Delaney Johnson, State Soil Scientist
Delaney began his career with the USDA-Soil Conservation Service the summer of 1980 as a soil scientist- student trainee in Andalusia, Alabama. He worked two other summers, 1981 in Pell City, Alabama and 1982 in Union Springs, Alabama. Delaney started a full time career after graduating from Alabama A&U University in 1983 as a Soil Scientist at the Andalusia Soil Survey Office .He worked in several other soil offices while in Alabama. He was promoted and relocated to Mississippi in December of 1991 as Soil Survey Project Leader at the Escatawpa Soil Survey Office in Escatawpa (Moss Point), Mississippi. He was promoted and relocated to Vicksburg in March of 1996 as Soil Scientist on the Mississippi Delta Regional Wetlands Team staff. He was re-assigned to Assistant State Soil Scientist at the Jackson NRCS State Office in October of 2000, and was selected State Soil Scientist for Mississippi in September of 2009.
As State Soil Scientist, Delaney serves as the Program Manager for state functions of the Soil Survey Program (C0-02). Provide leadership for all technical soil science services and the integration of soils information into all Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS) programs (CTA and Farm Bills) in the state, including partnerships with other agencies and organizations, to ensure that management decisions are science based and technically appropriate. Responsible for utilizing appropriated funds for program activities in an efficient and cost-effective manner. Provide the state leadership role for interdisciplinary technical and resource application teams utilizing soils information. Direct the development of map products and data for resource assessments activities, assisting users in integrating soil data sets into environmental models through technology transfer of soils information. Develop and maintain technical guides (i.e. hydric soils list, HEL list, etc.), provide wetland and HEL determinations and compliance functions, and provide state level support for compliance appeals. The incumbent provides the lead role and technical guidance and support for the provisions of the Farmland Protection Policy Act. Provide State leadership and coordination of soils training for all disciplines in NRCS, state agencies, and other users of soil survey information in the state. Encourage NRCS front-line soils staff to educate others on the importance of soil surveys in land use planning and decision-making. Direct the dissemination of soil survey data to external and internal customers, obtain customer feedback, and incorporate into continuous improvement of the soils program in the state. Serves as the primary state soil contact and works with MLRA region and soil survey office leaders, NCSS cooperators, state agencies, units of government, and others as a member of the MLRA Management Teams within the state. Review and evaluate proposed projects from the Soil Survey offices (SSOs) for referral to the MLRA Office Board of Advisors for concurrence. Evaluate priorities, schedules, mapping intensity, data collection, and user needs, and determinations of the kinds of products to be produced within the MLRA to maintain quality soil surveys for all customers.
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