What Missouri Soil and Water Conservation Districts Do
Every one of Missouri's 114 counties has a soil and water conservation district. The Department of Natural Resources describes them in its program history as local bodies that promote voluntary conservation and offer financial incentives, technical assistance and education to agricultural landowners and operators, working with state and federal conservation partners. Nobody is forced to do anything. A district helps you decide what to build, and in many cases helps pay for it.
How the Districts Began
The 1930s Dust Bowl exposed how damaging erosion could be, and Missouri had one of the highest erosion rates in the nation. Missouri legislation in 1943 authorized the Soil and Water Districts Commission and the districts, and the first 14 districts were organized in 1944. All 114 counties eventually organized districts, many during the 1960s. The Soil Conservation Service, now the Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS), was created in the U.S. Department of Agriculture on April 27, 1935.
The Soil and Water Districts Commission
The Soil and Water Districts Commission develops the policies and general programs the districts use. It was moved into the Missouri Department of Natural Resources in 1974 and works with the department's Soil and Water Conservation Program, which supports district staff and administrative costs through grants and training. The program can be reached at 573-751-4932, 800-361-4827 or through the Soil and Water Conservation Districts site, mosoilandwater.land.
The Cost-Share Program
The state program offers partial reimbursement for voluntary practices on agricultural land. The Department lists about 50 practices covering grazing, irrigation, groundwater, surface water, woodland, pest and nutrient management, animal waste and soil erosion. Funding comes from the Parks, Soils and Water Sales Tax, a one-tenth of one percent sales tax that voters first approved in 1984 and reapproved in 1988, 1996, 2006 and 2016, each time with about two-thirds support. Half of the tax goes to the Soil and Water Sales Tax Fund.
A news release reported that the program provided nearly $45 million to landowners in fiscal year 2026 through 5,736 cost-share contracts, including:
- Cover crops: 2,511 contracts covering 148,000 acres.
- Terraces: 455 contracts, saving 330,000 tons of soil.
- Rotational grazing: 37,000 grazing acres.
- Stream protection: 21 miles through livestock exclusion and streambank stabilization.
The release says the funded work saved more than 924,000 tons of soil, and that the program has prevented more than 195 million tons of erosion since the tax passed in 1984. Application steps and deadlines are not spelled out in these pages, so call your district office to learn how to apply in your county.
District Boards and Supervisor Elections
Each district is run by a board of supervisors. Missouri's statute on district boards, Section 278.110, describes five members: the county agricultural extension agent serving ex officio and four elected land representatives who serve four-year terms. Elected members must be resident taxpaying citizens of the district for two years before the election, may be reelected, and receive no pay beyond reimbursement of necessary expenses. Since the statute's wording may be updated, confirm current details with your district.
Election rules are now set by the Commission rather than by statute, a change made in 2018, per a Department announcement. All 114 districts hold elections at the same time, and half of each board's seats are up every other year, beginning in February 2022. Polls stay open for nearly a month and voters can mail in ballots. Under the Commission's rule, 10 CSR 70-2.020, a candidate must be a land representative and a cooperator of the district, live in or own a farm in the area where a term is expiring, and be 18 or older. Voting is limited to landowners or their legal representatives, one vote per independent farm enterprise, and a legal representative needs a power of attorney that specifically authorizes voting in these elections. Districts are divided into four areas for identifying candidates.
Finding Your District
Go to mosoilandwater.land and select your county. The Department points landowners there for district contacts, election details and polling locations. Confirm your county's address and hours by phone before you visit.
How to Get Started
- Call your district office and describe the problem: a gully, a washed-out bank, overgrazed pasture or a muddy feedlot.
- Ask which of the roughly 50 cost-share practices might fit, and whether funds are available this year.
- Ask the district before you start building, so you know how reimbursement works.
- Ask your district when nominations open if you want to serve on the board.
Frequently Asked Questions
How many conservation districts does Missouri have?
114, one for each county.
Who pays for the cost-share program?
The Parks, Soils and Water Sales Tax, a one-tenth of one percent sales tax reapproved by voters in 2016.
Can I vote in a supervisor election?
Voting is limited to landowners or their legal representatives, one vote per independent farm enterprise.
Is conservation work mandatory?
No. The districts describe their conservation work as voluntary.
