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Glossary Entries beginning with N

Glossary of Agricultural Production, Programs and Policy

4th Edition

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NAD
Also USDA NAD. See National Appeals Division (NAD).
See Also: 
National Appeals Division (NAD).  USDA NAD.  

NOAA weather radio (NWR)
A nationwide network of radio stations broadcasting continuous weather information direct from a nearby National Weather Service office. The NWR broadcasts National Weather Service warnings, watches, forecasts, and other hazard information 24 hours a day.

NPDES permit
A permit required by the Clean Water Act of 1972 that contains limits on what one can discharge into the water of the United States, monitoring and reporting requirements, and other provisions to ensure that a dischargedoes not hurt water quality or human health. See National Pollutant Discharge Elimination System (NPDES).
See Also: 
Clean Water Act of 1972.  discharge.  National Pollutant Discharge Elimination System (NPDES).  water of the United States.  

NRSP-7
See Minor-use animal drug program.

Named peril(s) insurance
A flexible coverage crop insurance product designed by the insured to protect crops from damaging weather conditions during the coverage period selected. Also Specified peril(s) insurance.
See Also: 
crop insurance.  Specified peril(s) insurance.  

National Advisory Committee on Meat and Poultry Inspection
Established to provide input to the Secretary of Agriculture on product standards, labeling changes, or on matters affecting federal and state inspection program activities. Other functions include reviewing initiatives, helping develop standard descriptive terminology, and recommending when the regulatory policies need to be reexamined.
See Also: 
inspection.  program.  

National Advisory Committee on Microbiological Criteria for Foods (NACMCF)
Co-sponsored by the Food Safety and Inspection Service, the Food and Drug Administration, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, the National Marine Fisheries Service, and the Department of Defense Veterinary Service Activity. It provides impartial, scientific advice to federal food safety agencies for use in the development of an integrated national food safety systems approach from farm to final consumption to assure the safety of domestic, imported, and exported foods.
See Also: 
Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.  farm.  Food and Drug Administration.  Food Safety and Inspection Service.  

National Advisory Council on Commodity Distribution
A 15-member council that advises the Secretary of Agriculture on the distribution of donated commodities to recipient agencies. It provides guidance on regulations and policy development on specifications. Authority for the Council expired on September 30, 1996.

National Advisory Council on Maternal, Infant and Fetal Nutrition
The USDA advisory council, authorized by the Child Nutrition Act of 1966 (Sec. 17), as amended, that is charged with making a continual study of the Women, Infants, and Children (WIC) program and related programs, such as the Commodity Supplemental Food Program, to determine how these programs may be improved. The Council is composed of 24 members of which 21 are authorized by the Child Nutrition Act of 1966; two additional members are authorized by the Anti-Drug Abuse Act of 1988, and one additional member is authorized by the Child Nutrition and WIC Reauthorization Act of 1989. The Council is required to report to the Congress and President every two years.
See Also: 
authorized.  Child Nutrition Act of 1966.  Child Nutrition and WIC Reauthorization Act of 1989.  Commodity Supplemental Food Program.  Women, Infants, and Children (WIC) program.  

National Ag Risk Education Library
A major component of the Risk Management Education Initiative. Its intent is to help both producersand agricultural professionals quickly locate information, tools, and assistance relevant to specific risk management topics. See Risk management education.
See Also: 
risk management.  Risk management education.  Risk Management Education Initiative.  

National Agricultural Library (NAL)
Established in 1862 as part of the USDA with the mission to "acquire and diffuse among the people of the U.S. useful information on subjects connected with agriculture and to procure and preserve all information concerning agriculture." The NAL, located in Beltsville, Maryland, with a collection of 3.5 million items on 48 miles of shelving and on-line access to over three million citations through the AGRICOLA system, is the largest agricultural library in the world, and one of four national libraries of the U.S.
See Also: 
AGRICOLA.  

National Agricultural Pesticide Impact Assessment Program (NAPIAP)
A program to provide management and coordination for USDA and state activity to support informed regulatory decisions concerning pesticides that significantly benefit U.S. food production. Under the Federal Insecticide, Fungicide, and Rodenticide Act, theEnvironmental Protection Agencyis required to refer to the USDA all proposed pesticide cancellation actions.
See Also: 
cancellation.  Environmental Protection Agency.  Federal Insecticide, Fungicide, and Rodenticide Act.  pesticide.  program.  

National Agricultural Research, Extension, Education, and Economics Advisory Board
As authorized by the National Agricultural Research, Extension, and Teaching Policy Act of 1977(Sec. 1408) through the Federal Agriculture Improvements and Reform Act of 1996 (Sec. 802) and reauthorized and amended by the Farm Security and Rural Investment Act of 2002 (Secs. 7133 and 7209), the Advisory Board is composed of 31 members appointed by the Secretary to advise the USDA and its land grant university partners on research,extension, education, and economics policies and priorities, and the effectiveness of those policies and priorities. The Farm Security and Rural Investment Act of 2002(Sec. 7209)increased the board from 30 to 31 members and designated that the new member shall represent a non-land grant college or university with a historic commitment to research in the food and agricultural sciences.
See Also: 
authorized.  extension.  Farm Security and Rural Investment Act of 2002.  food and agricultural sciences.  National Agricultural Research, Extension, and Teaching Policy Act of 1977.  

National Agricultural Research, Extension, and Teaching Policy Act Amendments of 1981 (P.L. 97-98)
Title XIV of the Agriculture and Food Act of 1981. The Act authorized the acquisition and improvement of research facilities and equipment, including agricultural libraries, for 1890 land grant colleges and universitiesand Tuskegee University.
See Also: 
1890 land grant colleges and universities.  Agriculture and Food Act of 1981.  authorized.  

National Agricultural Research, Extension, and Teaching Policy Act Amendments of 1985 (P.L. 99-198) (7 U.S.C. §§ 4701-4710)
Title XIV of the Food Security Act of 1985. Signed into law December 23, 1985. The Act authorized a greater agricultural information exchange with Ireland, additional research on overcomingtrade barriers, pesticide resistance research, an expanded study on agricultural education, and a human nutrition dietary assessment.
See Also: 
authorized.  pesticide resistance.  trade barriers.  

National Agricultural Research, Extension, and Teaching Policy Act of 1977 (NARETPA) (P.L. 95-113)
Title XIV of the Food and Agriculture Act of 1977. The Act made the USDA the lead federal agency for agricultural research,extension, and teaching programs. It also consolidated the funding for these programs.
See Also: 
extension.  Food and Agriculture Act of 1977.  

National Agricultural Statistics Service (NASS)
Through its Washington, D.C. office and 45 state statistical offices, this USDA agency publishes hundreds of reports each year detailing production and prospects for crops, livestock, dairy, and poultry. Other releases focus on stocks, prices, labor, weather, and chemical use. The information is geared towards producers for use in planning for planting, feeding, breeding, and marketing. The data are also used by agricultural organizations and businesses to determine demand for inputs, resources, transportation, and storage. Most estimates are based on information gathered from producers, grain elevators, hatcheries, and other agribusinesses. Beginning in 1997, the NASS is responsible for conducting the Census of Agriculture.
See Also: 
breeding.  Census of Agriculture.  grain.  livestock.  marketing.  poultry.  resources.  stocks.  storage.  

National Animal Damage Control Advisory Committee
See National Wildlife Services Advisory Committee.
See Also: 
National Wildlife Services Advisory Committee.  

National Animal Health Monitoring System (NAHMS)
An animal health monitoring system, established by Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service in 1990, to help government officials and industry organizations define public risks and identify research needs and to identify opportunities for producers and veterinarians to improve management and product quality.
See Also: 
Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service.  

National Appeals Division (NAD)
A division within the USDA established pursuant to the Department of Agriculture Reorganization Act of 1994 and subject only to the supervision of the Secretary of Agriculture. The NAD hears administrative appeals of adverse decisions made by the Farm Service Agency, Rural Development, Risk Management Agency, and Natural Resources and Conservation Service. Also USDA NAD.
See Also: 
Department of Agriculture Reorganization Act of 1994.  Farm Service Agency.  Risk Management Agency.  Rural Development.  USDA NAD.  

National Aquaculture Act of 1980 (P.L. 96-362) (16 U.S.C. §§ 2801 et seq.)
An act to promote and support the development of private aquaculture and to ensure coordination among the various federal agencies that have aquaculture programs and policies. It provided for a national aquaculture plan and authorized the creation of a National Aquaculture Information Center.
See Also: 
aquaculture.  authorized.  

