REGIONAL CONSERVATION PARTNERSHIP PROGRAM (RCPP)

The Regional Conservation Partnership Program (RCPP) is a USDA initiative that coordinates conservation activities with partners to address natural resource concerns on a regional or watershed scale. As of August 2022, the program had made 589 awards to over 3,000 partners and maintained over 400 active projects across every US state. Funding is provided through the 2018 Farm Bill and the Inflation Reduction Act, with the latter allocating $4.95 billion for the program through fiscal year 2026. The program focuses on soil, water, and wildlife protection, utilizing partnership agreements and program contracts with producers to implement eligible conservation activities.

• The RCPP facilitates the implementation of conservation practices to mitigate climate change through partnerships with state agencies and non-governmental organizations. By August 2022, the program had issued 589 awards to more than 3,000 partners and operated over 400 active projects, with coverage in every US state.
• Funding for RCPP is derived from two primary sources: the 2018 Farm Bill, which authorized $300 million in mandatory annual funding through fiscal year 2023, and the Inflation Reduction Act, which allocated $4.95 billion distributed from fiscal year 2023 ($250 million) through fiscal year 2026 ($2.4 billion).
• The program's primary objectives include the conservation, restoration, and sustainable use of soil, wildlife, agricultural land, and water—including groundwater and drinking water sources—on a regional or watershed scale.
• The Secretary of Agriculture can designate up to eight 'critical conservation areas' to address priority resource concerns, which include water quality improvement (reducing erosion and nutrient management), water quantity improvement (drought and flood prevention), and wildlife habitat restoration.
• RCPP funding is split equally: 50 percent is allocated to projects via a State or multistate competitive process, and 50 percent is dedicated to projects within designated critical conservation areas.
• The program encourages the participation of historically underserved producers, specifically targeting beginning, veteran, limited resource, and socially disadvantaged farmers and ranchers through outreach efforts.

APA

Environmental and Energy Study Institute (2023). REGIONAL CONSERVATION PARTNERSHIP PROGRAM (RCPP). https://www.eesi.org/files/Farm-Bill-2023-Side-by-Side-Regional-Conservation-Partnership-Program-RCPP.pdf

Chicago

Environmental and Energy Study Institute. REGIONAL CONSERVATION PARTNERSHIP PROGRAM (RCPP). 2023. https://www.eesi.org/files/Farm-Bill-2023-Side-by-Side-Regional-Conservation-Partnership-Program-RCPP.pdf.

Wikipedia

{{cite report |author=Environmental and Energy Study Institute |title=REGIONAL CONSERVATION PARTNERSHIP PROGRAM (RCPP) |date=24 February 2023 |url=https://www.eesi.org/files/Farm-Bill-2023-Side-by-Side-Regional-Conservation-Partnership-Program-RCPP.pdf |access-date=17 August 2026 |via=Climate Insights Directory}}

BibTeX

@techreport{environmentalandenergystudyinstitute2023regional, author = {{Environmental and Energy Study Institute}}, title = {{REGIONAL CONSERVATION PARTNERSHIP PROGRAM (RCPP)}}, institution = {Environmental and Energy Study Institute}, year = {2023}, month = feb, url = {https://www.eesi.org/files/Farm-Bill-2023-Side-by-Side-Regional-Conservation-Partnership-Program-RCPP.pdf}, urldate = {2026-08-17}, note = {Indexed by Climate Insights Directory} }