NRCS Planner Designation

NRCS Planner Level Certifications and Requirements

Questions about the NRCS Conservation Planner requirements?  Email Jan Thomas at training@wactd.org to get your questions answered.

The Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS) provides planner designations/certifications relative to the discipline of Conservation Planning as noted in their General Manual Title 180, Part 409 Conservation Planning Policy. 

These planner certifications are independent of the CTD Specialty Planner Certification process, but importantly form the core competencies and foundations necessary for pursuit of any of the CTD Specialty Planner Certifications. It is encouraged that prior to submitting a CTD Specialty Planner Certification that you complete at minimum a USDA NRCS Level 1 Planner certification.

NRCS Conservation Planner Designations are at four levels, and each has it own curriculum of required training and experience.  Trainings include AgLearn online courses, on-demand webinars offered through the Conservation of Natural Resource Webinar Portal, in-person trainings provided by NRCS on a rotating schedule that require space be dedicated for you to attend, and on-the-job training ("OJT") related to the staff member's job roles and responsibilities.

These four NRCS Conservation Planner certification levels are:

• Level 1 -  See Requirements - This planner certification forms the core competencies for beginning planners but requires oversight from Level 3 or 4 planners to accomplish a complete RMS (Resource Management System) conservation plan. This certification can be completed entirely online with an AgLearn account in about 30 hours.
  
  

• Level 2  - See Requirements - The Level 2 planner designation is a 'new' designation, designed to bring alignment between Levels 1 and 3. Conservation Planning, Part 2, and three online Water Quality courses (previously found in Level 1 and Level 3) were used to form the Level 2 designation.   This level is comprised of approximately 4 hours of on-demand training, and the in-person, 5-day Conservation Planning, Part 2 course.  

Level 2 planners can plan independently but cannot certify a conservation plan.  They may achieve specialties (i.e. Comprehensive Nutrient Management Plan (CNMP) specialty) to certify component plans within the scope of their specialty.   For example, a Level 2 planner with a CNMP specialty could not sign off on a full conservation plan, but could sign a CNMP plan independently.

• Level 3 -  See  Requirements -  This planner certification builds on the Level 1 and 2 coursework. After completing Level 3 requirements, Level 3 planners can write and certify conservation plans and may also add/carry specialties to certify component plans.   This level includes Conservation Planning, Part 3, the completion of an RMS plan with a mentor, approximately 23 hours of on-demand training, and two multi-day in person courses (Cultural Resources, Part 2, and Soil Health and Sustainability for Field Staff).

• Level 4  -  See Requirements - This planner certification is for those whose job duties require complex planning situations to be addressed with experience, knowledge, skill, and ability to do so with minimal supervision. Additionally, this role focuses on mentorship of other planners through the training of others and conducting state-level reviews. Additional coursework both online and in-person is required that is often tailored specifically to unique challenges on both a regional and state level.

Specialty Certifications - Specialties (i.e. CNMP) can be added to your planner designation once you are at least a Level 2 planner.   

• NRCS CNMP Specialty – See Requirements.   In addition to coursework found in AgLearn, two CNMP plans must be submitted and approved.  

Loading, Tracking, and Completion of your Conservation Planner Program in AgLearn

If you are pursuing an NRCS Conservation Planner designation, it's important to load the appropriate level Conservation Planner program in your AgLearn account to help you keep track of your progress and make sure you receive updates as they are released.  

• How to Load a Conservation Planner Program in AgLearn

Please note: 

District staff are not required to take Conservation Planning Business Tool Training (part of NRCS Level 1 designation) UNLESS you have direct access  (LincPass) AND are entering program information directly into the NRCS system (usually CD/CART).   If you are not required to take this course, please reach out directly to Jan Thomas for assistance in completing your Level 1 planner. 

State-Specific Deliverables: This is a placeholder 'course' for those states who have additional planner requirements not listed in AgLearn.  Washington does not  currently have state-specific deliverables for any planner level.  You may self-certify completion in AgLearn by clicking on the course and following the instructions there.

NRCS Conservation Planner Program Requirements 

These standalone documents list the same information you'll find in AgLearn for completing each conservation planner level.  As these are dated, static references, always check AgLearn for the most up-to-date list of required courses. 

NRCS Conservation Planner Level 1

NRCS Conservation Planner Level 2

NRCS Conservation Planner Level 3

NRCS Conservation Planner Level 4

CNMP Planning Specialty (can be added to Level 2 or Level 3 Planner)

NRCS Requirements for Maintaining Planner Designation

NRCS policy previously required all planners to complete 40 continuing education units (CEUs) and pass a quality assurance review every three years (known as the recertification cycle) to maintain their designation.  NRCS no longer requires continuing education education credits to maintain planner designation status; state quality assurance reviews (which occur at least once every three years) are the determining factor for recertification. 

Recertification cycle start from planner’s current, highest designation.  If a planner achieves a higher designation level in the middle of a recertification cycle, the recertification cycle resets to be three years from date the higher designation was achieved.

Level 1 planner designations do not expire.  Level 1 planners do not have to undergo recertification.

Definitions for Common NRCS Training Types in AgLearn

AgLearn/Online Courses - Must be taken within AgLearn, online, and will be verified and marked complete within AgLearn as you complete all of the requirements for each.

State-Led or National - These courses are offered on a rotating schedule and as indicated by the NRCS State Office Training staff in coordination with the CD Training Coordinator. If you have a particular in-person state-led training you need to complete your NRCS Planner Designation, be sure to indicate that course on your yearly update to your Training Needs Inventory survey. 

S&T Webinars (Conservation Webinar Portal) – These webinars can be accessed through AgLearn and self-certified for completion within AgLearn.  If you take the course through the Conservation Webinar Portal, be sure to obtain a certificate of completion then you can go into AgLearn and self-confirm completion. 

Proficiency Exams - The NRCS has released Proficiency Exams for some of the NRCS Planner Designation course requirements for the Level 3 / Certified level. Successfully passing these Proficiency Exams in AgLearn will allow an individual to “test out” of certain NRCS courses.

OJT - On the job training. Some of this can be self-certified or in conjunction with coordination by a mentor and the CD Training Coordinator.