National Association of Conservation Districts (NACD)
Formed in 1946 to unite conservation districts and their state associations into one voice to help develop national conservation policies, influence lawmakers, and build partnerships with other agencies and organizations. The NACD also provides services to its conservation district members to help them share conservationideas in order to better serve their local communities.
See Also: 
conservation.  conservation district.  

National Association of State Universities and Land-Grant Colleges (NASULGC)
The nation's oldest higher education association, founded in 1887. A voluntary association of public universities, land grant institutions, and many of the nation's public university systems, NASULGC campuses are located in all 50 states, the U.S. territories, and the District of Columbia. NASULGC is dedicated to supporting excellence in teaching, research, and public service. In 1963, the American Association of Land Grant Colleges and State Universities merged with the National Association of State Universities to create the association in its present configuration. As of September 2000, the association's membership stood at 211 institutions. This includes 75 land grant universities (of which 17 are the historically black public institutions created by the Second Morrill Act of 1890) and 28 public higher education systems. In addition, tribal colleges became land grant institutions in 1994, and 30 are represented in NASULGC through the membership of the American Indian Higher Education Consortium.
See Also: 
Second Morrill Act of 1890.  tribal colleges.  

National Association of Wheat Growers (NAWG)
Dedicated to growth and profitability of all segments of the wheat industry based on creation of expert knowledge processed from global information systems. This results in producers being fully engaged in the wheat chain, producing and marketing a versatile product, and being the global supplier of first choice of wheat-based products.
See Also: 
marketing.  

National Awards Program for Excellence in College and University Teaching in the Food and Agricultural Sciences
An annual Cooperative State Research, Education, and Extension Service program to honor two outstanding teachers nationally and two in each of four regions who teach in the areas of agriculture, forestry and natural resources, food and consumer sciences, or veterinary medicine. Award funds are to be used to strengthen instructional programs in the food and agricultural sciences.
See Also: 
Cooperative State Research, Education, and Extension Service.  food and agricultural sciences.  forestry.  program.  resources.  

National Bank for Cooperatives
See CoBank.
See Also: 
CoBank.  

National Board on Rural America
Under the Rural Strategic Investment Program, the board that will develop a national strategic investment plan, certify regional investment boards and approve their work, authorize grants from funds made available to the program, and report annually to the House and Senate. The Board will have 15 members including a USDA representative. Other members will represent nationally recognized entrepreneurship organizations, regional planning and development organizations, community-based organizations, the ruralphilanthropic community, Indian tribes, and elected members of county or state governments.
See Also: 
authorize.  program.  rural.  Rural Strategic Investment Program.  

National Boll Weevil Eradication Program
A federal-state-producer cost-share integrated pest management programdesigned to control cotton boll weevils which cause over $300 million in damages annually. Since its implementation by the Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service over 30 years ago, the programhas led to the eradication of boll weevils on 5.9 million acres in the U.S., mostly in the southeast and far west. Currently, 7.2 million acres are under active eradication in the mid-south. Another 9.7 million acres are undergoing eradication efforts. Total eradication is expected in early 2006.
See Also: 
Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service.  cost-share.  cotton.  producer.  program.  

National Broiler Council (NBC)
See National Chicken Council (NCC).
See Also: 
National Chicken Council (NCC).  

National Cattle Evaluation
Programs of cattle evaluation conducted by breed associations to genetically compare animals. Carefully conducted national cattle evaluation programs give unbiased estimates of expected progeny differences (EPD). Cattle evaluations are based on field data, and rely on information from the individual animal, relatives, and progeny to calculate EPDs.
See Also: 
breed.  progeny.  

National Cattlemen's Beef Association (NCBA)
Founded in 1898, with offices in Denver, Chicago, and Washington, D.C., the association represents 40,000 individual members, 46 state cattle associations, and 26 national breed organizations. The NCBA is a consumer-focused, producer- directed organization that coordinates state-national efforts to build demand for beef, works to advance the economic, political, and social interests of the U.S. cattle business, and is an advocate for the cattle industry's policy positions and economic interests.
See Also: 
breed.  

National Center of Excellence program (NCE)
One-year partnership agreements between eight rural institutions of higher education and the USDA. The NCE program focuses on economic opportunity, sustainable community development, community-based partnerships, and a strategic vision for change. The agreements support strong information sharing and technical assistance links between Empowerment Zone and Enterprise Communities, state USDA Rural Development field staff, colleges and universities, civic organizations, and other rural communities. Each NCE will receive $20,000 and the program will be administered through the Office of Community Development.
See Also: 
Empowerment Zone.  Office of Community Development.  program.  rural.  Rural Development.  sustainable.  technical assistance.  

National Cheese Exchange (NCE)
A spot market important to pricing 80 to 90 percent of wholesale cheese sales in the U.S. until 1997. The NCE price also served as a principal component for determining the basic formula price for milk sold under federal milk marketing orders. Since September 1, 1998, the NCE has been replaced by daily cheese trading on the Chicago Mercantile Exchange.
See Also: 
basic formula price.  Chicago Mercantile Exchange.  spot market.  

National Chicken Council (NCC)
Represents the companies that produce, process, and market chickens and chicken products in the U.S. Member companies account for nearly 95 percent of the chicken sold in the country. The organization was formerly known as the National Broiler Council until its name change in 1999.
See Also: 
Broiler.  market.  process.  

National Commission on Small Farms
The 30-member USDA commission appointed by the Secretary of Agriculture, in July 1997, to examine the status of small farms in the U.S., and to determine a course of action for the USDA to recognize, respect, and respond to their needs. In January 1998 the Commission issued a report, A Time to Act, that contained 146 recommendations (based on written and spoken testimony from more than 600 people at seven public meetings held throughout the country) for things the USDA and Congress might do to assist small producers. The Commission's term expired in July 1999. See Advisory Committee on Small Farms, Assisting America's Small Farmers and Ranchers in the 21st Century, Small Farm Coordinators,Small Farms Council, and Small Farms Policy.
See Also: 
A Time to Act.  Advisory Committee on Small Farms.  Assisting America's Small Farmers and Ranchers in the 21st Century.  Small Farm Coordinators.  small farms.  Small Farms Policy.  

National Competitive Research Initiative
See National Research Initiative (competitive grants program) (NRI).
See Also: 
National Research Initiative (competitive grants program) (NRI).  

National Conference on Interstate Milk Shipments (NCIMS)
A cooperative program between the federal government, all 50 states and one territory, and the dairy industry that was first conceived in 1946 with the first conference held in 1950. The NCIMS is instrumental in developing sound and more uniform milk sanitation programs and a greater degree of reciprocity between states on acceptance of inspection and laboratory results.
See Also: 
program.  

National Conference on Rural America
Under the Rural Strategic Investment Program, a national conference is to be held sometime between November 1, 2002, and October 30, 2004, for the purpose of producing policy recommendations and integrative strategies for addressing the unique challenges facing the rural areas of the U.S. and for implementing a plan with outcome-based measurements. The conferees shall be chosen by the President and the House and Senate Agriculture Committees (one-third each), and members will be selected based upon diversity in expertise, race, ethnicity, and language. The conferees will submit a report to the President with findings and recommendations addressing telecommunications, health, transportation, economic diversification and innovation, human resources, financing and capital, and public-private collaborations.
See Also: 
Rural Strategic Investment Program.  

National Conservation Buffer Initiative
A public-private partnership begun in 1997 with the goal of helping landowners install two million miles of conservation buffers. The initiative is a multiyear effort led by the Natural Resources Conservation Service in cooperation with other USDA agencies, state conservation agencies,conservation districts, agribusinesses, and agricultural and environmental organizations.
See Also: 
conservation.  Natural Resources Conservation Service.  

National Conservation Priority Area
A watershed, multi-state area, or region of specific environmental sensitivity designated by the Chief of the Natural Resources Conservation Service or Farm Service Agency Administrator.
See Also: 
Farm Service Agency.  Natural Resources Conservation Service.  

National Conservation Program
Through this program the Natural Resources Conservation Service assists states, local units of government, tribes, and other sponsoring organizations to address water-related and other natural resource issues, to conduct studies, to develop watershed plans, and to implement resource management systems. The program includes projects carried out under the Watershed Protection and Flood Prevention Act of 1954 and the 11 watersheds authorized under the Flood Control Act of 1944 (P.L. 78-534).
See Also: 
authorized.  Natural Resources Conservation Service.  program.  watershed plans.  Watershed Protection and Flood Prevention Act of 1954.  

National Corn Growers Association (NCGA)
The trade organization representing American corn growers. Nearly 30,000 corn growers from 47 states belong to the NCGA. A total of 25 state corn grower associations and 16 state corn boards, councils, and commissions are affiliated with the NCGA.

