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Mar. 7, 2025
Source: Iowa Agriculture Water Alliance (IAWA) The information around frozen USDA conservation funding is evolving. Here is our understanding of the current situation as of March 6 at 4 pm. Existing farmer contracts through the following programs will be paid, according to a USDA press release. •Environmental Quality Incentives Program (EQIP) •Conservation Security Program (CSP) •Agricultural Conservation Easement Program (ACEP) More detail: Those three programs receive both Farm Bill Funding and Inflation Reduction Act (IRA) Funding. Farm Bill funded contracts are business as normal for both current and future farmer contracts. Existing IRA funded farmer contracts will be paid. New ones are on hold. •What about RCPPs? Farm Bill funded Regional Conservation Partnership Program projects have the green light, while most IRA funded RCPP projects are waiting for direction. Partnership for Climate Smart Commodities funds are uncertain. •This program began in 2022 under the Biden-Harris Administration with a $3.1 billion USDA investment for 141 projects including 30 in Iowa. Iowa Public Radio aired a recent report interviewing organizations waiting for direction. To read that report click here. So what's next? We don't know yet, but here's Ag Secretary Brooke Rollins: •"We're still reviewing other programs to make sure that they are focused on making American agriculture the most competitive in the world and moving our industry into greater prosperity than perhaps we have seen in our lifetime. Gone are the days when the USDA will be advancing the green new deal," Rollins said, as reported by Agri-Pulse at Commodity Classic. Impacts to IAWA Here at IAWA, we play a role in five USDA projects worth $220 million in public and private funds. Our four RCPPs are Farm Bill funded. The fifth project is a Climate Smart Commodities agreement. Meanwhile, we are financially diversified with generous donations from our Founding Members and the IAWA Business Council. It's because of Iowa's agriculture's steadfast support that we can remain committed to our mission. •We will continue to work on our Climate Smart Commodities grant while awaiting USDA direction. •We continue to explore additional funding streams including private grants. •For farmers, we are continuing to promote cost share, with an emphasis on private and approved programs. Costsharecompare.com will be updated with more programs as we find them. Tweet |
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