NRCS Practice Standard: Fence (382)

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NRCS Practice Standard: Fence (382)

About the Company:

The Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS) is the US Department of Agriculture (USDA)’s primary private lands conservation agency. The NRCS helps producers protect and conserve natural resources on private lands through voluntary conservation programs. Through Practice Standards and technical guides, the NRCS provides information about the conservation, energy resources, and provides personalized advice to individual producers.

The NRCS’ Environmental Quality Incentives Program (EQIP) provides technical and financial assistance to producers as they implement NRCS Conservation Practice Standards.

Technical guides used in each field office are localized so that they apply specifically to the geographic area for which they are prepared. Thus, while national guidelines have been provided as a framework for each standard, each state has adopted and modified the conservation practice standards to suit their individual landscape.

To find a local NRCS Service center click here.

To find the specific guideline for each state click here.

About the Solution:

Fence (382)

A constructed barrier to animals or people.

Practice Information

This practice is applied to any area where livestock and/or wildlife control is needed, or where access to people is to be regulated. A wide variety of fences exist, however, fencing material and construction quality is always designed and installed to assure the fence will meet the intended purpose. The standard fence is constructed of either barbed or smooth wire suspended by posts with support structures. Other types include woven wire for small animals, electric fence, and suspension fences which are designed with heavy, but widely spaced posts and support structures.

Things to consider when planning a fence:

  • Avoid irregular terrain as much as possible
  • Impact on wildlife movement
  • State and local laws
  • Livestock handling, watering, and feeding requirements


  • Operation and maintenance for a fence include regular inspections after storms and other disturbance events. Maintain and repair a fence as needed, including tree and limb removal, water-gap replacement, repair or replacement of control features, and maintenance of fladry or signage.

    Common Associated Practices

    NRCS Conservation Practice Standard (CPS) Fence (Code 382) is commonly applied with other conservation practices such as:

  • Prescribed Grazing (Code 528)
  • Use Exclusion (Code 472)


  • To view the national NRCS standard for Fence please click here.

    Natural Resources Conservation Service, US Department of Agriculture 1400 Independence Ave., S.W. Washington, DC United States 1-833-ONE-USDA Visit Company Website

    Solution Type

    • General Support and Other

    Vendor

    • Others

    Product

    • Other

    To view additional information about this vendor, click below.

    Solution Strengths, Weaknesses and Critical Indicators

    NOTE: There are multiple technologies that are used as part of integrated manure management systems and yet are not manure management types on their own. The impact of these technologies on their own would be minimal or very difficult to quantify.

    General Support & Other:

    • Can be an integral part of many manure management systems
    • Most projects have at least some equipment that supports operations of the main technology
    • This technology is not evaluated on its own, the NEAT Matrix for this technology is neutral unless utilized with other technologies.

    Newtrient Comments/Opinions:

    Newtrient is using the USDA-NRCS conservation practice standards as tools to assist dairy producers in understanding the standards and how they can be used to address resources concerns.

    To establish a Practice Standard a system or practice must be thoroughly vetted, approved, and standardized by the USDA at the federal and state level. These conservation practices have been developed to address various environmental resource concerns. Newtrient has developed a 9-point scoring process for ranking additives, practices, services, and technologies for the dairy industry. Recognizing the rigorous approval procedure used during the development of the NRCS Practice Standards, many of them score very highly and are worthy of consideration on any dairy where they apply.

    The information provided here is a summary of the selected conservation practices. For up to date and detailed information related to the full Practice Standards, please see the USDA NRCS website, linked above.

    Newtrient 9-Point Scoring Rating

    View the Scoring Page

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