National Cotton Council of America (NCC)
Established to ensure the ability of all U.S. cotton industry segments to compete effectively and profitably in the raw cotton, oilseed, and U.S.-manufactured product markets at home and abroad. The Council's goal is to serve as the central forum for consensus-building among producers, ginners, warehousemen, merchants, cottonseed crushers, cooperatives, and textile manufacturers.
See Also: 
cotton.  cottonseed.  oilseed.  textile.  

National Council of Farmer Cooperatives (NCFC)
Established to protect the public policy environment in which producer-owned cooperative businesses operate, promote their economic well-being, and provide leadership in cooperative education. The NCFC remains the only organization serving exclusively America's producer-owned cooperative businesses.
See Also: 
cooperative.  producer.  

National Cropland Acreage (NCA)
As a concept for farm bill debates, each farm is assigned a nonspecific commodity base that would be the accumulation of all current farm acreage bases for each farm plus set-aside land. Producers would have the flexibility to plant whatever commodity they wished within the limits of the share of the NCA assigned to each farm. Conserving uses for set-asides would be required.
See Also: 
base.  commodity.  farm.  farm bill.  flexibility.  set-aside.  

National Dairy Market Loss payments
Under the Farm Security and Rural Investment Act of 2002 (Sec. 1502), a counter-cyclical program that pays producers in any month in which the Class I price at Boston falls below $16.94. If such an event occurs, producers in all states receive 45 percent of the difference between $16.94 per hundredweight and the Boston price. An operation may not receive payments on more than 2.4 million pounds of production in any fiscal year. The program is authorized until September 30, 2005. The program is more commonly known as the Milk Income Loss Contract Program.
See Also: 
authorized.  Boston price.  Class I price.  Farm Security and Rural Investment Act of 2002.  fiscal year.  hundredweight.  Milk Income Loss Contract Program.  program.  

National Dairy Promotion and Research Board
Established by the Dairy Production Stabilization Act of 1983 and composed of 36 members representing 13 dairy regions of the contiguous U.S. The board is authorized to administer a coordinated program of promotion, research, and nutrition education by designing programs to strengthen the dairy industry's position in domestic and foreign markets. The national program is financed by a mandatory 15-cents per hundredweight assessment on dairy products produced in the contiguous 48 states and marketed commercially by dairy producers. The Farm Security and Rural Investment Act of 2002 (Sec. 1505) authorized importer assessments and added two positions to the board to represent importer interests. The Act also provided for reapportionment of the board after three years to reflect the percentage of imported dairy products to total marketings. The Agricultural Marketing Service monitors the operation of the board. See Dairy Promotion and Research Program.
See Also: 
Agricultural Marketing Service.  authorized.  Dairy Production Stabilization Act of 1983.  dairy products.  Dairy Promotion and Research Program.  Farm Security and Rural Investment Act of 2002.  program.  

National Dairy Promotion and Research Program
See Dairy Promotion and Research Program.
See Also: 
Dairy Promotion and Research Program.  

National Drought Council (Interim)
The Interim Council, representing federal, state, and local interests, that constitutes a partnership dedicated to a more comprehensive, integrated, coordinated approach towards reducing the impacts of drought through better preparedness, monitoring and prediction, risk management, and response to drought emergencies in the U.S. The Interim Council will strive to cooperatively plan for and implement measures to coordinate drought programs and respond effectively, efficiently, and in a customer-oriented manner. The Interim Council was recommended by the National Drought Policy Commission'sreport, Preparing for Drought in the 21st Century.
See Also: 
risk management.  

National Drought Policy Act of 1998 (P.L.105-199)
See National Drought Policy Commission (NDPC).
See Also: 
National Drought Policy Commission.  

National Drought Policy Commission (NDPC)
With passage of the National Drought Policy Act of 1998, Congress established the National Drought Policy Commission composed of 15 members that represent all levels of government and other drought-impacted groups. Its charge was to provide advice and recommendations on the creation of an integrated, coordinated federal policy designed to prepare for and respond to serious drought emergencies. In May 2000, the Commission issued its final report, Preparing for Drought in the 21st Century - Report of the National Drought Policy Commission, which held that national drought policy should use the resources of the federal government to support but not supplant nor interfere with state, regional, local, tribal, and personal efforts to reduce drought impacts. The guiding principles of national drought policy should be (a) favor preparedness over insurance, insurance over relief, and incentives over regulation; (b) set research priorities based on the potential of the research results to reduce drought impacts; and (c) coordinate the delivery of federal services through cooperation and collaboration with nonfederal entities. See National Drought Council (Interim).
See Also: 
Drought Policy Commission.  National Drought Council (Interim).  National Drought Policy Act of 1998.  resources.  

National Environmental Policy Act of 1969 (NEPA) (P.L. 91-190) (42 U.S.C. §§ 4321-4347)
Signed into law January 1, 1970, and amended in 1975 and 1994. The Act declares it a national policy to encourage productive and enjoyable harmony between man and the environment, and promote efforts to better understand and prevent damage to ecological systems and natural resources important to the nation. Agencies are required to prepare a detailed environmental impact statement for any major federal action significantly affecting the environment. The Act also establishes the Council on Environmental Quality to review government policies and programs for conformity with NEPA.
See Also: 
environmental impact statement.  resources.  

National Farmers Organization (NFO)
A general farm organization located in 37 states, and active in negotiating contracts and sales for its members. The NFO was formed during the producers' protest movement in 1955.
See Also: 
general farm organization.  

National Farmers Union (NFU)
A general farm organization, formed in 1902, located in 19 states and representing 300,000 farm and ranch families.
See Also: 
farm.  general farm organization.  

National Fluid Milk Processor Promotion Board
Established by the Fluid Milk Promotion Act of 1990 to develop and administer a coordinated program of advertising and promotion to increase the demand for fluid milk products, and composed of 15 fluid milk processors from 15 geographic regions and five at-large members. The national program is financed by a mandatory 20-cent per hundredweight assessment on all fluid milk products processed and marketed commercially in consumer-type packages in the contiguous 48 states and the District of Columbia. Processors who commercially process and market less than 3 million pounds per month are exempt from assessments. The Agricultural Marketing Service oversees board operations.
See Also: 
Agricultural Marketing Service.  Fluid Milk Promotion Act of 1990.  market.  process.  processed.  program.  

National Food Service Management Institute (NFSMI)
Conducts activities to help improve the quality and general operation of the child nutrition programs. The NFSMI provides information, conducts applied research, and offers technical assistance, training, educational opportunities, and materials using appropriate technology.
See Also: 
applied research.  child nutrition.  technical assistance.  technology.  

National Forest Management Act of 1976 (P.L. 94-588)
Signed into law October 22, 1976. The National Forest Management Act (as amended) reorganized, expanded, and otherwise amended the management of renewable resources on national forest lands. The Act requires the Department of the Interior to assess forest lands, develop a management program based on multiple-use forestry, and implement a resource management plan for each unit of the National Forest System. It is the primary statute governing the administration of national forests.
See Also: 
Forest Management.  National Forest System.  program.  renewable resources.  resource management plan.  

National Forest System
The Forest Service manages public lands, known collectively as the National Forest System, located in 44 states, Puerto Rico, and the Virgin Islands. The lands comprise 8.5 percent of the total land area in the U.S. The National Forest System includes 155 national forests with 187 million acres (97.7 percent of the system), 20 national grasslands with four millionacres (2.0 percent), and 103 other units, such as land utilization projects, purchase units, and research and experimental areas, with 474,315 acres (0.2 percent). The National Forest System lands are concentrated in the West, but the Forest Service manages more federal land in the East than all other Federal agencies combined. The National Forest System units are arranged into nine administrative regions. The nine Regional Foresters report to the Deputy Chief for National Forest System, who (along with Deputy Chiefs for other branches) reports to the Chief of the Forest Service. In contrast to most other federal agencies, the Chief has traditionally been a career employee of the agency rather than a political appointee.
See Also: 
Forest Service.  National Forest.  utilization.  

National Forest-Dependent Rural Communities Economic Diversification Act of 1990 (P.L. 101-624) (7 U.S.C. §§ 6611 et seq.)
Title XXIII of theFood, Agriculture, Conservation, and Trade Act of 1990 authorizedproviding assistance to rural communities that are located in or near national forests and that are economically dependent on forest resources or are likely to be economically disadvantaged by federal or private sectorland management practices to diversify their economic bases and to improve their economic, social, and environmental well-being.
See Also: 
authorized.  Food, Agriculture, Conservation, and Trade Act of 1990.  resources.  

