) Improving the effectiveness of windbreaks and shelterbelts for 
reducing airborne sediment, controlling snow drifting, and preventing 
crop damage from wind erosion.
    (9) Protecting streambank, pond, and lake waterlines from erosion by 
scouring and wave action.
    (10) Improving wildlife food and cover.
    (11) Selecting special-purpose plants to meet specific needs for 
environment protection and enhancement.
    (12) Selecting plants that tolerate air pollution agents and toxic 
soil chemicals.