USDA Invests $1.5 Billion in 92 Partnership Projects to Advance Conservation and Climate-Smart Agriculture

MADISON, Wis. – The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) announced a historic $1.5 billion for 92 partner-driven conservation projects through the Regional Conservation Partnership Program (RCPP), a partner-driven approach to conservation that funds solutions to natural resource challenges on agricultural land. Partners will provide $968 million in contributions to amplify the impact of the federal investment. The two selected Wisconsin projects will receive a total of over $41 million in funding. Selected RCPP projects, including those in Wisconsin, will help farmers, ranchers, and forest landowners adopt and expand voluntary, locally led conservation strategies to enhance natural resources while tackling the climate crisis. 

This investment is made with funding available through the Farm Bill and the Inflation Reduction Act. The Inflation Reduction Act is part of the Biden-Harris Administration’s Investing in America Agenda and the largest investment in climate action and conservation in world history, which has enabled USDA’s Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS) to boost funding for RCPP. In total, the Inflation Reduction Act provides $19.5 billion to support USDA’s oversubscribed conservation programs, including $4.95 billion for RCPP. 

“The Regional Conservation Partnership Program is an example of public-private partnership at its best,” said Nathan Fikkert, State Conservationist for USDA-NRCS Wisconsin. “Thanks to the boost in funding from the Biden-Harris Administration’s Inflation Reduction Act, we’re able to invest even more in this popular and important program and increase our conservation impact across the country, supporting our nation’s farmers, agricultural producers, and forest landowners while at the same time protecting our natural resources for the future.” 

NRCS also set aside $100 million for Tribal-led projects, part of a broader effort to support Tribes and Tribal producers through NRCS conservation programs. From this set aside, NRCS has made seven awards to five different tribes and tribal entities. 

In Wisconsin, projects include:  

• The Milwaukee River Basin Conservation Partnership (MRBCP) is working to address climate resiliency, soil health, water quality, and the farming economy by supporting landowners and producers across the rural-urban Milwaukee River Basin in Southeastern Wisconsin. Objectives of this project include obligating 5,000 acres of climate-smart practices, protecting 2,500 acres of entity-held easements, reducing 60,000lbs of phosphorus from leaving fields, improving grazing operations, and engaging 200 historically underserved, urban and small-scale producers. Soil health and economic studies will measure the effectiveness of climate-smart practices to improve carbon storage and profitability. This project builds on the momentum generated from two previous WI RCPP projects involving the MRBCP. The lead partner for this project is the Milwaukee Metropolitan Sewerage District (MMSD).
• Midwest Greener Future is a multi-state (WI, IL, IN, and MN) project to address the three primary sources of greenhouse gases tied to dairy production and improve water quality using cover crops, reduced tillage, no-till, conservation crop rotation, feed management, and waste separation. Over the life of the project the aim is to reduce 59,800 metric tons of enteric emissions from lactating dairy cows via implementation of the feed-based additive 3-NOP; achieve 22,500 metric tons of emission reductions from manure storage; 327,491 metric tons of emission reductions and carbon sequestration within crop production; and prevent 3,056,585 pounds of nitrogen and 218,328 pounds of phosphorus from impacting water quality. The lead partner for this project is AgOutcomes, Inc.

See the list of all the 92 awarded projects here.  

Projects are being awarded under both RCPP Classic and RCPP Alternative Funding Arrangements (AFA). RCPP Classic projects are implemented using NRCS contracts and easements with producers, landowners and communities in collaboration with project partners. Through RCPP AFA, the lead partner works directly with agricultural producers to support the development of innovative conservation approaches that would not otherwise be available under RCPP Classic. 

Since the start of the Biden-Harris Administration, RCCP has made 334 awards totaling more than $3 billion. Since its inception, RCPP has made 812 awards involving more than 4,000 partner organizations, with more than $4 billion in NRCS funding amplified by another $4 billion in partner contributions.

USDA touches the lives of all Americans each day in so many positive ways. 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 safe, 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. 

The projects support priorities in conservation and climate and can save farmers money and increase productivity. By leveraging collective resources and collaborating on common goals, RCPP demonstrates the power of public-private partnerships in delivering results for agriculture and conservation. 

RCPP applications are accepted on a continuous basis. Contact your local NRCS office at the USDA Service Center for your county and visit the Regional Conservation Partnership Program - Wisconsin webpage for more information.

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