NRCS and the Regenerative Pilot Program

2 days ago
2 min read

NRCS is providing funding through the Regenerative Pilot Program for farms across the country wanting to improve their soil health through a variety of practices.

If you’re in the farming industry, you have probably heard the buzzword Regenerative Agriculture being used more often over the last few years. There are plenty of definitions of what it is, with each definition being slightly different, but at the core of those definitions is an increased focus on soil health.

As a Produce Safety Technician and Conservation District employee, my office and many district offices across the state of Michigan are co-located with our USDA Natural Resource Conservation Service (NRCS) partners. Their mission is to help landowners with forestland, pastureland, and cropland implement practices that aim to improve natural resources on their land.

In this newsletter we wanted to bring attention to the new NRCS Regenerative Pilot Program (RPP). This program was launched in December 2025, as a farmer-first, outcomes-based approach to conservation with $700 million in funding nationwide to specifically support regenerative agriculture.

Funding is available in both the Environmental Quality Incentives Program (EQIP) and Conservation Stewardship Program (CSP). Eligible primary practices include:

Conservation Crop Rotation
Contour Farming
Contour Orchard and Other Perennial Crop
Cover Crop
Drainage Water Management
Forage Harvest Management
Forest Stand Improvement
Irrigation Water Management
Mulching
Nutrient Management
Pest Management Conservation System
Grazing Management
Residue and Tillage Management, No Till
Residue and Tillage Management, Reduced
Stripcropping

NRCS programs are voluntary, providing technical and financial assistance to help you with your soil health and natural resource concerns and goals on your land. Start by meeting with your local planner on a site visit to discuss the possible practices that can be implemented.

Through the process, all practice standards and specifications must be implemented in accordance with NRCS policy for the duration of the contract (5-10 years). Participants will also be required to conduct soil health testing in the first and last year of the contract (at a minimum) to establish a starting baseline and to record the resulting changes.

Does this program seem like it could be the right fit for you? Reach out to your local NRCS service center to learn more about the process and what practices to improve soil health would be the best fit for you.

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Article by Allissa Hern, Produce Safety Technician