New assistant state conservationists for field operations announced in California

The USDA Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS), a federal agency providing conservation assistance to private landowners and tribes in California, announced Nov. 15 the appointment of Allen Curry as the new Assistant State Conservationist for Field Operations (ASTC-FO) in Salinas, California, and Johnnie Siliznoff as the new Assistant State Conservationist for Field Operations (ASTC-FO) in Fresno, California.

These are senior leadership positions within NRCS California and oversee the administration of offices and field operations in their assigned areas. The new leadership assignments begin on November 21, 2021.

“We are extremely pleased to welcome Curry and Siliznoff to our state executive leadership team in these pivotal roles,” says Carlos Suarez, State Conservationist for NRCS in California. “Private landowners and conservationist partners across California rely on the collaborative and strategic implementation of our voluntary, science-based Farm Bill conservation programs to help address some of our State’s toughest challenges such as drought resiliency, soil and forest health, urban conservation farming, and water quality and quantity issues.”

Curry and Siliznoff will work with NRCS employees and partners to provide leadership in coordinating, directing, and evaluating conservation programs in the 2018 Farm Bill. These include the Environmental Quality Incentives Program (EQIP); Conservation Stewardship Program (CSP); Regional Conservation Partnership Program (RCPP); Conservation Innovation Grants (CIG); Agricultural Land Easements (ALE), which covers both farmland and wetland protection easements; and Conservation Technical Assistance (CTA), which is technical expertise and planning assistance provided to private land users to help address conservation opportunities and concerns and make sound natural resource management decisions.

Allen Curry is currently the district conservationist in Indio, California.  He has worked in several field and area leadership positions in Mississippi and California, including soil scientist, local soil conservationist, and area Resource Soil Scientist. Curry is a native of Port Gibson, Mississippi, and holds a Bachelor of Science degree in Plant and Soil Science from Alcorn State University.

Johnnie Siliznoff is currently the acting district conservationist in Fresno and was previously the district conservationist in Madera.  He has served as the Central Valley Air Quality Specialist and has extensive experience serving in several technical and leadership positions in California the West National Technology Support Center, and National Headquarters. Siliznoff is a graduate of California State University-Fresno with a degree in Agriculture Science and has a California Pest Control Advisors license.

NRCS is a federal agency that works in partnership with resource conservation districts and other agricultural, conservation and educational groups. With the charge of “Helping People Help the Land,” NRCS provides funding and services that enable people to be good stewards of the nation’s soil, water, and related natural resources on non-federal lands. You can find out more about NRCS at www.ca.nrcs.usda.gov.