NFWF awards $10.2 million in grants to cultivate ag conservation practices

The National Fish and Wildlife Foundation, Washington, D.C., announced $10.2 million in grants to help implement voluntary conservation practices on farms and ranches across 14 states. The grants will leverage more than $4.9 million in matching contributions for a total conservation impact of $15.1 million, according to a release from the foundation. 

The grants were awarded through the Conservation Partners Program, which is a collaboration involving multiple organizations.  

These include the National Fish and Wildlife Foundation, USDA Natural Resources Conservation Service, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, and the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service. Additionally, support came from the Great Lakes Restoration Initiative; Cargill, Wichita, Kansas; The J.M. Smucker Co., Orville, Ohio; and Nestlé, Vevey, Switzerland; with further contributions from a partnership among General Mills, Minneapolis, Minnesota; Walmart, Bentonville, Arkansas; and Sam’s Club. 

“These awards will advance technical assistance and foster collaboration with agricultural producers critical to iconic landscapes across 14 states,” says Jeff Trandahl, CEO and NFWF executive director. “Our private-public partnership is proud to support the community partners building resources and relationships, not only to sustain agricultural operations but to conserve the nation’s natural resources and wildlife for future generations.” 

The program awards competitive grants to accelerate the adoption of voluntary conservation practices and regenerative agriculture principles on private working lands and to support enrollment in farm bill conservation programs. 

“We are pleased to partner with NFWF and the Conservation Partners Program on these strategic investments to increase the voluntary adoption of climate-smart agriculture practices on working lands,” said NRCS Chief Terry Cosby. “These efforts will strengthen the delivery of technical assistance to American farmers and ranchers to build soil health, sequester carbon, and improve water quality to sustain economic opportunities for their communities.” 

The projects will address resource concerns in the Great Lakes Basin, Prairie Pothole Region, Southern Great Plains and Upper Mississippi River Basin by providing technical assistance to implement a range of conservation practices such as cover crops, conservation tillage, on-farm wetland enhancement, irrigation improvement, grazing management and prescribed burning, according to a release from the NFWF. The projects will improve management and conservation on more than a cumulative 330,000 acres of farmland and ranchland across the United States.