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MAIN NAVIGATION

 * Conservation Basics
   Conserving our natural resources is a vital part of creating and maintaining
   healthy ecosystems on our nation’s lands.
   View All Conservation Basics
   Natural Resource Concerns
    * Soil
      
    * Water
      
    * Plants
      
    * Animals
      
    * Land
    * Air
      
    * Energy
      
    * Climate
      
    * Wildlife Habitat
      
    * Invasive Species and Pests
      
   
   View All Natural Resource Concerns
   Conservation By State
    * State Technical Committees
      Every state has an NRCS State Technical Committee. The State Technical
      Committee advises the State Conservationist on technical guidelines
      necessary to implement the conservation provisions of the Farm Bill.
    * Conservation by State
      Learn about the conservation needs and latest updates in your state, and
      access needed resources.
    * State Offices
      Find contact information for your state office location and employees.
   
    * Soil
      
    * Water
      
    * Plants
      
    * Animals
      
    * Land
    * Air
      
    * Energy
      
    * Climate
      
    * Wildlife Habitat
      
    * Invasive Species and Pests
      
   
   View All Natural Resource Concerns
    * State Technical Committees
      Every state has an NRCS State Technical Committee. The State Technical
      Committee advises the State Conservationist on technical guidelines
      necessary to implement the conservation provisions of the Farm Bill.
    * Conservation by State
      Learn about the conservation needs and latest updates in your state, and
      access needed resources.
    * State Offices
      Find contact information for your state office location and employees.
   
   Featured
   
   
   SOIL SCIENCE
   
   NRCS delivers science-based soil information to help farmers, ranchers,
   foresters, and other land managers effectively manage, conserve, and appraise
   their most valuable investment — the soil.

 * Getting Assistance
   For over 80 years, we’ve helped America’s farmers, ranchers, and landowners
   conserve our nation’s resources through our voluntary programs and
   science-based solutions.
   View All Getting Assistance
   Technical Help
    * Conservation Technical Assistance
      Helps producers identify conservation objectives and a roadmap for
      conservation on their operation.
    * Conservation Concerns Tool
      Use this tool to learn about natural resource concerns that may impact
      your ag operation (farmers.gov).
    * Engineering
      NRCS applies sound engineering tools and principles to plan, design, and
      implement conservation practices and systems through delegated approval
      authority.
    * Technical Service Providers
      Technical service providers offer planning, design, and implementation
      services to agricultural producers on behalf of NRCS.
   
   Financial Help
    * Act Now
      Enables states to pre-approve applications when they meet or exceed a
      state's pre-determined minimum ranking score.
    * Applications and Forms
      Find more information on how to apply for NRCS conservation programs.
    * How to Apply
      Follow our step-by-step process to get started making improvements on your
      land with our one-on-one conservation assistance.
    * Payment Schedules
      Review the amount and availability of financial assistance for selected
      conservation practices in your state.
    * Ranking Dates
      Applications for NRCS conservation programs are ranked and funded at key
      times throughout the year.
   
   Compliance and Cultural Resources
    * Conservation Compliance: Wetlands and Highly Erodible Land Provisions
      To maintain eligibility for most USDA programs, producers must comply with
      wetland conservation provisions.
    * Cultural Resources
      NRCS programs are administered following the National Historic
      Preservation Act and other laws.
    * Environmental Compliance
      NRCS programs are administered following the National Environmental Policy
      Act.
   
   Other Topics
    * Disaster Recovery
      NRCS can help ag producers and communities recover when natural disasters
      strike.
    * Underserved Communities
      Farm Bill special provisions provide incentives and address unique
      circumstances of historically underserved producers.
    * Nutrient Management
      This practice helps producers reduce input costs, maximize yields, and
      efficiently manage nutrients.
      
      
    * Organic Agriculture
      Conservation and organics go hand-in-hand, and NRCS offers tools for
      organic farmers to improve their operations.
    * Urban Agriculture
      Conservation assistance is available for urban farmers, including high
      tunnels, soil health practices, composting and irrigation.
   
