‘Investing in Regenerative and Organic Is Not a Political Stance’: Agrifood Reacts to USDA’s Regen Ag Pilot
Reactions this week to the USDA’s $700 million Regenerative Agriculture Pilot program ranged from unbridled excitement to skepticism to outright concerns of greenwashing—and they highlighted the many nuances involved with regen ag.
To recap, USDA said it aims to lower farmer production costs for regenerative practices and “advance” the Make America Healthy Again (MAHA) agenda. USDA’s Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS) will administer the program, which will start funding farmers in 2026.
‘Faster pathways’ to regen practices for farmers
Food System 6 executive director Lauren Manning wrote that the program “signals a major federal push to scale regenerative practices nationwide.”
“Even better: USDA is shifting toward a single, streamlined conservation application, so producers can check eligibility for EQIP, CSP, and other programs all at once. That means faster pathways to cost-share funding for practices like fencing, water systems, cover crops, organic transition, silvopasture, and more.”