The Department of Agriculture announced an initiative that will prioritize certain regenerative agriculture practices, including cover crops, in national conservation programs. Ag grpups recations to this news is as follows:
Farm Bureau Welcomes USDA Approach to Regenerative Agriculture
“We value USDA’s acknowledgement that farmers have long practiced regenerative agriculture on their farms, both through federal conservation programs and on their own. Building on these efforts by leveraging existing voluntary and incentive-based programs to advance additional regenerative goals sounds like smart government to me, especially when farmers remain in the driver’s seat. “The public trusts farmers more than anyone — including government — to lead on regenerative agriculture, based on national polling. We don’t take that trust for granted. Farmers rely on healthy land to grow nutritious crops, raise healthy animals, and ensure our farms thrive for future generations. So, we take seriously our responsibility to care for the land. “We are still digging into the details of the new initiative and look forward to learning more about how it will be administered to ensure it’s effective and workable for farmers.”
EWG statement on USDA announcing regenerative agriculture initiative
The following is a statement from Anne Schechinger, the Environmental Working Group’s midwest director: Prioritizing regenerative agriculture practices like cover crops and encouraging farmers to develop whole farm plans, as announced today, are important steps in the right direction to improving farm resilience. We hope the administration will provide more funding to meet the growing backlog of farmer demand for the most effective conservation practices. The administration should also restore funding for the USDA experts needed to help farmers develop whole farm and regenerative agriculture conservation plans and enroll in this new initiative.
NACD Applauds USDA Launch of Regenerative Pilot Program
U.S. Secretary of Agriculture Brooke Rollins yesterday announced the launch of a new Regenerative Pilot Program in collaboration with Health and Human Services (HHS) Secretary Robert F. Kennedy, building upon HHS’s Make America Healthy Again (MAHA) strategy. Administered by the NRCS, the program enables producers to plan and implement whole-farm regenerative practices through a single application, streamlining access to conservation technical assistance and strengthening the USDA’s longstanding commitment to soil health and resilient working lands. The program will address key resource concerns, including soil health, water quality, and natural vitality. USDA will invest $700 million in the first year, including $400 million from the Environmental Quality Incentives Program (EQIP) and $300 million from the Conservation Stewardship Program (CSP). Additional private investment, enabled through implementation of the SUSTAINS Act, is expected to expand support for producers and encourage deeper collaboration across supply chains. The NRCS will also establish the Chief’s Regenerative Agriculture Advisory Council, which will meet quarterly to advise on program implementation. NACD applauds USDA’s streamlining of conservation programs, particularly the opportunities for stronger private-public partnerships. Conservation districts across the country are already helping landowners and operators adopt regenerative systems that improve soil function, enhance productivity, and support emerging market opportunities. Many districts are also advancing these efforts through Advancing Markets for Producers (AMP) grants, positioning producers to meet growing supply chain sustainability goals. Producers interested in technical assistance to design and implement regenerative agricultural practices can reach out to their local conservation district or NRCS office. They can apply for funding through their local NRCS Service Center by their state’s FY2026 ranking dates.
FACA Welcomes New USDA Regenerative Agriculture Program
The Food and Agriculture Climate Alliance (FACA) welcomes the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s announcement of a $700 million Regenerative Agriculture Pilot Program, a farmer-focused initiative designed to advance voluntary conservation and expand practical soil health and water management efforts that support the long-term productivity of America’s farmers, ranchers and forest owners. The pilot’s focus on measurable outcomes will help strengthen the confidence in the environmental benefits of longstanding conservation and regenerative practices.
We look forward to hearing more details about implementation of this new initiative to ensure it is practical and available for a wide variety of producers – livestock, row crop and specialty crop alike.
Earlier this year, FACA’s Steering Committee developed Regenerative Agriculture Guiding Principles.
Advancing Measurable Soil Health and Ecosystem Benefits
At its core, regenerative agriculture builds soil health and productivity – benefits that are measurable over time. Healthy soils improve water quality, increase soil carbon sequestration, enhance biodiversity and wildlife habitat, and create resilience against extreme weather, all the while enhancing the growing capacity of the land.
Voluntary, Science-Based and Incentive-Driven
The U.S. government’s approach to conservation and regenerative agriculture must remain voluntary, science-based and incentive driven, empowering producers to build on their existing practices. USDA should provide producers with tools, financial assistance and science-based technical support.
Economic Viability and Farm Sustainability
For regenerative agriculture to succeed long-term, it must enhance the economic resilience of farms, ranches and forestlands. Policies should strengthen productivity and market opportunity, reduce on-farm risk, and maintain the viability of U.S. agricultural production while also improving environmental outcomes.
Accessible to All of Agriculture
Every producer — regardless of size, region or commodity — should have the opportunity to participate in and benefit from regenerative approaches. USDA should conduct research, design programs and implement technical assistance that work for all types of operations and are accessible to every producer.
Tailored to Local Conditions
USDA programs should provide producers with flexibility to tailor regenerative practices and technologies to their unique soils, geographic regions, weather conditions and production systems while still achieving measurable environmental and productivity benefits.
