On December 9, 2024, USDA announced that the Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS) in Iowa has obligated $47.2 million in IRA funding through the Agricultural Conservation Easement Program (ACEP), the Conservation Stewardship Program (CSP), Environmental Quality Incentives Program (EQIP), and the Regional Conservation Partnership Program (RCPP) for fiscal year 2024. These programs invest in climate smart agricultural conservation. They provide technical and financial assistance to farmers to implement conservation activities which have climate mitigation benefits, support conservation easements that can reduce greenhouse gases in the atmosphere, and more. Additional funding was provided through the same programs by the Farm Bill, bringing the total investment in Iowa conservation practices to $112.1 million.
EQIP, RCPP, ACEP, and CSP are funded by the Farm Bill and IRA section 21001, which appropriates funds to support climate smart agricultural conservation investments.