New Certification Program for Agricultural Conservation Professionals Launched with Penn State University

In January 2024, Penn State University announced a partnership with HRG to establish a new certification program for agricultural conservation professionals, provide training, and supervise the certified individuals for the installation of projects statewide.

Today, the university announced it is officially launching the certification program, known as the Practice Approval System. The system was developed by the Penn State Conservation Commission in partnership with the Center for  Agricultural Conservation Assistance Training, administered by Penn State Extension. As the article linked below explains, it “allows conservation district employees to design, review and approve conservation practices funded through the Agriculture Conservation Assistance Program, or ACAP, that do not require certification by a registered professional engineer. Conservation professionals instead can work directly with farmers, reducing bottlenecks and moving projects forward more quickly.”

We’re excited to be a part of the team bringing this program to life and look forward to seeing the impact the certified professionals make on soil and water health in Pennsylvania! Click on the link below to read more about the program.