USDA AND THE RUSSIAN ACADEMY OF AGRICULTURAL SCIENCES RELEASE BILINGUAL CONSERVATION PUBLICATION
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WASHINGTON, July 30, 2004 -Agriculture Secretary Ann M. Veneman today announced the release of Protection of Soil and Water Resources. This publication, which culminates a 14-year collaboration between USDA and the Russian Academy of Agricultural Sciences (RAAS), discusses the vital role of soil and water conservation and promotes the understanding of conservation in both countries.
"This collaboration forged a unique partnership among dedicated researchers, scientists, conservationists, agriculturalists and other professionals across two continents," Veneman said. "The publication examines some of the major soil and water conservation issues that face the United States and Russia and the technologies being used to address them."
USDA's Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS) and Office of Communications, in coordination with RAAS, spearheaded the project. The U.S./U.S.S.R. joint working group on agricultural research and technological development envisioned, as a major goal, the sharing of agricultural science and technology between the two countries. This bilingual publication is one of its major accomplishments.
The 250-page color publication contains 20 articles written by American and Russian scientists, with illustrations, charts, graphs and photographs related to the various natural resource issues addressed. Each article's original and translated text are presented side by side to reflect the mutually comparable missions of RAAS and USDA-NRCS to protect and conserve each nation's soil and water resources.
"The united efforts of scientists and other professionals from all nations are needed in order to arrive at complex decisions regarding the preservation of the soil, water and other of our planet's natural resources," Gennady A. Romanenko, RAAS' president, said in the foreword.
Protection of Soil and Water Resources covers challenges associated with soil protection and fertility, as well as with water conservation and protection. Topics covered extensively include soil erosion and the implementation of a science-based system of soil protection, including conservation tillage, protective forestry, the use and conservation of water resources and the complex issues surrounding land reclamation. Information in the publication was updated prior to printing. The publication will be useful to soil scientists, conservationists and students studying the natural resources such as soil science and agronomy.
USDA printed a limited supply of Protection of Soil and Water Resources. It is available in hard copy and compact disc (CD). Hard copies and CDs can be ordered from 1-888-LANDCARE.
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