National Forest-dependent rural community(ies)
Any rural communityin which at least 15 percent of the total primary and secondary labor and proprietor income is derived fromforestry, wood products, and forest-related industries such as recreation, forage production, and tourism, and that is located within the boundary or within 100 miles of the boundary of a national forest.
See Also: 
forage.  forestry.  national forest.  rural community.  

National Genetics Resources Advisory Council
Authorized by the Food, Agriculture, Conservation, and Trade Act of 1990 (Sec. 1634) and reauthorized by the Farm Security and Rural Investment Act of 2002 (Sec. 7118). The Council advises the Secretary of Agriculture and the Director of the National Genetics Resources Program regarding policies and operations of the National Genetics Resources Program including coordination of plant and animal genome and germplasm programs, policies on critical research, and policies on the integration of genomics and biotechnology.
See Also: 
Authorized.  biotechnology.  Farm Security and Rural Investment Act of 2002.  Food, Agriculture, Conservation, and Trade Act of 1990.  genome.  genomics.  National Genetics.  National Genetics Resources Program.  plant.  Program.  Resources.  

National Genetics Resources Program (NGRP)
The program authorized by the Food, Agriculture, Conservation, and Trade Act of 1990 (Secs. 1632-1635) and reauthorized by the Farm Security and Rural Investment Act of 2002 (Sec. 7118) to acquire, characterize, preserve, document, and distribute to scientists the germplasm of all life forms important for food and agricultural production. See National Genetics Resources Advisory Council.
See Also: 
authorized.  Farm Security and Rural Investment Act of 2002.  Food, Agriculture, Conservation, and Trade Act of 1990.  National Genetics Resources Advisory Council.  

National Grange
Organized in 1867 to assist producers whose livelihood had been destroyed by the War Between the States. It is the nation's oldest agricultural fraternity, with units in 3,600 local communities in 37 states. Also Patrons of Husbandry.
See Also: 
Patrons of Husbandry.  

National List
See National List of Allowed Synthetic and Prohibited Non-Synthetic Substances.
See Also: 
National List of Allowed.  

National List of Allowed Synthetic and Prohibited Non-Synthetic Substances
Known commonly as the National List, it identifies specific substances, including synthetic and natural substances, that may or may not be used for organic farmingand handling. See National Organic Program, Organic certification, and Organic farming. Also National List of Allowed and Prohibited Substances.
See Also: 
handling.  National List.  National List of Allowed and Prohibited Substances.  National Organic Program.  Organic certification.  Organic farming.  

National List of Allowed and Prohibited Substances
See National List of Allowed Synthetic and Prohibited Non-Synthetic Substances.
See Also: 
National List of Allowed.  

National Milk Producers Federation (NMPF)
A commodity organization representing most of the nation's dairy marketing cooperatives. The NMPF provides a forum through which dairy producers and their cooperatives formulate policy on national issues that effect milk production and marketing. The work of the NMPF is aimed at improving the economic well-being of dairy producers, thus assuring the nation's consumers an adequate supply of pure, wholesome milk and dairy products.
See Also: 
dairy products.  marketing.  

National Nutrition Monitoring Advisory Council
Provided scientific and technical advice to the Secretaries of Agriculture and Health and Human Services on national nutrition monitoring including the survey of food intakes by individuals. The Council has been discontinued.

National Nutrition Monitoring and Related Research Act of 1990 (P.L. 101-445)
Signed into law October 22, 1990. This Act was passed to strengthen national nutrition monitoring. It authorized development and implementation of a plan by the USDA and the Department of Health and Human Services to assess the dietary and nutritional status of the U.S. population, to support research and development of nutrition monitoring, to foster national nutrition education, and to establish dietary guidelines.
See Also: 
authorized.  dietary guidelines.  

National Office of Outreach
See Office of Outreach.
See Also: 
Office of Outreach.  

National Organic Certification Cost-Share Program
A cost-share program authorized by the Farm Security and Rural Investment Act of 2002 (Sec. 10606) to provide up to 75 percent of the costs incurred by producers and handlers in obtaining organic certification.
See Also: 
Farm Security and Rural Investment Act of 2002.  organic certification.  

National Organic Program (NOP)
The Agricultural Marketing Service-administered program that establishes strict standards for organic certification and labeling. Any farm, wild crop harvesting, or handling operation that wants to sell an agricultural product as organically produced must adhere to the national organic standards. Handling operations includeprocessors and manufacturers of organic foods. These requirements include operating under an organic system plan approved by an accredited certifying agent and using materials in accordance with the National List of Allowed Synthetic and Prohibited Non-Synthetic Substances. The final rule for implementing the National Organic Program was published in December 2000 with full compliance required by October 2002. See Organic farming.
See Also: 
Agricultural Marketing Service.  agricultural product.  certifying agent.  farm.  handling.  National List of Allowed Synthetic and Prohibited Non-Synthetic Substances.  National Organic Program.  national organic standards.  organic certification.  Organic farming.  organic foods.  organically produced.  program.  

National Organic Standards Board (NOSB)
Established to provide recommendations to the Secretary of Agriculture on implementing Title XXI of the Food, Agriculture, Conservation, and Trade Act of 1990 which authorized a national organic farming program establishing national standards for the production and certification of organically produced foods. The 15-member board, first appointed in 1992, developed recommendations for establishing the National Organic Program. The board is expected to continue recommending refinements in the program and reviewing substances considered for organic farming and handling. The current board is comprised of four producers, two handlers/processors, one retailer, one scientist, three consumer/public interest advocates, three environmentalists, and one certifying agent.
See Also: 
authorized.  certifying agent.  Food, Agriculture, Conservation, and Trade Act of 1990.  handling.  National Organic Program.  organic farming.  organically produced.  program.  

National Partnership Office (NPO)
The administrative center of the National Rural Development Partnership (NRDP), housed within the USDA. The NPO provides the NRDP with oversight and programmatic and technical support. See National Rural Development Council (NRDC).
See Also: 
National Rural Development Council (NRDC).  National Rural Development Partnership (NRDP).  

National Pollutant Discharge Elimination System (NPDES)
The Clean Water Act of 1972 prohibits the discharging of pollutants through a point source into the water of the United States without a NPDES permit.
See Also: 
Clean Water Act of 1972.  NPDES permit.  point source.  water of the United States.  

National Pork Producers Council (NPPC)
One of the nation's largest livestock commodity organizations. It has 85,000 producer members in 44 affiliated state associations. Its mission is to enhance opportunities for the success of U.S. pork producers and other industry stakeholders by establishing the U.S. pork industry as a consistent and responsible supplier of high-quality pork to the domestic and world markets.
See Also: 
livestock.  producer.  

National Poultry Improvement Plan (NPIP)
A program that certifies poultry breeding stock and hatcheries are free from egg-transmitted and hatchery-disseminated diseases including Salmonella enteritidis.
See Also: 
breeding.  hatchery.  poultry.  program.  Salmonella enteritidis.  

National Research Initiative (competitive grants program) (NRI)
Initially funded in 1991, this federal-state partnership initiative administers agricultural research competitive grants designed to revitalize and strengthen basic research in the areas of plant systems, animal systems, nutrition, food quality, health, natural resources and the environment, engineering processes and value-added goods, and rural development, markets, and trade. The program was reauthorized in the Federal Agriculture Improvement and Reform Act of 1996 (Sec. 885) and the Farm Security and Rural Investment Act of 2002 (Sec. 7136). Also National Competitive Research Initiative.
See Also: 
authorized.  basic research.  Farm Security and Rural Investment Act of 2002.  Federal Agriculture Improvement and Reform Act of 1996.  National Competitive Research Initiative.  plant.  program.  resources.  rural development.  value-added.  

National Research Support Project No. 7 (NRSP-7)
Minor-use animal drug program.

National Research and Teaching Centennial Centers
See National Research and Training Virtual Center(s).
See Also: 
National Research and Training Virtual Center(s).  

National Research and Training Virtual Center(s)
Five national virtual centers for research and training located at 1890 land grant colleges and universities(or a consortia of such) that have the best demonstrable capacity to provide administrative leadership and can assure dissemination of information to agricultural producers. The mandated centers, which are eligible to receive grant funds under the National Agricultural Research, Extension, and Teaching Policy Act of 1977 (Sec. 1448( (7 U.S.C. § 3222c) are (a) a National Center for Goat Research and Training; (b) a National Center for Agricultural Engineering Development, Research, and Training; (c) a National Center for Water Quality and Agricultural Production Research and Training; (d) a National Center for Sustainable Agriculture Research and Training; and (e) a National Center for Domestic and International Trade and Development Research and Training. Such centers were formerly known as centennial centers.
See Also: 
1890 land grant.  eligible.  grant.  National Agricultural Research, Extension, and Teaching Policy Act of 1977.  Sustainable Agriculture.  

