Norman A. Berg Conservation Legacy Award Receipients

2003 - Dr. David Schertz
Dave Schertz was born in Bloomington, Illinois in 1945.  He received a B.S. Degree in Agriculture, 1968, from Illinois State University, an M.S. Degree in Agronomy, 1971, University of Illinois, and a Ph.D. in Agronomy, 1985, from Purdue University.

Dave has held several positions with the NRCS. He began his career at the field level working directly with farmers to help develope and implement conservation plans. He served in several technical positions at the state and national level (summarized below). He served as the National Agronomist in Washinton, DC, from 1986 to 2003. He retired from Federal service in early 2003.

He has worked closely over the years in erosion prediction technology and in developing standards for agronomic erosion control practices. In 1991-1993 he lead a marketing initiative related to crop residue management that helped farmers who farm highly erodible land achieve their conservation goals. He was also involved in another marketing activity called Core 4 Conservation. This activity emphasizes better soil, cleaner water, greater profits, and a brighter future through use of practices such as conservation tillage, nutrient and pest management, and conservation buffers.

He helped oversee the NRCS implementation of the Revised Universal Soil Loss Equation, Version 2 and the Wind Erosion Prediction System, Version 1.

He has had extensive experience in crop residue management and in working with numerous partners to help encourage adoption of conservationtillage practices. In 1996, he received the U.S. Department of Agriculture Honor Award for his leadership in reduction of soil erosion by increasing the adoption of conservation tillage nationwide and for his contributions to the improvement of erosion prediction equations.

He is a member of the American Society of Agronomy, Soil and Water Conservation Society, and the National Association of Conservation Districts.

Dr. Schertz is a Certified Crop Adviser through the International Certified Crop Adviser Program of the American Society of Agronomy, and serves as the NRC representative on the International Certified Crop Advisers Board of Directors. Dave plans to continue conservation work through the private sector.

Summary of positions held:
1986 to 2003 -- National Agronomist, Washington, DC
1983 to 1986 -- National Conservation Tillage Agronomist, Washington, DC
1980 to 1983 -- NRCS Liaison, National Soil Erosion Research Laboratory, Purdue University, W. Lafayette, Indiana
1979 to 1980 -- State Resource Conservationist, Champaign, Illinois
1977 to 1979 -- State Agronomist, Davis, California
1975 to 1977 -- Agronomist, Remote Sensing Team, Washington, DC
1972 to 1975 -- State Agronomist, Champaign, Illinois
1970 to 1972 -- District Conservationist, Decatur, Illinois
1969 to 1970 -- Soil Conservationist, Pekin, Ilinois