Habitat & Conservation  |  01/14/2025

Pheasants Forever and Quail Forever Sign Memorandum of Understanding with the U.S. Department of Agriculture


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Partnership maintains and enhances wildlife habitat conservation on private and public lands

Pheasants Forever (PF) and Quail Forever (QF) are proud to announce a new Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) with the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA). The MOU solidifies decades of partnership collaboration to mutually conserve quality wildlife habitat through 2029 via habitat management of grasslands and uplands, conservation program promotion, personnel training, and providing technical assistance to landowners. PF & QF will collaborate with USDA agencies, including the Forest Service (FS), Farm Service Agency (FSA) and Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS). 

“For many years, our partnership with the U.S. Department of Agriculture has been essential to working towards our mission goals,” said Pheasants Forever and Quail Forever’s President and CEO Marilyn Vetter. “I’m thrilled we will continue to collaborate on key initiatives for conservation programs across the nation – the importance of working together to deliver these programs on private and public lands can’t be overstated.”

As part of the MOU, the agencies will work together with PF & QF to increase working lands under conservation and habitat management. This includes implementing projects for pheasant, quail and other wildlife habitat conservation, providing technical assistance from biologists, delivering information and educational materials to landowners, collaborating on habitat and wildlife research, and developing habitat restoration and enhancement techniques. Both PF & QF and USDA will collaborate to recruit, educate, train and retain wildlife professionals who are imperative to successful conservation work across the country. 

“We know that agricultural producers and landowners play an important role in voluntary conservation of wildlife habitat and other natural resources, and we want to collectively provide as many tools as we can,” FSA Administrator Zach Ducheneaux said. “This continued partnership with Pheasants Forever enables us to continue supporting the conservation goals of producers through the Conservation Reserve Program, including our Grassland signup which has set records for participation in recent years.”  

“We’re grateful to maintain our work with Pheasants Forever to continue conserving our nation’s precious natural resources,” said Acting NRCS Chief Louis Aspey. “This partnership extends the reach of NRCS conservation programs, and it facilitates more boots on the ground to help farmers, ranchers and forest landowners plan and implement conservation practices.” 

“This agreement strengthens our enduring and productive collaboration with Pheasants Forever and Quail Forever,” stated Forest Service Chief Randy Moore. “Habitat for these vital species extends beyond the limits of our National Forests and Grasslands, and collaborating enables us to achieve our broader conservation objectives.”