National Resources Inventory (NRI)
A series of inventories or surveys, conducted by the Natural Resources Conservation Service every five years, to assess the conditions and trends of the nation's soil and water-related resources on nonfederal lands These resources include land use and land cover, soil erosion, prime farmland, and wetlands. The NRI is being converted to an annual cycle.
See Also: 
cover.  Natural Resources Conservation Service.  prime farmland.  resources.  soil.  soil erosion.  wetlands.  

National Rural Development Council (NRDC)
Consists of senior program managers, representing over 40 federal agencies, as well as national representatives of public interest, community-based, and private-sector organizations. The NRDC provides guidance for the National Rural Development Partnershipand works on behalf of the State Rural Development Councils at the national level. See National Rural Development Partnership (NRDP).
See Also: 
National Rural Development Partnership.  National Rural Development Partnership (NRDP).  program.  State Rural Development Councils.  

National Rural Development Partnership (NRDP)
Works to strengthen rural America through collaborative partnerships. The NRDP brings together partners from local, state, tribal, and federal governments as well as from the for-profit and nonprofit private sector. The NRDP has three main components: (a) State Rural Development Councils, (b) National Rural Development Council, and (c) the National Partnership Office.
See Also: 
National Partnership Office.  National Rural Development Council.  rural.  State Rural Development Councils.  

National Rural Electric Cooperative Association (NRECA)
The national service organization that represents the national interests of consumer-owned cooperativeelectric utilities. The association is the liaison to Congress and the Executive Branch and represents the utilities in legal and regulatory proceedings affecting electric service and the environment. The NRECA also offers education and training programs for cooperative directors, managers, and employees; collaborative research to enhance the cooperatives' use of technology and insurance, employee benefits, and financial services; and technical advice and electrification assistance in developing countries around the world.
See Also: 
cooperative.  

National Rural Information Center Clearinghouse (7 U.S.C. § 3125b))
Created by the Food, Agriculture, Conservation, and Trade Act of 1990 (Sec. 2381) and reauthorized through FY2007 by the Farm Security and Rural Investment Act of 2002 (Sec. 7101). The Clearinghouse is established within the National Agricultural Library, in coordination with the Extension Service, to provide and distribute information and data to any industry, organization, or government entity about programs and services provided by federal, state, and local agencies and private nonprofit organizations and institutions on any kind of assistance including job training, education, health care, economic development assistance, and emotional and financial counseling to rural citizens or institutions or governmental agencies.
See Also: 
authorized.  Extension Service.  Farm Security and Rural Investment Act of 2002.  Food, Agriculture, Conservation, and Trade Act of 1990.  National Agricultural Library.  rural.  

National Rural Telework Institute
An institute authorized by the Farm Security and Rural Investment Act of 2002 (Sec. 6022) to support and encourage the development oftelework centers through research and development, outreach to rural communities and employers, sharing best practices, and establishing rural telework projects.
See Also: 
authorized.  Farm Security and Rural Investment Act of 2002.  rural telework.  telework centers.  

National Rural Utilities Cooperative Finance Corporation (CFC)
To finance its growing capital needs, the rural electric program began in the mid-1960s to seek alternative funding sources to supplement government lending. In 1967 the National Rural Electric Cooperative Association (NRECA) approved the creation of a not for profit financing institution that would be cooperatively owned byrural electric systems themselves. The CFC is a not-for-profit cooperative whose mission is to provide its member utility systems with an assured source of low-cost capital, state-of-the-art financial products, and business management services.
See Also: 
cooperative.  program.  rural.  Rural Electric Cooperative.  

National School Lunch Act (P.L. 79-396)
Signed into law June 4, 1946. The Act declared that as a measure of national security, to safeguard the health and well-being of the Nation's children, and to encourage the domestic consumption of nutritious agricultural commodities and other food, the federal government would assist the States, through grants-in aid and other means, in providing an adequate supply of food and other facilities for the establishment, maintenance, operation, and expansion of nonprofit school lunch programs. Funds were provided for food and equipment purchases and to cover administrative expenses. The Act, as amended, was renamed the Richard B. Russell National School Lunch Act in the Agriculture, Rural Development, Food and Drug Administration, and Related Agencies Appropriations Act, 2000 (Sec. 752).
See Also: 
Agriculture, Rural Development, Food and Drug Administration, and Related Agencies Appropriations Act, 2000.  Richard B. Russell National School Lunch Act.  

National School Lunch Program (NSLP)
The oldest and largest U.S. child-feeding program that provides financial and commodity assistance for meal service in public and nonprofit private high schools, grade schools, and under as well as public and private licensed nonprofit residential child-care institutions. All children may participate in the NSLP, which currently averages serving 25 million children each day. Based on household income poverty guidelines, a child may receive a free, reduced-price, or full-priced meal. Funds are made available by letters of credit to State agencies for use in reimbursing participating schools and other institutions. Also School Lunch Program.
See Also: 
commodity.  program.  School Lunch Program.  

National Science and Technology Council (NSTC)
Established by Executive Order on November 23, 1993 as a cabinet-level council that assists the President in coordinating science, space, and technology policies throughout the federal government. Membership consists of the President as chairman, the Vice President, the Assistant to the President for Science and Technology, cabinet secretaries, agency heads with significant science and technology responsibilities, and other White House officials.

National Sheep Industry Improvement Center
Established by the Federal Agriculture Improvements and Reform Act of 1996, the Center will promote activities to strengthen and enhance production and marketing of sheep and goat products in the U.S. The Center may provide loans or grants to eligible entities to assist the industry in infrastructure, resource, and business development, production, and market and environmental research.
See Also: 
eligible.  infrastructure.  market.  marketing.  

National Tobacco Growers' Settlement Trust
See Phase II.
See Also: 
Phase II.  

National Turkey Federation (NTF)
Headquartered in Washington, D.C., the federation is the national advocate for all segments of the turkey industry providing services and conducting activities which increase demand for its members' products. The NTF represents the industry in legislative and regulatory affairs, develops consumer education and information resources, publishes a range of communications materials on the latest industry issues and developments, and helps members with specific problems and crisis management.
See Also: 
resources.  

National Veterinary Services Laboratories (NVSL)
An Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service national laboratory providing veterinary diagnostic, laboratory support, and reference services related to domestic and foreign livestock and poultry diseases for programs including the National Animal Health Monitoring System and the National Poultry Improvement Plan.
See Also: 
Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service.  livestock.  National Animal Health Monitoring System.  National Poultry Improvement Plan.  poultry.  

National Water Quality Inventory
A report prepared every two years, under authority of the Clean Water Act of 1972 (Section 305(b)), that summarizes state reports of impairment to their water bodies and the suspected sources of those impairments.
See Also: 
Clean Water Act of 1972.  

National Wetlands Inventory (NWI)
The Fish and Wildlife Service was mandated by Congress to complete wetlands and deepwater habitats mapping of the conterminous U.S. by 1998 and to produce a wetlands digital database for all 50 states by 2004. To date, 90 percent of the lower 48 states and 34 percent of Alaska have been mapped. The data provide consultants, planners, and resource managers with information on wetland location and type.
See Also: 
Fish and Wildlife Service.  wetland.  wetlands.  

National Wildlife Services Advisory Committee
Formerly known as the National Animal Damage Control Advisory Committee. The Committee provides advice to the Secretary of Agriculture concerning policies, program issues, and research needed to conduct the Wildlife Services program. The Committee also serves as a public forum enabling those affected by the WS program to have a voice in the program's policies.
See Also: 
National Animal Damage Control Advisory Committee.  program.  Wildlife Services.  

National Wool Act Amendments of 1993 (P.L. 103-130)
Signed into law November 1, 1993. The Act provided for the phasing out of the wool and mohair programsover the 1994 and 1995 marketing years and repealed the National Wool Act of 1954, effective December 31, 1995.
See Also: 
mohair.  National Wool Act of 1954.  wool.  

National Wool Act of 1954 (P.L. 83-690)
Signed into law August 28, 1954. Found in Title VII of the Agricultural Act of 1954, the Act provided for a new price-support program for wool and mohair to encourage a certain level of domestic production (set at 300 million pounds for 1955).
See Also: 
Agricultural Act of 1954.  mohair.  price-support program.  wool.  