    * Conservation Technical Assistance
      Helps producers identify conservation objectives and a roadmap for
      conservation on their operation.
    * Conservation Concerns Tool
      Use this tool to learn about natural resource concerns that may impact
      your ag operation (farmers.gov).
    * Engineering
      NRCS applies sound engineering tools and principles to plan, design, and
      implement conservation practices and systems through delegated approval
      authority.
    * Technical Service Providers
      Technical service providers offer planning, design, and implementation
      services to agricultural producers on behalf of NRCS.
   
    * Act Now
      Enables states to pre-approve applications when they meet or exceed a
      state's pre-determined minimum ranking score.
    * Applications and Forms
      Find more information on how to apply for NRCS conservation programs.
    * How to Apply
      Follow our step-by-step process to get started making improvements on your
      land with our one-on-one conservation assistance.
    * Payment Schedules
      Review the amount and availability of financial assistance for selected
      conservation practices in your state.
    * Ranking Dates
      Applications for NRCS conservation programs are ranked and funded at key
      times throughout the year.
   
    * Conservation Compliance: Wetlands and Highly Erodible Land Provisions
      To maintain eligibility for most USDA programs, producers must comply with
      wetland conservation provisions.
    * Cultural Resources
      NRCS programs are administered following the National Historic
      Preservation Act and other laws.
    * Environmental Compliance
      NRCS programs are administered following the National Environmental Policy
      Act.
   
    * Disaster Recovery
      NRCS can help ag producers and communities recover when natural disasters
      strike.
    * Underserved Communities
      Farm Bill special provisions provide incentives and address unique
      circumstances of historically underserved producers.
    * Nutrient Management
      This practice helps producers reduce input costs, maximize yields, and
      efficiently manage nutrients.
      
      
    * Organic Agriculture
      Conservation and organics go hand-in-hand, and NRCS offers tools for
      organic farmers to improve their operations.
    * Urban Agriculture
      Conservation assistance is available for urban farmers, including high
      tunnels, soil health practices, composting and irrigation.
   
   Featured
   
   
   CONSERVATION TECHNICAL ASSISTANCE
   
   Conservation Technical Assistance (CTA) provides our nation’s farmers,
   ranchers and forestland owners with the knowledge and tools they need to
   conserve, maintain and restore the natural resources on their lands and
   improve the health of their operations for the future.

 * Programs & Initiatives
   Our natural resource conservation programs help people reduce soil erosion,
   enhance water supplies, improve water quality, increase wildlife habitat, and
   reduce damage caused by floods and other natural disasters.
   View All Programs & Initiatives
   Programs
    * Environmental Quality Incentives Program
      Provides assistance to agricultural producers to address natural resource
      concerns.
    * Regional Conservation Partnership Program
      Brings together partners to expand the reach of NRCS conservation
      programs.
    * Conservation Innovation Grants
      Brings together partners to innovate on conservation approaches and
      technologies.
    * Conservation Stewardship Program
      Helps agricultural producers take their conservation efforts to the next
      level.
    * Voluntary Public Access and Habitat Incentive Program
      Helps state and tribal governments improve public access to private lands
      for recreation.
    * Agricultural Management Assistance
      Helps agricultural producers manage financial risk through
      diversification, marketing or natural resource conservation practices.
    * Wetland Mitigation Banking Program
      Offers competitive grants to support wetland mitigation bank for
      agricultural producers.
    * Conservation Reserve Program
      The Conservation Reserve Program (CRP) provides a yearly rental payment to
      farmers who remove environmentally sensitive land from agricultural
      production and plant species that will improve environmental health and
      quality.
   