Missouri Listings Covered by This Guide
- Adair County USDA Service Center and Soil and Water Conservation District
Conservation field office for Adair County, Missouri, in Kirksville, where landowners go for NRCS cost-share programs and soil and water district help on erosion, grazing and cropland; office at 2410 S Franklin St.
2410 S Franklin St, Kirksville, MO | (660) 665-3274 - Andrew County USDA Service Center and Soil and Water Conservation District
Conservation field office for Andrew County, Missouri, in Savannah, where landowners go for NRCS cost-share programs and soil and water district help on erosion, grazing and cropland; office at 105 Hwy 71 W.
105 Hwy 71 W, Savannah, MO | (816) 324-3196 - Atchison County USDA Service Center and Soil and Water Conservation District
Conservation field office for Atchison County, Missouri, in Rock Port, where landowners go for NRCS cost-share programs and soil and water district help on erosion, grazing and cropland; office at 302 E Hwy 136.
302 E Hwy 136, Rock Port, MO | (660) 744-6201 - Audrain County USDA Service Center and Soil and Water Conservation District
Conservation field office for Audrain County, Missouri, in Mexico, where landowners go for NRCS cost-share programs and soil and water district help on erosion, grazing and cropland; office at 4619 S Clark.
4619 S Clark, Mexico, MO | (573) 581-5927 - Barry County USDA Service Center and Soil and Water Conservation District
Conservation field office for Barry County, Missouri, in Cassville, where landowners go for NRCS cost-share programs and soil and water district help on erosion, grazing and cropland; office at 74 S Main.
74 S Main, Cassville, MO | (417) 847-4309 - Barton County USDA Service Center and Soil and Water Conservation District
Conservation field office for Barton County, Missouri, in Lamar, where landowners go for NRCS cost-share programs and soil and water district help on erosion, grazing and cropland; office at 701 E 12th St.
701 E 12th St, Lamar, MO | (417) 682-3571 - Bates County USDA Service Center and Soil and Water Conservation District
Conservation field office for Bates County, Missouri, in Butler, where landowners go for NRCS cost-share programs and soil and water district help on erosion, grazing and cropland; office at 625 W Nursery.
625 W Nursery, Butler, MO | (660) 679-6124 - Benton County USDA Service Center and Soil and Water Conservation District
Conservation field office for Benton County, Missouri, in Lincoln, where landowners go for NRCS cost-share programs and soil and water district help on erosion, grazing and cropland; office at 535 N Hwy 65.
535 N Hwy 65, Lincoln, MO | (660) 547-2353 - Bollinger County USDA Service Center and Soil and Water Conservation District
Conservation field office for Bollinger County, Missouri, in Marble Hill, where landowners go for NRCS cost-share programs and soil and water district help on erosion, grazing and cropland; office at 406 E Main.
406 E Main, Marble Hill, MO | (573) 238-2671 - Boone County USDA Service Center and Soil and Water Conservation District
Conservation field office for Boone County, Missouri, in Columbia, where landowners go for NRCS cost-share programs and soil and water district help on erosion, grazing and cropland; office at 601 Business Loop 70 W, Ste 213E.
601 Business Loop 70 W, Ste 213E, Columbia, MO | (573) 875-5540 - Buchanan County USDA Service Center and Soil and Water Conservation District
Conservation field office for Buchanan County, Missouri, in St. Joseph, where landowners go for NRCS cost-share programs and soil and water district help on erosion, grazing and cropland; office at 3915 Oakland Ave, Ste 102.
3915 Oakland Ave, Ste 102, St. Joseph, MO | (816) 364-3662 - Butler County USDA Service Center and Soil and Water Conservation District
Conservation field office for Butler County, Missouri, in Poplar Bluff, where landowners go for NRCS cost-share programs and soil and water district help on erosion, grazing and cropland; office at 4327 Hwy 67 N.
4327 Hwy 67 N, Poplar Bluff, MO | (573) 785-6160 - Caldwell County USDA Service Center and Soil and Water Conservation District
Conservation field office for Caldwell County, Missouri, in Kingston, where landowners go for NRCS cost-share programs and soil and water district help on erosion, grazing and cropland; office at 23 W Main St.
