Invest in Our Land — an organization focused on amplifying farmers’ voices in the policy discussions that directly impact their farms and their families’ futures —is sharing a new interactive map that reveals how much money farmers in every state stand to lose if Congress follows through on plans to cut current funding levels for agriculture conservation.
Based on an analysis of NRCS data conducted by Jonathan Coppess, Associate Professor and Director of the Gardner Agriculture Policy Program at the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign, the new map projects how eliminating the remaining conservation funding that was originally appropriated by the Inflation Reduction Act is likely to filter down to the state level.
Last month, House leadership tasked the Agriculture Committee with identifying $230 billion in spending cuts as part of their budget reconciliation package — and key leaders have previously indicated that reducing the amount of conservation funding available for farmers should be “on the table.”
KEY FINDINGS INCLUDE:
· Farmers would lose approximately $12.5 billion overall. If lawmakers follow through on rolling back the remaining IRA funds, dozens of states would miss out on hundreds of millions of dollars each, including:
o 6 states could lose more than $400 million in funding: Arkansas, California, Minnesota, Missouri, Mississippi and Texas.
o 15 states could lose over $300 million in funding, including all of the above plus Georgia, Illinois, Iowa, Kansas, Louisiana, Montana, Oregon, Washington and Wisconsin.
o 34 states would lose at least $200 million in funding, including all of the above plus Alabama, Colorado, Florida, Idaho, Indiana, Kentucky, Michigan, Nebraska, New Mexico, North Carolina, North Dakota, Ohio, Oklahoma, Pennsylvania, South Carolina, South Dakota, Tennessee, Utah and Virginia.
· Home states of key congressional leaders would lose $1.6 billion. The decision to protect current levels of conservation funding will be made by Republican leaders in the House and Senate, in collaboration with the chairs of their respective Agriculture Committees. Collectively, farmers in these lawmakers’ home states are at risk of losing $1.6 billion if they opt to eliminate funds that were appropriated under the IRA.
o Arkansas (Senate Ag Chair John Boozman): $665 million
o Louisiana (Speaker Mike Johnson): $363 million
o South Dakota (Senate Majority Leader John Thune): $292 million
o Pennsylvania (House Ag Chair G.T. Thompson): $277 million
“For farmers like me, all we want to do is take care of our farms and take care of our families, so we can keep growing the food, fuel and fiber that so many of our fellow Americans depend on,” said Jared Phillips of Branch Mountain Farm in Prairie Grove, Arkansas. “Cutting conservation funding at a time when we’re already dealing with so much uncertainty isn’t the answer. These funds help us make valuable improvements that protect our land against extreme weather while also boosting our business. It’s a win-win all the way around, and I hope our leaders don’t take these valuable tools away when we need them most.”
About Invest in Our Land
Invest in Our Land is dedicated to amplifying the voices of farmers across the U.S. and educating the public on the vital importance of safeguarding the future of American agriculture. In 2025, the organization is spotlighting the success stories of farmers and ranchers from across America’s heartland to raise awareness about the need for Congress to continue its support for conservation funding.