   Easements
    * Agricultural Conservation Easement Program
      Helps producers protect wetlands, grasslands and farmlands for future
      generations.
    * Wetland Reserve Easements
      Helps private and tribal landowners protect, restore, and enhance wetlands
      degraded by agricultural uses.
    * Wetland Reserve Enhancement Partnership
      Brings together partners and producers to protect wetlands.
    * Healthy Forests Reserve Program
      Helps landowners restore, enhance, and protect forestland resources on
      private and tribal lands and aids the recovery of endangered and
      threatened species.
    * Agricultural Land Easements
      Helps private and tribal landowners, land trusts, and other entities
      protect croplands and grasslands on working farms and ranches.
    * Appraisal Submission Center
      Centralized point for submitting valuation reports and reviews for
      easement programs.
   
   Watershed Programs
    * Emergency Watershed Protection
      Assists communities recovering from natural disasters.
    * Watershed and Flood Prevention Operation
      Offers assistance to communities to address watershed resource concerns.
    * Watershed Rehabilitation
      Rehabilitates NRCS dams to comply with design safety performance
      standards.
      
      
   
   Initiatives
    * Landscape Conservation Initiatives
      Accelerates conservation benefits through targeted efforts for water
      quality, water quantity and wildlife.
    * Grazing Lands Conservation Initiative
      Nationwide collaborative process working to maintain and improve the
      management, productivity, and health of privately owned grazing land.
    * High Tunnel
      Provides targeted assistance to promote use of high tunnels, which offer
      many benefits including longer growing season.
    * On-Farm Energy Initiative
      Assistance to inventory and analyze farm systems that use energy and
      identify ways to improve efficiency through an Agricultural Energy
      Management Plan.
    * Organic Initiative
      Voluntary conservation program that provides technical and financial
      assistance for organic farmers and ranchers, or those interested in
      transitioning to organic.
    * Sentinel Landscapes Initiative
      The Sentinel Landscapes Partnership is a coalition of federal agencies,
      state and local governments, and nongovernmental organizations that work
      with private landowners.
      
      
   
    * Environmental Quality Incentives Program
      Provides assistance to agricultural producers to address natural resource
      concerns.
    * Regional Conservation Partnership Program
      Brings together partners to expand the reach of NRCS conservation
      programs.
    * Conservation Innovation Grants
      Brings together partners to innovate on conservation approaches and
      technologies.
    * Conservation Stewardship Program
      Helps agricultural producers take their conservation efforts to the next
      level.
    * Voluntary Public Access and Habitat Incentive Program
      Helps state and tribal governments improve public access to private lands
      for recreation.
    * Agricultural Management Assistance
      Helps agricultural producers manage financial risk through
      diversification, marketing or natural resource conservation practices.
    * Wetland Mitigation Banking Program
      Offers competitive grants to support wetland mitigation bank for
      agricultural producers.
    * Conservation Reserve Program
      The Conservation Reserve Program (CRP) provides a yearly rental payment to
      farmers who remove environmentally sensitive land from agricultural
      production and plant species that will improve environmental health and
      quality.
   
    * Agricultural Conservation Easement Program
      Helps producers protect wetlands, grasslands and farmlands for future
      generations.
    * Wetland Reserve Easements
      Helps private and tribal landowners protect, restore, and enhance wetlands
      degraded by agricultural uses.
    * Wetland Reserve Enhancement Partnership
      Brings together partners and producers to protect wetlands.
    * Healthy Forests Reserve Program
      Helps landowners restore, enhance, and protect forestland resources on
      private and tribal lands and aids the recovery of endangered and
      threatened species.
    * Agricultural Land Easements
      Helps private and tribal landowners, land trusts, and other entities
      protect croplands and grasslands on working farms and ranches.
    * Appraisal Submission Center
      Centralized point for submitting valuation reports and reviews for
      easement programs.
   
    * Emergency Watershed Protection
      Assists communities recovering from natural disasters.
    * Watershed and Flood Prevention Operation
      Offers assistance to communities to address watershed resource concerns.
    * Watershed Rehabilitation
      Rehabilitates NRCS dams to comply with design safety performance
      standards.
      
