USDA is rolling out a new $700 million Regenerative Pilot Program to help America’s farmers adopt practices that improve soil health, enhance water quality, and boost long-term productivity, all while strengthening America’s food, fuel supply.
The new program was announced on Wednesday, Dec. 10 by U.S. Agriculture Secretary Brooke Rollins, U.S. Health and Human Services Secretary Robert F. Kennedy, Jr., and Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services Administrator Dr. Mehmet Oz.
“Through this program, USDA acknowledges that farmers have long-practiced regenerative agriculture on their farms, both through federal conservation programs and on their own. We are certainly still digging into the details of this new initiative, and we are looking forward to making sure that it is administered in a way that is workable,” says Brian Glenn, director of government affairs for the American Farm Bureau Federation.
He said that USDA’s new initiative will apply to two programs in which many farmers already participate.
“Including the Environmental Quality Incentives Program – EQIP – and the Conservation Stewardship Program or CSP, and it dedicates $400 million to EQIP and $300 million to CSP to fund regenerative agriculture projects that improve soil health, embrace water quality, and boost long-term productivity for farmers.”
The pilot will be administered through USDA’s Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS). If you’re a farmer interested in the program, you can apply through your local NRCS Service Center.
CLICK HERE for more information about USDA’s Regenerative Ag Pilot Program.
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