SUSTAINS could scale regenerative farming — But direct farmer partnerships still matter

USDA’s new Regenerative Agriculture Initiative, backed by $1 billion through EQIP, CSP, and CTA marks the federal government’s largest soil-health investment in years. But the most consequential change is the activation of the SUSTAINS Act, which allows private companies to contribute funding directly into NRCS conservation programs. 

This raises an important question for corporate sustainability teams: Does investing through USDA replace the need for direct partnerships with farmers? In short — no. It complements them. 

Private programs excel at flexibility: companies can select growers, fund custom irrigation projects, and support innovation that falls outside NRCS practice standards. These programs move quickly and offer clear supply-chain visibility. 

But private efforts struggle to reach scale. They cannot provide NRCS engineering support, federal cost-share, or long-term federal verification — and they cannot meet the demand from farmers seeking irrigation modernization, nutrient management, or precision fertigation. 

SUSTAINS fills that gap. When a company contributes funds, USDA uses them to approve more EQIP and CSP contracts for the targeted practices a company values — such as subsurface drip, irrigation scheduling, flow meters, or nutrient-efficient delivery systems. Companies don’t choose individual farmers, but their dollars unlock additional federal resources and technical assistance that otherwise wouldn’t reach the field. 

The most effective strategies will blend both approaches. Direct programs foster innovation and engagement; SUSTAINS brings scale, rigor, and federal verification. For irrigation modernization — one of the most oversubscribed categories in EQIP — this dual approach could dramatically expand adoption while strengthening both farm resilience and corporate regenerative commitments. 

Below are example EQIP and CSP practices companies can support as well as a diagram that outlines the process. 

EQIP — Building the System 

Subsurface Drip Irrigation (441, 442)
• Precision water and nutrient delivery; reduces withdrawals and runoff 

Irrigation Water Management (449)
• Scheduling and monitoring for water-use efficiency 

Cover Crops (340)
• Soil structure, carbon, biodiversity 

Nutrient Management (590)
• Improved nitrogen and phosphorus use efficiency 

Pumping Plant & System Upgrades (533, 436)
• Better pressure uniformity; energy savings 

CSP — Improving the System Long-Term 

Advanced Irrigation Efficiency (AIR07, AIR10)
• Automation, moisture sensors, high-efficiency delivery 

Precision Nutrient Enhancements (DEN05–DEN07)
• Split applications and NUE improvements 

Soil Health Enhancements (SQL10, SQL12, SQL29)
• Cover crops and no-till rotations; long-term commitments 

Habitat & Biodiversity Enhancements (WQL12, PLT19)
• Field borders, pollinator areas, riparian buffers 

High-Performance Irrigation Water Management (WQL05, AIR07)
• Data-driven irrigation using sensors and scheduling tools 

To clarify the difference, EQIP helps build a new precision irrigation system and CSP rewards sustained, higher-level performance for irrigation modernization, soil health, and nutrient use efficiency. CTA stands for Conservation Technical Assistance, which ensures optimal implementation and use. 

How the process works 

1. The company initiates a SUSTAINS contribution. Contact is made with NRCS (national or state), stating: “We want to support Practices X, Y in States or Basins A, B.” 

1. USDA drafts a “Contribution Agreement.” The agreement outlines what practices the funds will support, which geographies they will target; reporting expectations; privacy protections; and USDA retains full authority over farmer contracting. This is not a grant or procurement contract — it is a voluntary contribution agreement. 

1. The company sends funds to USDA. A Treasury-managed account receives the company’s wire or ACH transfer. Funds are legally earmarked for the intended practices. 

1. NRCS deploys funds through EQIP or CSP. Funds flow to state budgets, increasing how many farmers NRCS can approve for cost-share in the targeted practice categories. Farmers apply through the normal NRCS ranking process. More contracts get funded because the pot of money is larger. 

1. Farmers receive cost-share and NRCS technical assistance. This includes engineering and design support; practice verification; technical standards and, for CSP, multi-year follow-up. Companies receive aggregated, non-identifiable reporting showing acres, practices, and outcomes supported. 

Under this rollout, NRCS will use SUSTAINS to bring corporate, label, and supply-chain partners directly into supporting regenerative agriculture adoption. An RFP is expected to be issued for Regenerative EQIP and CSP projects in Spring of FY26.