      
   
    * Landscape Conservation Initiatives
      Accelerates conservation benefits through targeted efforts for water
      quality, water quantity and wildlife.
    * Grazing Lands Conservation Initiative
      Nationwide collaborative process working to maintain and improve the
      management, productivity, and health of privately owned grazing land.
    * High Tunnel
      Provides targeted assistance to promote use of high tunnels, which offer
      many benefits including longer growing season.
    * On-Farm Energy Initiative
      Assistance to inventory and analyze farm systems that use energy and
      identify ways to improve efficiency through an Agricultural Energy
      Management Plan.
    * Organic Initiative
      Voluntary conservation program that provides technical and financial
      assistance for organic farmers and ranchers, or those interested in
      transitioning to organic.
    * Sentinel Landscapes Initiative
      The Sentinel Landscapes Partnership is a coalition of federal agencies,
      state and local governments, and nongovernmental organizations that work
      with private landowners.
      
      
   
   Featured
   
   
   REGIONAL CONSERVATION PARTNERSHIP PROGRAM
   
   The Regional Conservation Partnership Program (RCPP) is a partner-driven
   approach to conservation that funds solutions to natural resource challenges
   on agricultural land. 

 * Resources
   The technical resources and references NRCS provides uses science-based
   technology to aid conservation planning and benefit soil, water, air, plants,
   and animals for productive lands and healthy ecosystems.
   View All Resources
   Guides and Instructions
    * Field Office Technical Guides
      
    * Conservation Practice Standards
      
    * How to Get a DUNS Number
      
    * National Soil Survey Handbook
      
    * Keys to Soil Taxonomy
      
    * Soil Survey Manual
      
    * Soil Taxonomy
      
    * Technical Soil Services Handbook
      
   
   View All Guides and Instructions
   Data and Reports
    * Web Soil Survey
      
    * PLANTS Database
      
    * RCA Dataviewer
      
    * Soil Texture Calculator
      
    * Official Soil Series Descriptions
      
    * SSURGO/STATSGO2 Metadata
      
    * Conservation Effects Assessment Project (CEAP)
      
   
   View All Data and Reports
   Education and Teaching Materials
    * What is Soil?
      
    * State Soils
      
    * Soil Colors
      
    * Soil Formation and Classification
      
   
   View All Education and Teaching Materials
   Tech Tools
    * WIN-PST
      
    * WinTR-20
      
    * WinTR-55
      
   
   View All Tech Tools
    * Field Office Technical Guides
      
    * Conservation Practice Standards
      
    * How to Get a DUNS Number
      
    * National Soil Survey Handbook
      
    * Keys to Soil Taxonomy
      
    * Soil Survey Manual
      
    * Soil Taxonomy
      
    * Technical Soil Services Handbook
      
   
   View All Guides and Instructions
    * Web Soil Survey
      
    * PLANTS Database
      
    * RCA Dataviewer
      
    * Soil Texture Calculator
      
    * Official Soil Series Descriptions
      
    * SSURGO/STATSGO2 Metadata
      
    * Conservation Effects Assessment Project (CEAP)
      
   
   View All Data and Reports
    * What is Soil?
      
    * State Soils
      
    * Soil Colors
      
    * Soil Formation and Classification
      
   
   View All Education and Teaching Materials
    * WIN-PST
      
    * WinTR-20
      
    * WinTR-55
      
   
   View All Tech Tools
   Featured
   
   
   FIELD OFFICE TECHNICAL GUIDE (FOTG)
   
   Technical guides are the primary scientific references for NRCS. They contain
   technical information about the conservation of soil, water, air, and related
   plant and animal resources.

 * News & Events
   Welcome to the NRCS newsroom! Here you’ll find the latest information on
   USDA’s conservation agency, including news releases, feature stories,
   downloadable media files and more.
   View All News & Events
    * News
      View All News
      Read the latest conservation success stories that show how NRCS and
      farmers and ranchers work together to improve agricultural operations
      while helping the environment.
      Featured
      
      
      USDA SEEKS PUBLIC INPUT ON CLIMATE BENEFITS OF CONSERVATION PRACT...
      
