USDA has increased financial assistance for its Regenerative Pilot Program from $700 million to $1 billion in fiscal year 2027, driven by high demand from farmers adopting conservation practices.
The expansion comes after the Natural Resources Conservation Service obligated more than 5,100 contracts totaling over $851 million during the program’s inaugural year.
Funding for the fiscal 2027 cycle will be split between two core USDA initiatives: $650 million through the Environmental Quality Incentives Program and $350 million through the Conservation Stewardship Program.
USDA says these efforts align with the administration’s Make America Healthy Again initiative, focusing on soil health, water management and reducing reliance on chemical inputs.
“American farmers have spoken, and we at USDA are responding,” says Agriculture Secretary Brooke Rollins, noting the increase follows strong producer enthusiasm. Health and Human Services Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. adds that the increased support aims to help producers build resilient soil and deliver “American-grown whole foods.”
Fiscal 2027 Changes to EQIP and CSP Regenerative Funding
Key updates for the 2027 cycle include:
- Single application process — Producers can bundle multiple regenerative practices such as improving soil, water and habitat health into one application rather than submitting separate requests for different land uses.
- Tailored land monitoring — Evaluation metrics are now customized for specific land types, including cropland, grazing operations and forestry.
- Program enhancements — USDA is introducing dedicated funding set-asides, expanded technical support networks and improved tracking tools to speed up administration and boost transparency.
- Threshold drop — Lowering the CSP entry threshold from 100% to 75% for resource concerns.
- Local control — State technical advisory committees can now add local conservation practices.
USDA says the regenerative program is open to both beginning and experienced producers. Interested farmers and ranchers can apply for both EQIP and CSP funding through a single application at their local NRCS center ahead of their state’s fiscal 2027 ranking deadline. Further details are available at nrcs.usda.gov.
Fresh Produce Industry Reacts to USDA Regenerative Investment
Tamara Muruetagoiena, vice president of sustainability for International Fresh Produce Association, says specialty crop growers “are constantly looking for practical ways to strengthen their operations while protecting the natural resources they depend on.”
She says the increase in the USDA’s investment in the Regenerative Pilot Program and the providing of flexibility to reflect crop, regional and production system differences “is an encouraging step.”
“We appreciate Secretary Rollins and USDA listening to producers and recognizing that conservation solutions must be flexible, voluntary and workable across the diversity of American agriculture,” she says.
Muruetagoiena says this funding expansion builds on work already underway in the fresh produce industry.
“Growers across the sector have shown strong interest in regenerative agriculture, and IFPA has spent several years helping define regenerative agriculture for fresh produce and developing practical frameworks that support implementation,” she says.
She says this additional investment by USDA in its regenerative program will help grow access to the program for more growers.
“Additional investment can help expand adoption while generating valuable insights into outcomes such as soil health, carbon sequestration, yields and costs, giving growers the information they need to make informed business decisions,” she says. “This additional investment can help more growers adopt practices that strengthen the long-term resilience of their operations and our nation’s food supply.”