National average loan rate(s)
The average national loan rates for marketing assistance loans (as opposed to loan rates by class) for covered commodities and peanuts that are used to compute counter-cyclical payments. Under theFarm Security and Rural Investment Act of 2002 (Sec. 1202(a)), the national average loan rate is set by statute for eligible loan commodities. Other oilseeds have differentiated loan rates instead of a single rate for minor oilseeds as under the previous farm bill.
See Also: 
farm bill.  Farm Security and Rural Investment Act of 2002.  loan rate.  minor oilseeds.  Other oilseeds.  

National average market price
Under former farm bills, the average market prices for program crops that were compared to statutorily established target prices to determine the availability of deficiency payments. Under the Farm Security and Rural Investment Act of 2002, the average market price for covered commodities using a national 12-month marketing year average in order to calculate the availability of counter-cyclical payments.
See Also: 
Farm Security and Rural Investment Act of 2002.  market price.  marketing year.  

National average yield
Generally, on a national basis, an average yield peracre of a commodity during either five or ten calendar years preceding the year in which such average yield is determined, adjusted for abnormal weather conditions and trends in yields.
See Also: 
acre.  commodity.  

National basic quota (tobacco)
The division of the basic quota by type of tobacco according to the amount of quota owned by each producer.
See Also: 
basic quota.  producer.  quota.  tobacco.  

National charter
A proposed charter to allow a Farm Credit Systemdirect lender association to expand its lending and related services activities beyond its current boundaries except in certain exempted territory. Even if a particular association did not apply for a national charter, its territory would be included in the charter of other System associations that received a national charter (except for exempt institutions for which consent was required). With a charter, a direct lender association could offer all lending and related services authorized by statute and regulations within its national charter territory. The Farm Credit Administration abandoned the proposal in October 2001.
See Also: 
authorized.  Farm Credit Administration.  Farm Credit System.  System.  

National farm program acreage
The number of harvested acres of feed grains, wheat, upland cotton, and rice needed nationally to meet domestic and export use and to accomplish any desired increase or decrease in carryover levels. Program acreage for an individual farm is based on that farm's share of the national farm program acreage.
See Also: 
acreage.  carryover.  export.  farm.  farm program acreage.  feed grains.  Program.  upland cotton.  

National forest(s)
A federal reservation (generally forest, range, or other wild land) that is administered by the Forest Service under a program of multiple-use and sustained yield for timber, range, catchment, wildlife, and outdoor recreational purposes.
See Also: 
Forest Service.  multiple-use.  program.  range.  

National grassland(s)
Land, mainly grass and shrub cover, administered by the Forest Service as part of the National Forest System for promotion of grassland agriculture, watersheds, grazing wildlife, and recreation.
See Also: 
cover.  Forest Service.  grassland.  grazing.  National Forest.  

National initiatives (Extension)
The response of the Cooperative Extension System to important problems of broad national concern. Additional resources through Smith-Lever 3(d) funding is provided toSystem units to allow the units to significantly increase their efforts in the priority areas. These areas include water quality; children, youth, and families at risk; waste management; sustainable agriculture; managing change in agriculture; food quality and safety; communities in economic transition; decisions for health; and the plight of young children.
See Also: 
Cooperative Extension System.  resources.  Smith-Lever 3(d).  sustainable agriculture.  System.  

National marketing quota(s)
See Marketing quota(s).
See Also: 
Marketing quota(s).  

National organic standards
Under the National Organic Program, standards that address the methods, practices, and substances used in producing and handling crops, livestock, and processed agricultural products. The requirements apply to the way the product is created, not to measurable properties of the product itself. Although specific practices and materials used by organic operations may vary, the standards require every aspect of organic production and handling to comply with the provisions of the Organic Foods Production Act. Organically produced food cannot be produced using excluded methods, sewage sludge, or ionizing radiation.
See Also: 
handling.  livestock.  National Organic Program.  organic.  Organic Foods Production Act.  Organically produced.  

National poundage quota
Under the former peanut program, the USDA estimated the quantity of peanuts needed to meet domestic edible use (except seed) and related uses. The national poundage quota restricted the amount of production eligible for the higher of the two-tiered price-support loans. See Farm poundage quota(s) (peanuts).
See Also: 
eligible.  Farm poundage quota(s) (peanuts).  poundage quota.  

National treatment
A form of nondiscrimination in trade that requires that once goods have entered into a market, they must be treated no less favorably than equivalent domestically produced goods.
See Also: 
market.  

Nationwide permit(s)
The blanket authorization by the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers permitting routine or minor activities that have minimal impacts on the aquatic environment to take place in wetlands.
See Also: 
authorization.  wetlands.  

Native American Institutions Endowment Fund
Authorized by theEquity in Educational Land Grant Status Act of 1994 and amended by the Farm Security and Rural Investment Act of 2002 (Sec. 7128). The Act provides the first installment into an endowment fund for thirty 1994 land grant colleges to enhance the educational opportunities for Native Americans. See 1994 Land grant colleges (institutions), and Tribal Colleges Education Equity Grants Program.
See Also: 
1994 land grant colleges.  1994 Land grant colleges (institutions).  Authorized.  Equity in Educational Land Grant Status Act of 1994.  Farm Security and Rural Investment Act of 2002.  Tribal Colleges Education Equity Grants Program.  

Native Latex Commercialization and Economic Development Act (P.L. 95-592) (7 U.S.C. §§ 178 et seq.)
Signed into law November 4, 1978. The Act authorized a program of research, development, and demonstration of guayule rubber production and manufacture as an economic development opportunity for the Southwestern States. The program was an attempt to lessen U.S. dependence on imports of natural latex. See Critical Agricultural Materials Act.
See Also: 
authorized.  Critical Agricultural Materials Act.  program.  

Native pasture
Pastureland that is used and managed primarily for the production of native plants for forage.
See Also: 
forage.  Pastureland.  

Native vegetation
Those plant species and communities that are endemic to a given area and that would normally be identified as occurring as a result of the natural vegetative process of the area.
See Also: 
plant.  species.  

Natural
A product, containing no artificial ingredient or added color, that is only minimally processed using aprocess that does not fundamentally alter the raw product.
See Also: 
process.  processed.  

Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS)
Successor to the Soil Conservation Service. Its mission is to help private landowners, communities, and governmental agencies effectively address natural resource management issues. The NRCS delivers technical assistance based on sound science and suited to specific needs andcost sharing and financial incentives in some cases. The NRCS works in partnership with local conservation districts and the Farm Service Agency. See Environmental Quality Incentives Program (EQIP), Farmland Protection Program (FPP), Grazing Lands Conservation Initiative (GLCI), Watershed Protection and Flood Prevention (Operations) Program, Wetlands Reserve Program (WRP), and Wildlife Habitat Incentives Program (WHIP).
See Also: 
Environmental Quality Incentives Program (EQIP).  Farm Service Agency.  Farmland Protection Program (FPP).  Grazing Lands Conservation Initiative (GLCI).  Soil Conservation Service.  technical assistance.  Wetlands Reserve Program (WRP).  Wildlife Habitat Incentives Program (WHIP).  

Natural Resources and Environment
The USDA mission area that includes the Forest Serviceand the Natural Resources Conservation Service.
See Also: 
Forest Service.  mission area.  Natural Resources Conservation Service.  

Natural farming
A farming method involving no tillage, no fertilizer, nopesticides, no weeding, no pruning, and minimal labor. The practice requires careful timing of seeding and careful combinations of plants (polyculture). Sometimes called "do-nothing farming."
See Also: 
fertilizer.  

Natural fermentation
See Fermentation.
See Also: 
Fermentation.  

Natural resource district
See Conservation district(s).
See Also: 
Conservation district(s).  

Natural resource management plans
See Conservation plan(s).
See Also: 
Conservation plan(s).  

Nature farming
Farming practices that focus on analyzing and building soil through the use of compost, green manure,mulch, and various other soil management techniques. Similar in many ways to organic farming, nature farming is most commonly practiced in North America and the Pacific Rim countries of Asia.
See Also: 
compost.  green manure.  mulch.  organic farming.  soil.  

Naval Stores Act (7 U.S.C. §§ 91-99)
Signed into law March 3, 1923. The Act established standards for naval stores.
See Also: 
naval stores.  

Naval stores
Spirits of turpentine and rosin. Turpentine is gum spirits made from gum of living trees and wood turpentine extracted or distilled from wood. Rosin is gum rosin and wood rosin that remain after the distillation of spirits of turpentine.

Necrosis
The death of cells or tissue due to disease, injury, exposure to chemical agents, or radiation.

