The Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS), a division of the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA), is the agency responsible for identifying prime and unique soils in agriculture and other associated industries. Prime farmland is land that has the best combination of physical and chemical characteristics for producing food, feed, forage, fiber, and oilseed crops. The identification of such soils is crucial for ensuring that land development projects do not unnecessarily disturb valuable agricultural land.
LEED credits often require consultation with NRCS or its local equivalent to verify the presence of prime soils and to make informed decisions about land use.
References:
* LEED v4 for Neighborhood Development, Current Version
* LEED Reference Guide for Neighborhood Development