AUBREY BETTENCOURT APPOINTED NRCS CHIEF

Aubrey Bettencourt has been appointed to serve as Chief of the United States Department of Agriculture’s Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS). As Chief, Bettencourt will lead NRCS staff and conservation programs that provide critical resources and technical assistance to America’s farmers, ranchers, and forest landowners to invest in their operations to improve working lands conservation, increase the competitiveness of American agriculture, and improve the quality of our air, water, soil, and wildlife habitats. Aubrey Bettencourt is a third-generation California farmer and most recently served as the Global Director of Government Relations and External Affairs at Netafim, an international company specializing in irrigation technology. Among other positions, Bettencourt previously served as President and CEO of the Almond Alliance of California, Deputy Assistant Secretary for Water and Science at the U.S. Department of the Interior, California State Executive Director of USDA’s Farm Service Agency, and Executive Director of the California Water Alliance. Her appointment is critical to advance the Columbia Basin Project and NRCS’ help to save the Odessa Aquifer.