AINSWORTH, Neb. - The Ainsworth field office of the Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS) is currently operating without any permanent federal employees, following federal-level cuts and policies. President Donald Trump ordered a 90-day government-wide hiring freeze on his first day in office. In addition, the Ainsworth office offboarded a contract employee due to contract cancellation at the national level.

To keep services running, staff from the Valentine NRCS field office have been rotating in to help with the workload and to train newer employees.

Acting District Conservationist JuliAnna Hinton shared the update during Monday’s Middle Niobrara Natural Resources District Board meeting. She told board members that they are now asking the NRD to consider funding an administrative staff position—either full or part-time—to help better serve landowners and customers in Brown County.