Negotiable marketing certificate(s)
Marketing certificates that can be exchanged for cash or commodities. See Generic commodity certificate(s).
See Also: 
Generic commodity certificate(s).  Marketing.  

Negotiated purchase
In livestockpurchasing, a cash market or spot market purchase by a packer of livestock from a producer under which (a) the base price for the livestock is determined by seller-buyer interaction and agreement on a specific day, and (b) the livestock are scheduled for delivery to the packer not later than 14 days after the date on which the livestock are committed to the packer.
See Also: 
base price.  cash market.  delivery.  livestock.  packer.  producer.  spot market.  

Negotiated sale
In livestockpurchasing, a cash market or spot market sale by a producer of livestock to a packer under which (a) the base price for the livestock is determined by seller-buyer interaction and agreement on a specific day, and (b) the livestock are scheduled for delivery to the packer not later than 14 days after the date on which the livestock are committed to the packer.
See Also: 
base price.  cash market.  delivery.  livestock.  packer.  producer.  spot market.  

Nematicides
Substances used to kill parasitic worms, called nematodes, that are abundant in many soils. Many nematodes attack and destroy plant roots. See Nematodes.
See Also: 
plant.  

Nematode(s)
A microscopic soil worm that may attack roots or other structures of plants and cause extensive damage.
See Also: 
soil.  

Nematologist
One who studies nematodes.

Nep(s)
A small tangledfiber knot often caused by processing.
See Also: 
fiber.  processing.  

Nest-run eggs
Eggs that are packed as they come from the production facilities without having been washed, sized, and candled for quality; some checks, dirties, or other obvious undergrades may have been removed.

Nested
Any lot of tobacco that has been loaded, packed, or arranged so as to conceal tobacco of inferior grade, quality, or condition.
See Also: 
tobacco.  

Net Income Stabilization Account (NISA)
Afarm policy risk management option, proposed for the 1996farm bill, that was modeled after the Canadian program by which producers could contribute a portion of their farm sales to a fund that the government would match up to a set amount. Interest was to be earned on the account. Producers could withdraw funds from the account in years when farm income fell below a pre-specified trigger. See Farmer savings account(s).
See Also: 
farm.  farm bill.  farm income.  Farmer savings account(s).  program.  risk management.  

Net book premium
The total premium calculated for all eligible crop insurance contracts, less the administrative and operating subsidy, cancellations, and adjustments.
See Also: 
eligible.  subsidy.  

Net cash income
The gross cash income minus cash expenses. Many economists prefer this measure of farm income because it shows production agriculture's ability to handle cash flow. It has fewer estimated numbers and is fairly stable. It also avoids the adjustments in inventory values that can cause large swings in reported net farm income.
See Also: 
cash expenses.  cash flow.  farm income.  gross cash income.  net farm income.  

Net farm income
(1) A measurement of the profit or loss associated with a given year's production. It is an approximation of the net value of agricultural production, regardless of whether the commodities were sold, fed, or placed in inventory during the year. Net farm income equals the difference between gross farm income and total expenses. It includes nonmoney items such as depreciation, the consumption of farm-grown food, and the net imputed rental value of farm operator dwellings. Additions to inventory are treated as income. (2) The sum of all income minus expenses from the farm operation, including maintenance and depreciation of all buildings, machinery, and dwellings located on the farm. To derive this figure, gross income (income before expenses) is adjusted to account for net quantity changes in inventory and year-to-year carryover.
See Also: 
carryover.  depreciation.  farm.  farm income.  farm operator.  gross farm.  income.  

Net income
A measurement of the net return to unpaid labor, management, and equity capital. The primary difference between cash and accrual net income is that accrual income includes adjustments for changes in inventory and changes in accrual items such as prepaid expenses, accounts payable, and accounts receivable. Accrual net income more accurately reflects the profitability of a business over an accounting period. Also Accrual net income.
See Also: 
accrual net income.  

Net pen
A fish culture method utilizing cages made of netting. Net pens are used in waters from which cultured fish cannot be easily captured for harvest. Net pens take advantage of an existing water body's circulation to wash away wastes and bring fresh water to the fish or shellfish. See Cage(s)(ed), Pond(s), Raceway(s), and Recirculating systems.
See Also: 
Cage(s)(ed).  culture.  Recirculating systems.  

Net realized losses (reimbursements)
Action by the Congressional Appropriations committees, through current indefinite appropriations, to restore the Commodity Credit Corporationfor revolving fund losses.
See Also: 
Commodity Credit Corporation.  

Net value-added
The total value of the farm sector's output of goods and services less payments to other (nonfarm) sectors of the economy. It reflects production agriculture's addition to the national economic product. It also represents the sum of the economic returns to all the providers of factors of production: farm laborers, lenders, landlords, andfarm operators.
See Also: 
farm.  output.  

Net worth
The financial claim by owners on the total assets of a business; calculated as total assets less total liabilities equals net worth. Also called equity capital and ownership equity.

Network
A group of machines connected together to transmit information to one another. There are two kinds of networks: local networks and remote networks.

New crops
(1) A newly discovered generaor species. (2) Newly introduced cultivars of plants grown in earlier years but forgotten or without complete cultural information. (3) Plants that are cultivated in foreign countries but have not been introduced in the U.S. (4) Crops that can be produced with new productiontechnologies which can enhance crop quality and shorten the total production time.
See Also: 
genera.  species.  

New farm (tobacco)
A farm for which an acreage allotment or marketing quota is established for the current year from a national reserve that is set aside for such purpose from the national acreage allotment or national marketing quota established for the kind of tobacco in question.
See Also: 
acreage allotment.  farm.  marketing quota.  national marketing quota.  tobacco.  

New microorganisms
Microorganisms formed by combining genetic material from organisms in different genera.

New money
For credit institutions, new (not recurring) loan or lease business.
See Also: 
loan.  

Newcastle disease
A viral disease of poultry that causes respiratory problems and paralysis.
See Also: 
poultry.  

Newly industrialized country(ies) (NIC)
A country, previously considered less developed, that has achieved a significant level of economic development largely through heavy industrialization.

Niche market(ing) (grain)
See Identity-preserved specialty grain.
See Also: 
Identity-preserved specialty grain.  

Nitrate
A fertilizer made of potassium nitrate or sodium nitrate. Nitrate pollution, caused by the leaching of nitrates from agricultural chemicals and animal wastes, is a leading cause of groundwater contamination.
See Also: 
fertilizer.  groundwater.  

Nitrogen (N)
A chemical element essential to life and one of the primary plant nutrients. Animals get nitrogen from protein feeds; plants get it from soil; and some bacteria get it directly from the air. See Macronutrient(s).
See Also: 
feeds.  Macronutrient(s).  plant.  protein.  soil.  

Nitrogen fixation
(1) The chemical transformation of atmospheric nitrogen (N2) into forms available to plants for growth. Certain species of symbiotic and free-living bacteria can accomplish nitrogen fixation. The more efficient forms are symbiotic with plants, where a food supply and a protected environment are provided to the bacteria within root nodules. The bacteria, in turn, supply fixed nitrogen to the plant. Strains of the genus Rhizihium are the symbiotic, nitrogen-fixing bacteria that associate with leguminous crops such as beans, clover, and alfalfa. Seeds of leguminous crops are often inoculated with a slurry of Rhizobium spores to promote nitrogen fixation by the crop. (2) The conversion of elemental nitrogen (N2) from the atmosphere to organic combinations or to forms readily utilizable in biological processes. Symbiotic fixation is accomplished by nodule bacteria in legumes, by other microorganisms in certain nodulated non-legumes, and by blue-green algae in some lichens.
See Also: 
alfalfa.  fixing.  genus.  nitrogen.  organic.  plant.  species.  

No Observable (Adverse) Effect Level (NOEL/NOAEL)
The highest dose of a chemical that does not produce a measurable (adverse) health effect on a laboratory animal. See Lowest Observable (Adverse) Effect Level (LOEL/LOAEL).
See Also: 
Lowest Observable (Adverse) Effect Level (LOEL/LOAEL).  

No-Net-Cost Tobacco Program Act of 1982 (P.L. 97-218)
This law required that to be eligible for price-supports, producers of all kinds of tobacco, beginning with the 1982 crop, had to contribute to a fund or pay assessments to an account established by the cooperative association that makes federal price-support loans available to producers. The funds are collected to cover potential losses in operating the tobacco price-support program. See Tobacco loan,and Tobacco (price-support) program.
See Also: 
cooperative.  eligible.  tobacco.  Tobacco (price-support) program.  Tobacco loan.  