23 W Main St, Kingston, MO | (816) 586-2061 - Callaway County USDA Service Center and Soil and Water Conservation District
Conservation field office for Callaway County, Missouri, in Fulton, where landowners go for NRCS cost-share programs and soil and water district help on erosion, grazing and cropland; office at 4549 State Rd H.
4549 State Rd H, Fulton, MO | (573) 592-1400 - Camden County USDA Service Center and Soil and Water Conservation District
Conservation field office for Camden County, Missouri, in Camdenton, where landowners go for NRCS cost-share programs and soil and water district help on erosion, grazing and cropland; office at 79 McCrory Dr.
79 McCrory Dr, Camdenton, MO | (573) 346-5125 - Cape Girardeau County USDA Service Center and Soil and Water Conservation District
Conservation field office for Cape Girardeau County, Missouri, in Jackson, where landowners go for NRCS cost-share programs and soil and water district help on erosion, grazing and cropland; office at 480 W Jackson Trails.
480 W Jackson Trails, Jackson, MO | (573) 243-1467 - Carroll County USDA Service Center and Soil and Water Conservation District
Conservation field office for Carroll County, Missouri, in Carrollton, where landowners go for NRCS cost-share programs and soil and water district help on erosion, grazing and cropland; office at 1405 Hwy 65 N, Ste C.
1405 Hwy 65 N, Ste C, Carrollton, MO | (660) 542-3361 - Carter County USDA Service Center and Soil and Water Conservation District
Conservation field office for Carter County, Missouri, in Ellsinore, where landowners go for NRCS cost-share programs and soil and water district help on erosion, grazing and cropland; office at 3 E Cleveland Ave, Ste A.
3 E Cleveland Ave, Ste A, Ellsinore, MO | (573) 322-0233 - Cass County USDA Service Center and Soil and Water Conservation District
Conservation field office for Cass County, Missouri, in Harrisonville, where landowners go for NRCS cost-share programs and soil and water district help on erosion, grazing and cropland; office at 1000 W Wall St.
1000 W Wall St, Harrisonville, MO | (816) 884-3391 - Cedar County USDA Service Center and Soil and Water Conservation District
Conservation field office for Cedar County, Missouri, in Stockton, where landowners go for NRCS cost-share programs and soil and water district help on erosion, grazing and cropland; office at 208 West St.
208 West St, Stockton, MO | (417) 276-3388 - Chariton County USDA Service Center and Soil and Water Conservation District
Conservation field office for Chariton County, Missouri, in Keytesville, where landowners go for NRCS cost-share programs and soil and water district help on erosion, grazing and cropland; office at 104 S JFK.
104 S JFK, Keytesville, MO | (660) 288-3279 - Christian County USDA Service Center and Soil and Water Conservation District
Conservation field office for Christian County, Missouri, in Ozark, where landowners go for NRCS cost-share programs and soil and water district help on erosion, grazing and cropland; office at 1786 S 16th Ave, Ste 102.
1786 S 16th Ave, Ste 102, Ozark, MO | (417) 581-2719 - Clark County USDA Service Center and Soil and Water Conservation District
Conservation field office for Clark County, Missouri, in Kahoka, where landowners go for NRCS cost-share programs and soil and water district help on erosion, grazing and cropland.
Kahoka, MO | (660) 727-2955 - Clay County USDA Service Center and Soil and Water Conservation District
Conservation field office for Clay County, Missouri, in Liberty, where landowners go for NRCS cost-share programs and soil and water district help on erosion, grazing and cropland; office at 1 Victory Dr, Ste 100.
1 Victory Dr, Ste 100, Liberty, MO | (816) 781-5580 - Clinton County USDA Service Center and Soil and Water Conservation District
Conservation field office for Clinton County, Missouri, in Plattsburg, where landowners go for NRCS cost-share programs and soil and water district help on erosion, grazing and cropland; office at 1800 W State Rt 116.
1800 W State Rt 116, Plattsburg, MO | (816) 539-3741 - Cole County USDA Service Center and Soil and Water Conservation District
Conservation field office for Cole County, Missouri, in Jefferson City, where landowners go for NRCS cost-share programs and soil and water district help on erosion, grazing and cropland; office at 1911 Boggs Creek Rd.
