Conservation programs are public programs that pay or help farmers and landowners protect soil, water, and wildlife habitat. Some pay to take land out of production, and others share the cost of practices on working land. The Natural Resources Conservation Service and the Farm Service Agency run them for the Department of Agriculture, under terms set by Congress.
People usually ask how to enroll, what each program pays for, and how they differ from one another. Questions also cover how land is ranked for enrollment, what landowners agree to do, and how these programs relate to soil health and organic or regenerative farming.
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