      Read more
    * Events
      View All Events
      NRCS Internship and Career Opportunities Webinar Session 1 (Limited
      Capacity)
      
      Featured
      
      
      NRCS INTERNSHIP AND CAREER OPPORTUNITIES WEBINAR SESSION 1 (LIMIT...
      JAN 22, 2025
      
      Read more

 * Contact
   NRCS Internship and Career Opportunities Webinar Session 1 (Limited Capacity)
   View All Contact
    * Find a Service Center
      Access local services provided by the Farm Service Agency, Natural
      Resources Conservation Service, and the Rural Development agencies.
    * Find An Employee
      Looking for a particular employee of NRCS? Find them in the USDA Employee
      Directory.
    * State Office Contacts
      Our State Offices Directory provides contact information for NRCS State
      Office Representatives.
    * National Information and Centers
      Find information about NRCS National Programs and Centers.

Full Menu
 * Conservation Basics
   Conserving our natural resources is a vital part of creating and maintaining
   healthy ecosystems on our nation’s lands.
   View All Conservation Basics
   Natural Resource Concerns
    * Soil
      
    * Water
      
    * Plants
      
    * Animals
      
    * Land
    * Air
      
    * Energy
      
    * Climate
      
    * Wildlife Habitat
      
    * Invasive Species and Pests
      
   
   View All Natural Resource Concerns
   Conservation By State
    * State Technical Committees
      Every state has an NRCS State Technical Committee. The State Technical
      Committee advises the State Conservationist on technical guidelines
      necessary to implement the conservation provisions of the Farm Bill.
    * Conservation by State
      Learn about the conservation needs and latest updates in your state, and
      access needed resources.
    * State Offices
      Find contact information for your state office location and employees.
   
    * Soil
      
    * Water
      
    * Plants
      
    * Animals
      
    * Land
    * Air
      
    * Energy
      
    * Climate
      
    * Wildlife Habitat
      
    * Invasive Species and Pests
      
   
   View All Natural Resource Concerns
    * State Technical Committees
      Every state has an NRCS State Technical Committee. The State Technical
      Committee advises the State Conservationist on technical guidelines
      necessary to implement the conservation provisions of the Farm Bill.
    * Conservation by State
      Learn about the conservation needs and latest updates in your state, and
      access needed resources.
    * State Offices
      Find contact information for your state office location and employees.
   
   Featured
   
   
   SOIL SCIENCE
   
   NRCS delivers science-based soil information to help farmers, ranchers,
   foresters, and other land managers effectively manage, conserve, and appraise
   their most valuable investment — the soil.

 * Getting Assistance
   For over 80 years, we’ve helped America’s farmers, ranchers, and landowners
   conserve our nation’s resources through our voluntary programs and
   science-based solutions.
   View All Getting Assistance
   Technical Help
    * Conservation Technical Assistance
      Helps producers identify conservation objectives and a roadmap for
      conservation on their operation.
    * Conservation Concerns Tool
      Use this tool to learn about natural resource concerns that may impact
      your ag operation (farmers.gov).
    * Engineering
      NRCS applies sound engineering tools and principles to plan, design, and
      implement conservation practices and systems through delegated approval
      authority.
    * Technical Service Providers
      Technical service providers offer planning, design, and implementation
      services to agricultural producers on behalf of NRCS.
   
   Financial Help
    * Act Now
      Enables states to pre-approve applications when they meet or exceed a
      state's pre-determined minimum ranking score.
    * Applications and Forms
      Find more information on how to apply for NRCS conservation programs.
    * How to Apply
      Follow our step-by-step process to get started making improvements on your
      land with our one-on-one conservation assistance.
    * Payment Schedules
      Review the amount and availability of financial assistance for selected
      conservation practices in your state.
    * Ranking Dates
      Applications for NRCS conservation programs are ranked and funded at key
      times throughout the year.
   
