USDA Launches New Regenerative Pilot Program To Lower Farmer Production Costs And Advance MAHA Agenda
U.S. Secretary of Agriculture Brooke L. Rollins, alongside U.S. Health and Human Services Secretary Robert F. Kennedy, Jr., and Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services Administrator Dr. Mehmet Oz announced a $700 million Regenerative Pilot Program to help American farmers adopt practices that improve soil health, enhance water quality, and boost long-term productivity, all while strengthening America’s food and fiber supply.
Building off the Make Our Children Healthy Again Strategy released in September, the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) is also investing in research on the connection between regenerative agriculture and public health, as well as developing public health messaging explaining this connection.
“Protecting and improving the health of our soil is critical not only for the future viability of farmland, but to the future success of American farmers. In order to continue to be the most productive and efficient growers in the world, we must protect our topsoil from unnecessary erosion and improve soil health and land stewardship. Today’s announcement encourages these priorities while supporting farmers who choose to transition to regenerative agriculture. The Regenerative Pilot Program also puts Farmers First and reduces barriers to entry for conservation programs,” said Secretary Brooke Rollins. “This is another initiative driven by President Trump’s mission to Make America Healthy Again. Alongside Secretary Kennedy, we have made great strides to ensure the safe, nutritious, and affordable food our great farmers produce make it to dinner tables across this great country.”
“In September, under President Trump’s leadership, we released the MAHA Strategy Report, which includes a full section on soil health and land stewardship,” said HHS Secretary Kennedy. “Today’s regenerative farming announcement directly advances that deliverable. If we intend to Make America Healthy Again, we must begin by restoring the health of our soil.”
“We cannot truly be a wealthy nation if we are not also a healthy nation. Access to wholesome, nutritious, and affordable foods is a key tenet of the Make America Healthy Again agenda, which President Trump has directed this administration to execute across all government agencies,” said CMS Administrator Dr. Mehmet Oz. “I commend Secretary Rollins and Secretary Kennedy for today’s efforts to strengthen our nation’s food supply.”
Protecting Soil and Reducing Production Costs
In response to the Dust Bowl in the 1930s, Congress created the USDA Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS) to help people help the land and improve conservation of the nation’s soil and water resources.
This action led to improved soil health and natural resources management which, in turn, has led to increased productivity. Between 1948 and 2021, total U.S. farm production increased 190% while total farm inputs—such as land, labor, and water—decreased 2% in the same period.
However, current conservation programs at USDA have become overly burdensome and farmers are bogged down with red tape whenever they try to adopt soil health and regenerative agriculture practices. Even with the improved soil health since the creation of NRCS, USDA data shows that farmers recently reported that 25% of acres had water-driven erosion concerns and 16% of acres had wind-driven erosion concerns.
The Regenerative Pilot Program directly addresses these challenges by cutting administrative burdens for producers, expanding access to new and beginning farmers, and boosting yields and long-term soil resilience across operations.
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