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{{Short description|U.S. conservation incentive program}}
{{Program
{{Program
|ProgramName=Agricultural Conservation Program
|ProgramName=Agricultural Conservation Program (ACP)
|ProgramType=Program
|ProgramType=Program
|OrgSponsor=Farm Service Agency
|OrgSponsor=Farm Service Agency
|TopOrganization=Department of Agriculture
|TopOrganization=Department of Agriculture
|CreationLegislation=Soil Conservation and Domestic Allotment Act of 1936
|CreationLegislation=Soil Conservation and Domestic Allotment Act of 1936 (Public Law 74-461), Agricultural Act of 2014 (Public Law 113-79)
|Purpose=The Agricultural Conservation Program was designed to encourage farmers to implement soil conservation and water quality protection measures by providing financial incentives. It aimed to promote sustainable farming practices to maintain and improve the health of agricultural lands.
|Purpose=The Agricultural Conservation Program (ACP), administered by the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) through its Farm Service Agency (FSA), provides financial and technical assistance to farmers and ranchers to implement conservation practices that protect soil, water, and wildlife resources on agricultural lands. It aims to enhance environmental sustainability, reduce erosion, and improve water quality by funding practices like cover cropping, contour plowing, and wetland restoration for working lands across the U.S., available nationwide through cost-share payments, easements, and partnerships.
|Historic=No
|Website=https://www.fsa.usda.gov/programs-and-services/conservation-programs/acp
|ProgramStart=1936
|InitialFunding=$10 million
|Duration=Ongoing
|Historic=true
}}
}}
{{Short description|U.S. conservation incentive program}}
The '''Agricultural Conservation Program''' (ACP) was a United States government program administered by the [[Farm Service Agency]]. It was the first conservation cost-sharing program, established by [[United States Congress|Congress]] in 1936 in the [[Soil Conservation and Domestic Allotment Act]].<ref>United States. Soil Conservation and Domestic Allotment Act of 1936. {{uspl|74|461}} Approved February 29, 1936.</ref><ref>{{cite web |title=Honoring 85 Years of NRCS – A Brief History |url=https://www.nrcs.usda.gov/wps/portal/nrcs/detail/national/about/history/?cid=nrcs143_021392 |access-date=2020-05-17 |publisher=U.S. Natural Resources Conservation Service |location=Washington, D.C. |archive-date=2020-07-12 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200712014646/https://www.nrcs.usda.gov/wps/portal/nrcs/detail/national/about/history/?cid=nrcs143_021392 |url-status=dead }}</ref> The ACP and paid farmers up to $3,500 per year{{Citation needed|date=May 2020}} as an incentive to install approved practices for [[soil conservation]] and to protect [[water quality]].
The '''Agricultural Conservation Program''' (ACP) was a United States government program administered by the [[Farm Service Agency]]. It was the first conservation cost-sharing program, established by [[United States Congress|Congress]] in 1936 in the [[Soil Conservation and Domestic Allotment Act]].<ref>United States. Soil Conservation and Domestic Allotment Act of 1936. {{uspl|74|461}} Approved February 29, 1936.</ref><ref>{{cite web |title=Honoring 85 Years of NRCS – A Brief History |url=https://www.nrcs.usda.gov/wps/portal/nrcs/detail/national/about/history/?cid=nrcs143_021392 |access-date=2020-05-17 |publisher=U.S. Natural Resources Conservation Service |location=Washington, D.C. |archive-date=2020-07-12 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200712014646/https://www.nrcs.usda.gov/wps/portal/nrcs/detail/national/about/history/?cid=nrcs143_021392 |url-status=dead }}</ref> The ACP and paid farmers up to $3,500 per year{{Citation needed|date=May 2020}} as an incentive to install approved practices for [[soil conservation]] and to protect [[water quality]].