   Compliance and Cultural Resources
    * Conservation Compliance: Wetlands and Highly Erodible Land Provisions
      To maintain eligibility for most USDA programs, producers must comply with
      wetland conservation provisions.
    * Cultural Resources
      NRCS programs are administered following the National Historic
      Preservation Act and other laws.
    * Environmental Compliance
      NRCS programs are administered following the National Environmental Policy
      Act.
   
   Other Topics
    * Disaster Recovery
      NRCS can help ag producers and communities recover when natural disasters
      strike.
    * Underserved Communities
      Farm Bill special provisions provide incentives and address unique
      circumstances of historically underserved producers.
    * Nutrient Management
      This practice helps producers reduce input costs, maximize yields, and
      efficiently manage nutrients.
      
      
    * Organic Agriculture
      Conservation and organics go hand-in-hand, and NRCS offers tools for
      organic farmers to improve their operations.
    * Urban Agriculture
      Conservation assistance is available for urban farmers, including high
      tunnels, soil health practices, composting and irrigation.
   
    * Conservation Technical Assistance
      Helps producers identify conservation objectives and a roadmap for
      conservation on their operation.
    * Conservation Concerns Tool
      Use this tool to learn about natural resource concerns that may impact
      your ag operation (farmers.gov).
    * Engineering
      NRCS applies sound engineering tools and principles to plan, design, and
      implement conservation practices and systems through delegated approval
      authority.
    * Technical Service Providers
      Technical service providers offer planning, design, and implementation
      services to agricultural producers on behalf of NRCS.
   
    * Act Now
      Enables states to pre-approve applications when they meet or exceed a
      state's pre-determined minimum ranking score.
    * Applications and Forms
      Find more information on how to apply for NRCS conservation programs.
    * How to Apply
      Follow our step-by-step process to get started making improvements on your
      land with our one-on-one conservation assistance.
    * Payment Schedules
      Review the amount and availability of financial assistance for selected
      conservation practices in your state.
    * Ranking Dates
      Applications for NRCS conservation programs are ranked and funded at key
      times throughout the year.
   
    * Conservation Compliance: Wetlands and Highly Erodible Land Provisions
      To maintain eligibility for most USDA programs, producers must comply with
      wetland conservation provisions.
    * Cultural Resources
      NRCS programs are administered following the National Historic
      Preservation Act and other laws.
    * Environmental Compliance
      NRCS programs are administered following the National Environmental Policy
      Act.
   
    * Disaster Recovery
      NRCS can help ag producers and communities recover when natural disasters
      strike.
    * Underserved Communities
      Farm Bill special provisions provide incentives and address unique
      circumstances of historically underserved producers.
    * Nutrient Management
      This practice helps producers reduce input costs, maximize yields, and
      efficiently manage nutrients.
      
      
    * Organic Agriculture
      Conservation and organics go hand-in-hand, and NRCS offers tools for
      organic farmers to improve their operations.
    * Urban Agriculture
      Conservation assistance is available for urban farmers, including high
      tunnels, soil health practices, composting and irrigation.
   
   Featured
   
   
   CONSERVATION TECHNICAL ASSISTANCE
   
   Conservation Technical Assistance (CTA) provides our nation’s farmers,
   ranchers and forestland owners with the knowledge and tools they need to
   conserve, maintain and restore the natural resources on their lands and
   improve the health of their operations for the future.

 * Programs & Initiatives
   Our natural resource conservation programs help people reduce soil erosion,
   enhance water supplies, improve water quality, increase wildlife habitat, and
   reduce damage caused by floods and other natural disasters.
   View All Programs & Initiatives
   Programs
    * Environmental Quality Incentives Program
      Provides assistance to agricultural producers to address natural resource
      concerns.
    * Regional Conservation Partnership Program
      Brings together partners to expand the reach of NRCS conservation
      programs.
    * Conservation Innovation Grants
      Brings together partners to innovate on conservation approaches and
      technologies.
    * Conservation Stewardship Program
      Helps agricultural producers take their conservation efforts to the next
      level.
    * Voluntary Public Access and Habitat Incentive Program
      Helps state and tribal governments improve public access to private lands
      for recreation.
    * Agricultural Management Assistance
      Helps agricultural producers manage financial risk through
      diversification, marketing or natural resource conservation practices.
    * Wetland Mitigation Banking Program
      Offers competitive grants to support wetland mitigation bank for
      agricultural producers.
    * Conservation Reserve Program
      The Conservation Reserve Program (CRP) provides a yearly rental payment to
      farmers who remove environmentally sensitive land from agricultural
      production and plant species that will improve environmental health and
      quality.
   
