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NACD Applauds Historic Conservation Investments in Senate Proposal

WASHINGTON – NACD applauds the historic investments to bolster conservation efforts across the country included in the recently released Inflation Reduction Act of 2022. This proposal from the U.S. Senate would provide strong funding for critical conservation programs at the United States Department of Agriculture’s (USDA) Natural Resource Conservation Service (NRCS), including:

• $8.45 billion for the Environmental Quality Incentives Program (EQIP)
• $6.75 billion for the Regional Conservation Partnership Program (RCPP)
• $3.25 billion for the Conservation Stewardship Program (CSP)
• $1.4 billion for the Agricultural Conservation Easement Program (ACEP)

The proposal also includes $1 billion for conservation technical assistance, which allows NRCS and conservation districts across the country to help producers and land managers assess resources needs, develop plans, and implement effective conservation practices. This funding will also support critical NRCS staffing needs.

“NACD applauds these proposed investments in farm bill conservation programs, conservation technical assistance, and other critical conservation initiatives,” said NACD President Michael Crowder. “USDA conservation programs are oversubscribed, and this funding would go a long way in helping more producers across our country implement conservation practices to improve their operations and make their lands more resilient to the changing climate.”

The proposal would also invest billions of dollars to support healthy forest management practices, public lands maintenance, and wildfire mitigation and resilience, as well as other conservation efforts in rural and disadvantaged communities.

About the National Association of Conservation Districts (NACD)

The National Association of Conservation Districts is the nonprofit organization that represents the nearly 3,000 conservation districts across the United States, their state and territory associations, and the 17,000 men and women who serve on their governing boards. For more than 75 years, local conservation districts have worked with cooperating landowners and managers of private working lands to help them plan and apply effective conservation practices. For more information about NACD, visit www.nacdnet.org.