Gatesville native Colton Buckley named youngest USDA conservation chief

A Gatesville ranch kid now leads the federal agency that helps ranchers, farmers and landowners conserve water, soil and grass. Colton L. Buckley was named chief of the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s Natural Resources Conservation Service, becoming the youngest person ever to hold the job and the 19th chief in the agency’s 91-year history.

For Coryell County, the appointment carries a hometown weight that reaches well beyond Washington. Buckley was raised on his grandparents’ cattle ranch outside Gatesville, giving him the kind of firsthand experience local producers know well: balancing production, stewardship and the long-term health of working land. In a county where ranching remains part of the landscape and family land often spans generations, that background makes his rise to the top of NRCS especially notable.

NRCS works in every state and territory and operates a field-office network of about 3,000 offices that help farmers, ranchers and private forest landowners plan and carry out voluntary conservation activities. The agency’s programs can affect everything from grazing plans and soil health to water conservation and land management decisions, issues that matter directly to producers across Coryell County and Central Texas.

Buckley had already been serving as NRCS associate chief before the promotion, overseeing financial and technical assistance programs, management and strategy, science and technology, soil science and resource assessment, and partnerships. USDA said he previously served as NRCS chief of staff and as chief executive officer of the National Association of Resource Conservation and Development Councils. The National Grazing Lands Coalition said Buckley began working with NRCS in 2025, first as chief of staff and then as associate chief.

His path has also included national and local service outside the agency. Buckley earned a bachelor’s degree in agricultural services and development from Tarleton State University and a master’s degree in communication from Liberty University. USDA said his background includes work with conservation groups, rural economic development entities and multiple advisory boards, including the Texas A&M University System Board of Regents, where he served after an appointment by Gov. Rick Perry. A 2025 USDA release also listed service on the Texas Commissioner of Agriculture’s Advisory Council and the Workforce Solutions of West Central Texas Board of Directors.

Conservation groups welcomed the move. Pheasants Forever and Quail Forever said Buckley understands the connection between working lands and wildlife conservation. The National Grazing Lands Coalition called him an ally to grazing lands and producers. Under Secretary Richard Fordyce said Buckley has a record of connecting policy and field implementation in a way that delivers real results, and Buckley said his focus is to empower farmers and ranchers with practical, locally led conservation solutions.