   Easements
    * Agricultural Conservation Easement Program
      Helps producers protect wetlands, grasslands and farmlands for future
      generations.
    * Wetland Reserve Easements
      Helps private and tribal landowners protect, restore, and enhance wetlands
      degraded by agricultural uses.
    * Wetland Reserve Enhancement Partnership
      Brings together partners and producers to protect wetlands.
    * Healthy Forests Reserve Program
      Helps landowners restore, enhance, and protect forestland resources on
      private and tribal lands and aids the recovery of endangered and
      threatened species.
    * Agricultural Land Easements
      Helps private and tribal landowners, land trusts, and other entities
      protect croplands and grasslands on working farms and ranches.
    * Appraisal Submission Center
      Centralized point for submitting valuation reports and reviews for
      easement programs.
   
   Watershed Programs
    * Emergency Watershed Protection
      Assists communities recovering from natural disasters.
    * Watershed and Flood Prevention Operation
      Offers assistance to communities to address watershed resource concerns.
    * Watershed Rehabilitation
      Rehabilitates NRCS dams to comply with design safety performance
      standards.
      
      
   
   Initiatives
    * Landscape Conservation Initiatives
      Accelerates conservation benefits through targeted efforts for water
      quality, water quantity and wildlife.
    * Grazing Lands Conservation Initiative
      Nationwide collaborative process working to maintain and improve the
      management, productivity, and health of privately owned grazing land.
    * High Tunnel
      Provides targeted assistance to promote use of high tunnels, which offer
      many benefits including longer growing season.
    * On-Farm Energy Initiative
      Assistance to inventory and analyze farm systems that use energy and
      identify ways to improve efficiency through an Agricultural Energy
      Management Plan.
    * Organic Initiative
      Voluntary conservation program that provides technical and financial
      assistance for organic farmers and ranchers, or those interested in
      transitioning to organic.
    * Sentinel Landscapes Initiative
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News


USDA INVESTS $1.5 BILLION IN 92 PARTNERSHIP PROJECTS TO ADVANCE CONSERVATION AND
CLIMATE-SMART AGRICULTURE

Selected Wisconsin Projects Receive $41 Million as Part of Historic Announcement
Publish Date
November 05, 2024


BREADCRUMB

 1. Home
 2. News
 3. USDA Invests $1.5 Billion in 92 Partnership Projects to Advance Conservation
    and Climate-Smart Agriculture

USDA announced a historic $1.5 billion for 92 partner-driven conservation
projects through the Regional Conservation Partnership Program.

MADISON, Wis. – The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) announced a historic
$1.5 billion for 92 partner-driven conservation projects through the Regional
Conservation Partnership Program (RCPP), a partner-driven approach to
conservation that funds solutions to natural resource challenges on agricultural
land. Partners will provide $968 million in contributions to amplify the impact
of the federal investment. The two selected Wisconsin projects will receive a
total of over $41 million in funding. Selected RCPP projects, including those in
Wisconsin, will help farmers, ranchers, and forest landowners adopt and expand
voluntary, locally led conservation strategies to enhance natural resources
while tackling the climate crisis. 

This investment is made with funding available through the Farm Bill and the
Inflation Reduction Act. The Inflation Reduction Act is part of the Biden-Harris
Administration’s Investing in America Agenda and the largest investment in
climate action and conservation in world history, which has enabled USDA’s
Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS) to boost funding for RCPP. In
total, the Inflation Reduction Act provides $19.5 billion to support USDA’s
oversubscribed conservation programs, including $4.95 billion for RCPP. 

