The USDA recently announced a new Regenerative Pilot Program to better enhance practices like improving soil health, water quality, and long-term productivity. Gayle Barry is the Montana State Conservationist for the Natural Resources Conservation Service. She said this is exciting news for state conservation.
“The Secretary of Ag announced this joint initiative with Health and Human Services, because America, farmers and ranchers are focused in taking care of the land and taking care of the people who benefit from the products that we raise and grow here.”
Barry highlighted the intention of incentivizing new regenerative practices and how it will provide insight into producers’ operations.
“The basic goal is to make our natural resources more vibrant, more healthy. We’re going to be focused on soil health and natural resiliency. Folks need to take a soil test before at the end of the contract, they’ll have information about the difference they made on their land.”
The Regenerative Pilot Program allows producers to utilize existing programs within the USDA but simplifies the applications into an easy, one-application process.
“So, we’ll be offering this program, this regenerative AG, pilot, for people to come in. It’ll be a single application, and it’s going to draw from our existing programs, our Environmental Quality Incentives Program, equip and our Conservation Stewardship Program, CSP, so the most important thing is farmers and ranchers should come into the office, the local office, and sign up. It’s going to be available to all landowners in Montana on all resource concerns.”
To learn more about the Regenerative Pilot Program, visit www.nrcs.usda.gov.