Inflation Reduction Act Conservation Dollars Are a Vital Bulwark Against Climate Change

On August 16, 2022 when the Inflation Reduction Act (IRA) was signed into law, it solidified an historic investment in addressing the climate crisis and reflected key priorities lifted up by the farmers and communities that NSAC’s members serve. Chief among these priorities was the IRA’s allocation of nearly $20 billion in new agricultural conservation funding in four key conservation programs: the Conservation Stewardship Program (CSP), the Environmental Quality Incentives Program (EQIP), the Agricultural Conservation Easement Program (ACEP), and the Regional Conservation Partnership Program (RCPP).

More than a year later, this once-in-a-generation investment approximately doubled the funding available for the US Department of Agriculture’s (USDA) core conservation programs. Of the…