“The Regional Conservation Partnership Program is an example of public-private
partnership at its best,” said Nathan Fikkert, State Conservationist for
USDA-NRCS Wisconsin. “Thanks to the boost in funding from the Biden-Harris
Administration’s Inflation Reduction Act, we’re able to invest even more in this
popular and important program and increase our conservation impact across the
country, supporting our nation’s farmers, agricultural producers, and forest
landowners while at the same time protecting our natural resources for the
future.” 

NRCS also set aside $100 million for Tribal-led projects, part of a broader
effort to support Tribes and Tribal producers through NRCS conservation
programs. From this set aside, NRCS has made seven awards to five different
tribes and tribal entities. 

In Wisconsin, projects include:  

 * The Milwaukee River Basin Conservation Partnership (MRBCP) is working to
   address climate resiliency, soil health, water quality, and the farming
   economy by supporting landowners and producers across the rural-urban
   Milwaukee River Basin in Southeastern Wisconsin. Objectives of this project
   include obligating 5,000 acres of climate-smart practices, protecting 2,500
   acres of entity-held easements, reducing 60,000lbs of phosphorus from leaving
   fields, improving grazing operations, and engaging 200 historically
   underserved, urban and small-scale producers. Soil health and economic
   studies will measure the effectiveness of climate-smart practices to improve
   carbon storage and profitability. This project builds on the momentum
   generated from two previous WI RCPP projects involving the MRBCP. The lead
   partner for this project is the Milwaukee Metropolitan Sewerage District
   (MMSD).
 * Midwest Greener Future is a multi-state (WI, IL, IN, and MN) project to
   address the three primary sources of greenhouse gases tied to dairy
   production and improve water quality using cover crops, reduced tillage,
   no-till, conservation crop rotation, feed management, and waste separation.
   Over the life of the project the aim is to reduce 59,800 metric tons of
   enteric emissions from lactating dairy cows via implementation of the
   feed-based additive 3-NOP; achieve 22,500 metric tons of emission reductions
   from manure storage; 327,491 metric tons of emission reductions and carbon
   sequestration within crop production; and prevent 3,056,585 pounds of
   nitrogen and 218,328 pounds of phosphorus from impacting water quality. The
   lead partner for this project is AgOutcomes, Inc.

See the list of all the 92 awarded projects here.  

Projects are being awarded under both RCPP Classic and RCPP Alternative Funding
Arrangements (AFA). RCPP Classic projects are implemented using NRCS contracts
and easements with producers, landowners and communities in collaboration with
project partners. Through RCPP AFA, the lead partner works directly with
agricultural producers to support the development of innovative conservation
approaches that would not otherwise be available under RCPP Classic. 

Since the start of the Biden-Harris Administration, RCCP has made 334 awards
totaling more than $3 billion. Since its inception, RCPP has made 812 awards
involving more than 4,000 partner organizations, with more than $4 billion in
NRCS funding amplified by another $4 billion in partner contributions.

USDA touches the lives of all Americans each day in so many positive ways. USDA
is transforming America’s food system with a greater focus on more resilient
local and regional food production, fairer markets for all producers, ensuring
access to safe, healthy and nutritious food in all communities, building new
markets and streams of income for farmers and producers using climate smart food
and forestry practices, making historic investments in infrastructure and clean
energy capabilities in rural America, and committing to equity across the
Department by removing systemic barriers and building a workforce more
representative of America. 

The projects support priorities in conservation and climate and can save farmers
money and increase productivity. By leveraging collective resources and
collaborating on common goals, RCPP demonstrates the power of public-private
partnerships in delivering results for agriculture and conservation. 

RCPP applications are accepted on a continuous basis. Contact your local NRCS
office at the USDA Service Center for your county and visit the Regional
Conservation Partnership Program - Wisconsin webpage for more information.

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