Conservation in the United States
The United States
USDA Conservation Programs in the United States
Agricultural Conservation Easement Program, Agricultural Land Easements (ACEP-ALE)
Time frame: 2017-2022
National Payments: $438,163,937
Agricultural Land Easements, or ALE, are designed to preserve agricultural land for farming and conservation activities, instead of their being developed into urban areas or other uses. ACEP-ALE payments are available at the state level.
Agricultural Conservation Easement Program, Wetland Reserve Easements (ACEP-WRE)
Time frame: 2017-2022
National Payments: $813,099,138
Wetland Reserve Easements, or WRE, are more similar to traditional conservation easements. NRCS buys the easement rights from private and tribal landowners to protect and enhance wetlands, as well as to restore previously farmed wetlands. ACEP-WRE payments are available at the state level.
Conservation Reserve Program (CRP)
Time frame: 2017-2022
National Payments: $10,699,730,764
CRP is managed by the Department of Agriculture’s Farm Service Agency and provides money and technical help to producers who agree to take environmentally sensitive land out of crop production and plant permanent vegetation.
Conservation Stewardship Program (CSP)
Time frame: 2017-2022
National Payments: $4,739,014,522
CSP is managed by the Department of Agriculture’s Natural Resource Conservation Service, or NRCS. It provides money and technical help to agricultural producers as they plan and implement conservation activities referred to in the program as “enhancements” on agricultural land and non-industrial private forestland.
Environmental Quality Incentives Program (EQIP)
Time frame: 2017-2022
National Payments: $5,540,768,921
EQIP is managed by the Department of Agriculture’s Natural Resource Conservation Service, or NRCS, and provides money and technical help to farmers as they plan and implement conservation practices on agricultural land and non-industrial private forestland.
Regional Conservation Partnership Program (RCPP)
Time frame: 2017-2022
National Obligations: $54,730,541
RCPP is managed by the Department of Agriculture’s Natural Resources Conservation Service, or NRCS, and provides money and technical help to farmers and partner groups to implement both working lands conservation practices, such as cover crops, as well as conservation easements, where farmers take some of their land out of production. RCPP payments include financial assistance only, at the state level.
USDA Census of Agriculture Data for the United States, 2022
Land in the United States, 2022
| Land type | Acres |
|---|---|
| Number of Farms: | 1,900,487 |
| Total Acres in Farms: | 880,100,848 |
| Cropland Acres: | 382,356,350 |
| Permanent pasture and rangeland: | 392,981,662 |
| Woodland Acres: | 72,066,694 |
Livestock in the United States, 2022
| Livestock | Number of Animals |
|---|---|
| Broilers and other meat-type chickens sold | 9,176,809,391 |
| Layers inventory | 388,509,039 |
| Cattle and calves inventory | 87,954,742 |
| Hogs and pigs inventory | 73,817,751 |
| Sheep and lambs inventory | 5,104,328 |
USDA’s Conservation Reserve Program needs reform to improve climate benefits
Despite new climate-smart funds, agricultural conservation programs remain oversubscribed
Environmentally sensitive Mississippi River region croplands should be targeted for conservation
Major USDA conservation program must change to prioritize climate stewardship
$7.4B spent on two of USDA’s biggest conservation programs, very little went to ‘climate-smart’ agriculture
Climate change isn’t high priority for $1.2 billion USDA farm stewardship program
