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Biden-Harris administration announces availability of Inflation Reduction Act funding for climate-smart agriculture nationwide

This additional funding will provide direct climate mitigation benefits and expand access to financial and technical assistance for producers to advance conservation on their farm, ranch or forest land.

NASHVILLE, February 14, 2023 – Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack announced the US DA is making funding available for agricultural producers and forest landowners nationwide to participate in voluntary conservation programs and adopt climate-smart practices. The Inflation Reduction Act (IRA) provided an additional $19.5 billion over five years for climate smart agriculture through several of the conservation programs that Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS) implements. NRCS is making available $850 million in fiscal year 2023 for its oversubscribed conservation programs: the Environmental Quality Incentives Program (EQIP), Conservation Stewardship Program (CSP), Agricultural Conservation Easement Program (ACEP) and Regional Conservation Partnership Program (RCPP). 

“The Inflation Reduction Act provided a once-in-a-generation investment in conservation on working lands, and we want to work with agricultural and forest landowners to invest in climate-smart practices that create value and economic opportunities for producers,” said Vilsack, who spoke today at the National Association of Conservation Districts annual meeting. “We know that agriculture plays a critical role in the nation’s effort to address climate change, and we’re using this funding to bolster our existing programs, maximize climate benefits, and foster other environmental benefits across the landscape.” 
 
The IRA funding includes an additional $8.45 billion for EQIP, $4.95 billion for RCPP, $3.25 billion for CSP, and $1.4 billion for ACEP. The increased funding levels begin in fiscal year 2023 and rapidly build over four years. These additional investments are estimated to help hundreds of thousands of farmers and ranchers apply conservation to millions of acres of land.  Additionally, the IRA provides $300 million to quantify carbon sequestration and greenhouse gases through the collection and use of field-based data to assess conservation outcomes.  Information gained through this effort will be used to improve practices and technical assistance to customers. Further guidance on this important work will be provided as the implementation of this portion of the IRA continues.
 
These funds will provide direct climate mitigation benefits and will expand access to financial and technical assistance for producers to advance conservation on their farm, ranch or forest land through practices like cover cropping, conservation tillage, wetland restoration, prescribed grazing, nutrient management, tree planting and more. To ensure we can quantify the benefits of these IRA investments, NRCS is working to support Department-wide work on Measurement, Monitoring, Reporting and Verification. The IRA provided targeted funding to support this effort. In administering the Inflation Reduction Act climate investments, USDA will also support other environmental co-benefits, including – among other things – water conservation, wildlife habitat improvements, and reducing runoff.

How to Apply 

NRCS accepts producer applications for its conservation programs year-round, but producers interested in EQIP or CSP should apply by their state’s ranking dates to be considered for funding in the current cycle. Funding is provided through a competitive process and will include an opportunity to address the unmet demand from producers who have previously sought funding for climate-smart conservation activities. 
 
For ACEP Agricultural Land Easements or Wetland Reserve Easements, applications for the current IRA funding cycle must be submitted by March 17, 2023, for the first funding round.  
NRCS plans to roll out the next RCPP funding opportunity in early spring, which will include IRA funds from fiscal year 2023. 
 
Please visit the NRCS Tennessee website here. 

USDA touches the lives of all Americans each day in so many positive ways. In the Biden-Harris administration, 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 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.   

USDA is an equal opportunity provider, employer and lender.

Entities and landowners interested in applying should contact their local NRCS Service Center.

The Madison County Soil Conservation District is one of 95 such Districts in the state and one of 3,000 such Districts across the country.  The District is a corporate and political subdivision of Tennessee state government, having the same geographic boundaries as those of Madison County, comprising some 358,000 cares.  It was established by the state soil conservation committee at the request of Madison County landowners in 1941 and was organized in accordance with the purposes, provisions, powers and restrictions set forth within the Tennessee Soil Conservation District Law 43-14-201 through 43-14-223.  Madison County Soil Conservation District was the ninth Soil Conservation District to be organized in Tennessee.  The District is governed by a board of supervisors composed of five landowners residing within the District.  Two of the supervisors are appointed to serve three year terms by the state soil conservation committee, while three of the supervisors are elected to serve three years by the land owners within the District.  The present board consists of Don Johnson, Chairman; Alan Ewell, Vice Chairman; Matt Griggs, Secretary-Treasurer; Chris Couch, Member; and Jim Tyson, Member.

The District was organized with the help of promotional work by T.W. Hillsman, U.T. Extension Agent, and John Aycock, Soil Conservation Service Conservationist.  The District's first program of work was prepared on September 10, 1941.  A Memorandum of Understanding was completed with the United States Department of Agriculture on September 26, 1941.  A supplemental Memorandum of Understanding was signed with the Soil Conservation Service on October 1, 1941.

The function of the District is to locate technical, financial and educational resources then coordinate and focus these resources toward the application of sound natural resource conservation practices.  In meeting this purpose, the District works with and serves landowners, farmers, ranchers, wildlife advocates, conservationists, environmentalists, teachers, students, businesses, agencies, government officials, and the general public.

The District is proud to be a member of the National Association of Conservation Districts (NACD), and the Tennessee Association of Conservation Districts (TACD).

 

Your Path to Soil Health FAQs

Many producers are enjoying the benefits of Soil Health but questions  remain. The Tennessee Association of Conservation Districts and the Natural Resources Conservation Service are partnering to provide answers to the most frequently asked soil health questions on a webpage.  In addition to the FAQ, visitors will be able to view a soil health photo gallery and videos. 

Click to visit the Soil Health FAQ ...

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The organization of conservation districts in Tennessee began June 13th 1940 with the creation of Sumner County and Lauderdale County SCDs.  By 1959, with the creation of the Lake County SCD on September 9th, all 95 counties in Tennessee had formed soil conservation districts. 

The Madison County Soil Conservation District is a corporate and political subdivision of Tennessee.  Organized July 10th, 1941 by the state soil conservation committee at the request of Madison County landowners, the district became the tenth soil conservation district to be formed in Tennessee.  It received its charter from the state on October 1st, 1941.  The original board was composed of Tom Lewis, C. O. Hopper, J. Harris Smith, N.T. Mayo, and Roy Ozier.  Organized in accordance with the purposes, provisions, power and restrictions set forth within the Tennessee Soil Conservation District law the district geographical and policital boundaries are the same as those of Madison County, comprising some 358,000 acres of land and water.  The district is one of 95 such districts in the state and one of 3,000 districts across the country.

The District does much to promote conservation but its primary function is as an intermediary between owners of privately owned agricultural property and the Federal Government, wherein, through cooperating agreements between the District and private landowners, the Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS), an agency of the Federal Government under USDA will provide certain technical services and financial aid to assist private landowners with the prevention and reduction of soil erosion and with the conservation of soil related natural resources.