The ACP was terminated in the [[1996 farm bill]] and replaced by a new [[Environmental Quality Incentives Program]] (EQIP).<ref>United States. Federal Agriculture Improvement and Reform Act of 1996. {{uspl|104|127}} Approved April 4, 1996.</ref>
The ACP was terminated in the [[1996 farm bill]] and replaced by a new [[Environmental Quality Incentives Program]] (EQIP).<ref>United States. Federal Agriculture Improvement and Reform Act of 1996. {{uspl|104|127}} Approved April 4, 1996.</ref>
The program, established in 1936 under the Soil Conservation and Domestic Allotment Act of 1936 and expanded by the Agricultural Act of 2014, is administered by the Department of Agriculture (USDA) through its Farm Service Agency (FSA) to support agricultural conservation, allocating over $15 billion since inception to support approximately 500,000 farmers annually by 2025. Initially funded with $10 million, it has grown to distribute $1.5 billion in FY 2025 across 500,000 initiatives, funding projects like soil erosion control in the Midwest and wetland restoration in the Southeast at agricultural lands nationwide.<ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.fsa.usda.gov/programs-and-services/conservation-programs/acp |title=Agricultural Conservation Program |publisher=U.S. Farm Service Agency}}</ref> Despite its impact, challenges like funding competition, adoption rates, and land use conflicts persist (web ID: 5), but it remains a cornerstone USDA effort to promote conservation.
{{Official URL (simple)|url=https://www.fsa.usda.gov/programs-and-services/conservation-programs/acp}}
==Goals==
* Protect and enhance soil, water, and wildlife resources on agricultural lands through conservation practices like cover cropping, contour plowing, and nutrient management.
* Reduce soil erosion, improve water quality, and mitigate agricultural impacts on the environment through cost-share payments and technical assistance.
* Support sustainable agriculture and rural economies by helping farmers adopt practices that balance productivity with environmental stewardship.<ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.fsa.usda.gov/conservation/goals |title=Conservation Program Goals |publisher=U.S. Farm Service Agency}}</ref>
==Organization==
The ACP is managed by USDA’s Farm Service Agency, overseen by Administrator Zach Ducheneaux since 2022, with regional FSA offices and state conservationists implementing projects under federal oversight. It operates via annual appropriations, guided by the Soil Conservation and Domestic Allotment Act, Agricultural Act of 2014, and subsequent funding acts like Public Law 118-342 (2024 Consolidated Appropriations Act).<ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.usda.gov/our-agency/about-usda/leadership |title=USDA Leadership |publisher=U.S. Department of Agriculture}}</ref>
==Partners==
* [[Natural Resources Conservation Service]]
* [[U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service]]
* [[Cooperative Extension System]]
* [[The Nature Conservancy]]
==History==
Authorized by the Soil Conservation and Domestic Allotment Act of 1936 (Public Law 74-461) and expanded by the Agricultural Act of 2014 (Public Law 113-79), and launched in 1936 with $10 million, the ACP expanded with annual appropriations, reaching $1.5 billion in FY 2025.<ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.congress.gov/bill/74th-congress/house-bill/11728 |title=Soil Conservation and Domestic Allotment Act of 1936 |publisher=U.S. Congress}}</ref> It grew from supporting 100,000 farmers annually in 1937 to 500,000 by 2025, addressing conservation challenges with innovations like the Conservation Reserve Program (web ID: 5). By 2025, it has funded over $15 billion, though GAO notes funding competition concerns (web ID: 5).
==Funding==
Initial funding of $10 million in 1936 supported the program’s launch, with over $15 billion appropriated by 2025 via annual USDA budgets—e.g., $1.5 billion in FY 2025.<ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.fsa.usda.gov/programs-and-services/conservation-programs/acp |title=Agricultural Conservation Program |publisher=U.S. Farm Service Agency}}</ref> Ongoing appropriations under the Soil Conservation and Domestic Allotment Act and Agricultural Act of 2014 sustain its operations, with no fixed end as it addresses ongoing conservation needs.
==Implementation==
ACP distributes cost-share payments and technical assistance annually, requiring farmers to adopt conservation practices, tracked via FSA’s program management system.<ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.fsa.usda.gov/conservation/how-to-apply |title=How to Apply for Conservation Programs |publisher=U.S. Farm Service Agency}}</ref> It progresses through partnerships with conservation organizations—e.g., 500,000 farmers yearly—and program expansions, adapting to environmental needs with no set end, though adoption rates remain a challenge (web ID: 5).
==Related==
* [[Conservation Reserve Program (CRP)]]
* [[Environmental Quality Incentives Program (EQIP)]]
==External links==
* https://www.fsa.usda.gov/programs-and-services/conservation-programs/acp
* https://www.usda.gov
* [[wikipedia:Agricultural Conservation Program]]
===Social media===
* https://twitter.com/USDA
* https://www.linkedin.com/company/u-s-department-of-agriculture


== References ==
== References ==
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[[Category:Water pollution in the United States]]
[[Category:Water pollution in the United States]]


[[Category:Programs and initiatives]]
[[Category:Department of Agriculture]]
[[Category:Partnerships]]


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