No-cost (sugar)
As a requirement under the Farm Security and Rural Investment Act of 2002, to the maximum extent possible, the sugar program will be operated at no cost to the federal government through avoiding forfeitures of nonrecourse loans to the Commodity Credit Corporation. Processorsmay obtain raw cane sugar and refined beet sugar from the CCC in exchange for reducing production of the same. Another tool for reducing costs is the use of flexible marketing allotments. See No-net-cost.
See Also: 
beet sugar.  CCC.  Commodity Credit Corporation.  Farm Security and Rural Investment Act of 2002.  No-net-cost.  raw cane sugar.  

No-net-cost
A program provision in which producers are assessed to finance the cost of the program. The U.S. tobacco program was designed to be a no-net-cost program to the federal government. See Assessment(s) (programs), No-cost (sugar), and No-net-cost programs.
See Also: 
Assessment(s) (programs).  No-cost (sugar).  No-net-cost.  program.  tobacco.  

No-net-cost programs
(1) A price-support program provision requiring the tobacco price-support program to be operated at no cost to the federal government. The No-Net-Cost Tobacco Program Act of 1982 required that to be eligible for price-supports, producers of all kinds of tobacco must pay assessments to cover potential losses in operating the price-support program. Since 1994, tobacco imports are also subject to assessments. (2) The Federal Agriculture Improvement and Reform Act of 1996 required that the peanut price-support program be a no-net-cost program. This was largely accomplished by the elimination of a mandated floor for the establishment of the annual farm poundage quota. The conversion of the peanut program with passage of the Farm Security and Rural Investment Act of 2002 eliminated the no-net-cost requirement. (3) Under the Federal Agriculture Improvement and Reform Act of 1996 mandate, the sugar program was to be operated so thatforfeitures of sugar to the Commodity Credit Corporationwould be avoided, but a specific "no cost" provision was repealed. The Farm Security and Rural Investment Act of 2002 included a "no-cost" requirement.
See Also: 
Commodity Credit Corporation.  eligible.  farm poundage quota.  Farm Security and Rural Investment Act of 2002.  Federal Agriculture Improvement and Reform Act of 1996.  no-cost.  No-Net-Cost Tobacco Program Act of 1982.  price-support program.  program.  tobacco.  

No-net-loss wetland(s) policy
A federal policy, first announced in 1985 by President Bush, to halt the decline of wetlands acreage in the U.S. President Clinton later modified the policy to include a short-term goal of no overall net loss of the nation's remaining wetlands resource base and a long-term goal of increasing the quality and quantity of the nation's wetlands. The George W. Bush administration reaffirmed its commitment to the policy in January 2003.
See Also: 
acreage.  wetlands.  

No-till
The soil is left undisturbed, except for nutrient injection, from harvest until planting. Planting or drilling is accomplished in a narrow seedbed or slot created by coulters, row cleaners, disk openers, in-row chisels, or roto-tillers. Weed control is accomplished primarily with herbicides. Cultivation may be used for emergency weed control. It is best suited for sloping lands that are highly erosive.
See Also: 
disk.  nutrient.  seedbed.  soil.  Weed.  

No-till fallow
A type of no-till system used on dryland areas. No-till fallow is most successful in summer rainfall areas. A major goal of fallowing is to recharge the soil profile with water so that the risk of failure for the next crop is greatly reduced. The potential benefits of no-till fallow, compared with other tillage systems, are more effective control of soil erosion, increased water storage, lower energy costs per unit of production, and higher crop yields. A major disadvantage of no-till fallow is its heavy use of herbicides for weed control. Sometimes referred to as chemical fallow.
See Also: 
chemical fallow.  dryland.  fallow.  No-till.  no-till fallow.  soil erosion.  soil profile.  weed.  

Noil
Short fibers removed during the combing process of yarn making.
See Also: 
combing.  process.  yarn.  

Nominal rate of interest
The actual rate of interest paid without any adjustment for inflation.

Nominal tariff rate
The rate of duty charged on the gross value of a given product.
See Also: 
duty.  

Non ambulatory disabled livestock
Livestock that cannot rise from a recumbent position or that cannot walk, including, but not limited to, those with broken appendages, severed tendons or ligaments, nerve paralysis, fractured vertebral column, or metabolic conditions. This includes livestock that are non ambulatory due to an acute injury en route to the slaughter facility as well as livestock that are non ambulatory due to an underlying pathological condition. See Downers.
See Also: 
Downers.  livestock.  

Non-ambulatory livestock
Any livestock that is unable to stand and walk unassisted. Also Down(ed) animals and Downers. See Non ambulatory disabled livestock.
See Also: 
Down(ed) animals.  Downers.  livestock.  Non ambulatory disabled livestock.  

Non-native species
See Exotic species.
See Also: 
Exotic species.  

Non-storage agricultural product
An agricultural product received temporarily into a warehouse for conditioning, transferring, or assembling for shipment, or lots of an agricultural product moving through a warehouse for current merchandising or milling use, against which no warehouse receipts are issued and no storage charges assessed.
See Also: 
agricultural product.  milling.  storage charges.  warehouse.  

Nonagricultural substance
A substance that is not a product of agriculture, such as a mineral or a bacterial culture, that is used as an ingredient in an agricultural product.
See Also: 
agricultural product.  ingredient.  

Nonbasic commodity(ies)
Crops for which the USDA has discretionary authority to provide price-support loans and that were not classified as basic commodities by the Agricultural Act of 1949. These crops included barley, oats, rye, grain sorghum, honey, sugar, soybeans, canola, rapeseed, flaxseed, sunflowerseed, mustard seed, seed cotton, milk, and milk products. Price-support loans for designated nonbasic commodities, such as soybeans, milk, tung nuts, sugarbeets, and sugarcane, are mandatory under permanent law.
See Also: 
Agricultural Act of 1949.  barley.  canola.  designated nonbasic commodities.  flaxseed.  grain sorghum.  mustard seed.  rapeseed.  rye.  seed cotton.  sunflowerseed.  

Noncompetitive imports
Coffee, cocoa, bananas, tea, rubber, and other commodities imported to the U.S. that do not compete against domestic production.

Nonconserving use
The planting of crops for purposes other than conserving uses on the base acres "retired" for purposes of price-support eligibility.
See Also: 
base acres.  price-support.  

Noncontract crops
Under provisions of the Federal Agriculture Improvement and Reform Act of 1996, oilseeds and extra-long staple cotton.
See Also: 
extra-long staple cotton.  Federal Agriculture Improvement and Reform Act of 1996.  oilseeds.  

Noncredit benefit(s)
Farm program payments, such as disaster payments and Conservation Reserve Program payments, that are not loans. Most non-credit benefits do not need to be repaid to USDA.
See Also: 
Conservation Reserve Program.  disaster payments.  Farm program.  payments.  

Nondegradation standard
Under the Conservation Security Program, the level of measures required to adequately protect and prevent degradation of one or more natural resources, as determined by theNatural Resources Conservation Service. See Conservation security contract(s),and Conservation security plan(s).
See Also: 
Conservation security contract(s).  Conservation security plan(s).  Conservation Security Program.  Natural Resources Conservation Service.  resources.  

Nonexclusive branded variety(ies)
SeeVariety release.
See Also: 
Variety release.  

Nonfarm income
Includes all income from nonfarm sources received by farm operator households. This excludes money earned from working for other producers.
See Also: 
farm.  farm operator.  

Nonfat dry milk (NFDM and NDM)
See Powder.
See Also: 
Powder.  

Nonfat milk solids; nonfat solids
See Solids-not-fat (SNF).
See Also: 
Solids-not-fat (SNF).  

Nonfat solids price
The price per pound that is the U.S. average National Agricultural Statistics Service nonfat dry milk survey price reported by the USDA for the month, less 14 cents, then multiplied by 0.99.
See Also: 
National Agricultural Statistics Service.  nonfat dry milk.  

Nonfed cattle
Cull cows and bulls sold for slaughter. The carcasses usually fall within the lower quality grades.

Nonforest land
Land that has never supported forests or land formerly forested where future forest use is precluded because of development for nonforest uses such as cropland, improved pasture, residential areas, and city parks.
See Also: 
cropland.  

Nongovernmental organization(s) (NGO)
Includes a wide range of local organizations in countries that are recipients of U.S. foreign assistance. NGOs are primarily religious, cultural, ethnic, profit-making, or political organizations that contribute directly to development, whether or not they are legal entities. An NGO may not be a state-dominated social, economic, or political development structure.

Nongrade standards
Examples are chemical composition, moisture content, and dockage. See Grades and standards.
See Also: 
dockage.  Grades and standards.  moisture content.  

Nonindigenous species