Workforce Wednesday: Meet a Soil Conservationist

Workforce Wednesday is a new weekly series that will highlight the diversity of careers within the agricultural industry. Each week, Workforce Wednesday will spotlight a person actively working in the industry. We invite you to explore careers in agriculture with us!

Derek Husmoen discusses planting pollinator fields near crops. In the US, a third of agricultural output depend on pollinators.

Derek Husmoen has always had an interest in soil and water science, which led to a career as a Soil Conservationist. 

Husmoen is the Soil Conservationist with USDA’s Natural Resources Conservation Service office in Buffalo County, Wis. He was raised on a dairy farm and now farms corn, soybeans and some alfalfa with his family. He said his background in farming inspired him to pursue soil and water conservation as a career. 

“Agriculture has always been in my background,” Husmoen said. “Back when I was in elementary school, we had our land conservation department put in a barnyard for our dairy cattle. I thought that was the coolest thing.” 

It was the barnyard project that Husmoen credits with sealing his interest in the field. 

“I have always been interested in soil and water conservation from a young age,” he said. “I guess in high school, I knew I wanted to stay in the agriculture field, and I have always liked soil and water conservation, so I just kind of stuck with it. That’s how I got into it.” 

He now gets to help other famers and landowners with their conservation projects including installing pollinator fields adjacent to row crops, installing dams to help prevent farmland and forest soil erosion and planning out other conservation practices. 

“Overall, I would say we protect the natural resources and make sure that agriculture goes on in a sustainable way,” he said. “We work with farmers who have row crops, people who have cattle, as well as forest landowners.” 

Husmoen is passionate about the work he does and hopes others can recognize that passion. 

 “I think a lot of people see us doing our daily work and they think it’s just a job,” Husmoen said. “Many of us have done this for years, and it’s our passion. It’s the one thing we enjoy doing in life. I wish more people knew that passion we have.” 

Husmoen said one of the best parts of working as a Soil Conservationist is that every day is different.  

“I’d say agriculture in general is a great career, but being a soil conservationist you kind of get both sides where you get the true agronomy side, but you also get exposed to wildlife and environmental aspects,” Husmoen said. “So, it’s a blend of everything that is really involved in agriculture. I’d like people to know that soil conservation is not just soil. It’s a lot of things related to agriculture that we use on a daily basis.” 

Normal tasks for Husmoen include checking emails and communicating closely with landowners, field work, developing conservation practices and identifying cost share or financial assistance opportunities for landowners.  

“Our biggest thing is communicating with landowners,” he said. “We do a lot of field work. People will come in and say ‘I've got this issue on the farm, can you come take a look?’ So, we’ll go out and meet with the landowners. We’ll look at their land, see what resource concerns they have, find ways to address those, and then work through that whole process with our cost share contracts or financial assistance.” 

He finds the work as a Soil Conservationist to be rewarding. 

“Probably the most rewarding thing is to take a project from start to finish,” he said. “A landowner you've never met before will come into the office, then you meet with them on the farm and find out what concerns they have, like erosion issues or things like that, then seeing through that project. To start from the very beginning when the landowner comes in with the issue to the end getting it done and seeing how the owner likes it is really full circle. That is really rewarding.” 

To work as a Soil Conservationist for NRCS, Husmoen said at least 30 hours or credits of course work in natural resources is necessary with 12 of those in crop and soil science. 

Husmoen earned a Bachelor of Science in Agricultural Engineering Technology, along with a soil science minor from the University of Wisconsin - River Falls, and he then went on to earn a Master of Science in Soil Science from Texas A&M University. 

“I wouldn’t say there is really a certification required,” Husmoen said. “There are certified crop advisors, but you don’t have to have that for this position. Having a background or courses in both soils and crop or plant sciences is a big thing. … A lot of our conservation practices begin with surveying and designing. So, I think for most people having that general agriculture background coupled with crop and soil science really makes them stand out for this position. 

Though a background helps, Husmoen said it’s not necessary with internships, training programs and on-the-job training opportunities. 

“Just go for it,” he said. “Soils are a science that anyone can learn. Once you have the basics down, the ag industry is here to help you build your career. We need young students to pursue soil science careers so we can help people recognize what it takes to grow safe food to feed our growing population, preserve our climate and protect and restore our natural resources for future generations.” 

Something you would like to have known on your first day on the job: 

“If you don’t know the answer, it’s okay to ask for help. The career of a soil conservationist is very diverse. In the same day you could be a forester, an agronomist, a water quality specialist, a wildlife person, and you don’t know all of that. A landowner may ask a question, and it’s okay to say ‘I don’t know, but I will get you an answer.’ There are so many that have been working with NRCS maybe 15, 20, or 30 years, and they have the expertise. I wish I would have known up front that you won’t have all the answers, but it’s okay to ask for help.”