1911 Boggs Creek Rd, Jefferson City, MO | (573) 893-5188 - Cooper County USDA Service Center and Soil and Water Conservation District
Conservation field office for Cooper County, Missouri, in Boonville, where landowners go for NRCS cost-share programs and soil and water district help on erosion, grazing and cropland; office at 17066 Hwy 87.
17066 Hwy 87, Boonville, MO | (660) 882-6347 - Dade County USDA Service Center and Soil and Water Conservation District
Conservation field office for Dade County, Missouri, in Greenfield, where landowners go for NRCS cost-share programs and soil and water district help on erosion, grazing and cropland; office at 124 S Hwy 39.
124 S Hwy 39, Greenfield, MO | (417) 637-5993 - Dallas County USDA Service Center and Soil and Water Conservation District
Conservation field office for Dallas County, Missouri, in Buffalo, where landowners go for NRCS cost-share programs and soil and water district help on erosion, grazing and cropland; office at 1225 S Ash.
1225 S Ash, Buffalo, MO | (417) 345-2312 - Daviess County USDA Service Center and Soil and Water Conservation District
Conservation field office for Daviess County, Missouri, in Gallatin, where landowners go for NRCS cost-share programs and soil and water district help on erosion, grazing and cropland; office at 209 Ash St.
209 Ash St, Gallatin, MO | (660) 663-3703 - DeKalb Soil and Water Conservation District
Conservation district for DeKalb County that holds monthly public board meetings and an annual meeting recognizing outstanding agricultural producers.
1103 S. Polk Street, Maysville, MO 64469 | 816-449-2118 - Dent County Soil and Water Conservation District
Soil and water district office on E Scenic Rivers Blvd in Salem that gives Dent County landowners access to conservation cost-share programs.
1012 E. Scenic Rivers Blvd., Salem, MO 65560 | 573-729-4442 - Douglas County USDA Service Center and Soil and Water Conservation District
Conservation field office for Douglas County, Missouri, in Ava, where landowners go for NRCS cost-share programs and soil and water district help on erosion, grazing and cropland.
Ava, MO | (417) 683-4816 - Dunklin County USDA Service Center and Soil and Water Conservation District
Conservation field office for Dunklin County, Missouri, in Kennett, where landowners go for NRCS cost-share programs and soil and water district help on erosion, grazing and cropland; office at 704 N Bypass.
704 N Bypass, Kennett, MO | (573) 888-2480 - Franklin County USDA Service Center and Soil and Water Conservation District
Conservation field office for Franklin County, Missouri, in Union, where landowners go for NRCS cost-share programs and soil and water district help on erosion, grazing and cropland; office at 1004 Vondera Ave.
1004 Vondera Ave, Union, MO | (636) 583-2303 - Gasconade County USDA Service Center and Soil and Water Conservation District
Conservation field office for Gasconade County, Missouri, in Owensville, where landowners go for NRCS cost-share programs and soil and water district help on erosion, grazing and cropland; office at 316 S Olive.
316 S Olive, Owensville, MO | (573) 437-3478 - Gentry County USDA Service Center and Soil and Water Conservation District
Conservation field office for Gentry County, Missouri, in Albany, where landowners go for NRCS cost-share programs and soil and water district help on erosion, grazing and cropland; office at 512 E Hwy 136.
512 E Hwy 136, Albany, MO | (660) 726-5255 - Greene County USDA Service Center and Soil and Water Conservation District
Conservation field office for Greene County, Missouri, in Springfield, where landowners go for NRCS cost-share programs and soil and water district help on erosion, grazing and cropland; office at 688 S State Hwy B, Ste 100.
688 S State Hwy B, Ste 100, Springfield, MO | (417) 831-5246 - Grundy County USDA Service Center and Soil and Water Conservation District
Conservation field office for Grundy County, Missouri, in Trenton, where landowners go for NRCS cost-share programs and soil and water district help on erosion, grazing and cropland; office at 3415 Oklahoma Ave.
3415 Oklahoma Ave, Trenton, MO | (660) 359-5685 - Harrison Soil and Water Conservation District
Conservation district helping Harrison County landowners with erosion control practices, cost-share incentives and technical support.
1400 N. 41st St., Bethany, MO 64424 | 660-425-7655
Plus 52 more. Find yours on your county's page in the Missouri directory.
Guide checked Nov. 11, 2026. Rules and dates change; confirm with the organizer.