USDA launches $700m regenerative farming pilot focusing on lowering U.S. farmer’s production costs

The U.S. Department of Agriculture unveiled a new $700 million regenerative agriculture pilot program aimed at lowering production costs for farmers, reducing administrative burdens in conservation schemes, and promoting soil and water stewardship. The initiative will be administered by the USDA’s Natural Resources Conservation Service and funded through existing conservation programs beginning in fiscal year 2026.

Agriculture Secretary Brooke L. Rollins announced the program alongside Health and Human Services Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. and Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services Administrator Mehmet Oz, underscoring the administration’s effort to link farming practices with broader public health objectives under the Make America Healthy Again (MAHA) agenda. HHS said it would also invest in research examining links between regenerative agriculture and public health outcomes, alongside public messaging on those connections.

The pilot is designed to simplify participation in the USDA conservation program, which farmers have long criticized as overly complex. Under the new framework, producers will be able to bundle multiple regenerative practices into a single, comprehensive whole-farm application, replacing the need for separate filings across programs. USDA officials stated that the outcome-based approach is designed to encourage broader adoption among both new and established farmers.

USDA data show that while long-term productivity gains have been significant—total U.S. farm output rose 190% between 1948 and 2021, even as overall inputs declined—soil erosion remains a concern. The department reports that 25% of cropland acres face water-driven erosion risks and 16% face wind-driven erosion.

Funding for the first year of the pilot will include $400m from the Environmental Quality Incentives Program and $300 million from the Conservation Stewardship Program. The program will prioritize whole-farm planning that addresses soil health, water quality, and ecosystem resilience within a single conservation framework.

As part of the rollout, NRCS will establish a Regenerative Agriculture Advisory Council composed of rotating producer and stakeholder representatives. The council will meet quarterly to advise on implementation, data collection, and reporting, with the aim of shaping future conservation policy delivery.

The USDA also announced plans to expand public-private partnerships within NRCS programs, enabling private funding to be matched with federal resources to support conservation investments. Farmers and ranchers can apply for the pilot through their local NRCS service centers, subject to state-specific deadlines for fiscal year 2026 funding.

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Companies interested in partnering with USDA NRCS in the Regenerative Pilot Program can email regenerative@usda.gov for more information.