Salvador Salinas has been selected as Texas’ State Conservationist for the USDA-Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS) effective April 24, 2011.

Salinas will be responsible for NRCS operations in Texas, which includes 764 employees and 217 field offices throughout the state. NRCS is a federal agency that works with private landowners on conservation practices to improve and protect their soil, water and other natural resources.

“I am extremely honored to be selected as the state conservationist. We face challenging times ahead, and together we will continue to work hard to serve our customers with technical expertise on the land,” Salinas said.

Salinas was serving as Texas’ acting state conservationist. He succeeds Donald W. Gohmert who retired from NRCS in 2010 after serving 3 ½ years as state conservationist. Salinas also has served as Acting State Conservationist in Florida and Michigan, Assistant State Conservationist in Massachusetts and Texas, and Deputy State Conservationist in Texas.

He also has served on a two-year international assignment in Cuernavaca, Mexico, along with many details to NRCS national headquarters in Washington, D.C. He is currently serving in an advisory capacity to the National Grazing Lands Coalition.

Salvador, a native of Rio Grande City, Texas, started his career as a range conservationist with the Soil Conservation Service, now NRCS, in 1978.  He received his Bachelor of Science degree in range science from Texas A&M University in 1977. 

Salinas is Texas’ 12^thNRCS State Conservationist.