Whether we produce food, or just enjoy eating it, we all benefit from farming practices that keep our water, air, and soil clean and healthy. The path to and challenges of sustainability, however, varies greatly from region to region. In order to target resources toward the areas of greatest need and impact in each region, […]
RCPP
Path to the 2018 Farm Bill: Conservation
Editor’s Note: As a lead up to the 2018 Farm Bill, around which discussions and debate in Congress have already begun, the National Sustainable Agriculture Coalition is previewing some of the major programs and policies advocates need to know in order to effectively engage. The second post in our series, “Path to the 2018 Farm […]
$252 Million for Conservation Partnerships in FY 2018
Last month, the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) announced the results of the fiscal year (FY) 2017 competition for conservation project funding through the Regional Conservation Partnership Program (RCPP). As we reported in a previous post, USDA’s investment of $225 million was met with a non-federal investment of $500 million from a variety of local […]
New Conservation Projects Take Root with $725 Million Public-Private Investment
In response to a 2014 Farm Bill provision, the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) has been attempting to demonstrate the power of well-designed public-private partnerships to maximize the impact of federal conservation programs. Since the Regional Conservation Partnership Program (RCPP) began in 2014, USDA partners have invested over $2 billion in conservation projects across the […]
Stories from the Field: New Mexico Acequia Association
This spring, NSAC is featuring stories from the field that highlight how organizations and the farmers they serve are building more sustainable food and farm systems with support from federal programs. This week’s post provides an in-depth look at how one community-based organization is utilizing federal conservation programs to improve water usage on farms in […]
$260 Million Available for Regional Conservation Partnerships
Well-designed public-private partnerships can enhance the delivery of federal conservation programs. Each of the last three farm bills have included a special funding set-aside for conservation partnerships, and in recent years, the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) has actively promoted these partnerships. On Monday, March 14, USDA announced the availability of $260 million for […]
$720 Million for Conservation Projects Generated Through Regional Conservation Partnership Program
Effective natural resource conservation often depends on the power of partnerships. Through the collaboration of governmental, non-profit, and private partners we have seen significant advances in conservation on agricultural lands over the last several years. Since the creation of the Regional Conservation Partnership Program (RCPP) in the 2014 Farm Bill and its predecessors in early […]