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Lydia Fitzgerald
Cropland Agronomist
Phone: 540-414-4089
lydia6@vt.edu
Matt Booher
Grassland Agronomist
Phone: 540-325-7503
mrbooher@vt.edu
Welcome. The Integrated Conservation Agronomy Team is a partnership between Virginia Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS) and Virginia Tech's School of Plant and Environmental Sciences. Our agronomists and farmer-advisors work throughout Virginia to enhance soil health, climate smart agricuture, conservation agronomy outreach, technical assistance, and implementation.
What Does the ICA Team Do?
ICA agronomists organize and teach staff trainings to develop proficiency in NRCS practice standards, site assessment, and soil health.
To-date over 500 NRCS and SWCD field staff across VA have benefited from trainings taught by the ICA team
ICA agronomists bring together scientific research and hands-on demonstrations to articulate soil health principles and train others to do so as well.
More than 400 participants from state and federal agencies, conservation organizations, and local farms have attended ICA-led soil health trainings
ICA collaborates with leading conservation partners to expand educational opportunities for experienced and beginner farmers across the state.
Partners, such as the Virginia Forage and Grassland Council & the Virginia No-till Alliance, depend on ICA agronomists to provide leadership and technical expertise.
The ICA project’s guiding principle is that an emphasis on the whole production system is key to maximizing soil health, agricultural productivity, and environmental sustainability.
ICA Farmer-Advisors serve as on-farm staff trainers, farmer mentors, and featured speakers at conferences and field events
Since 2021, our ICA farmer advisors have worked over 500 hours to help expand the reach and impact of the program
Our ICA Agronomists expand the reach of existing University outreach efforts and improve access to technical expertise for NRCS staff
ICA Agronomists provide technical support to over 200 producers and agency personnel annually.
ICA Agronomists and Farmer-Advisors
demonstrate & promote the
4 Principles of Soil Health.
If you have questions or would like to learn more about the
Integrated Conservation Agronomy (ICA) program, please contact us at:
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