A bill in front of Congress this week would provide support for voluntary conservation programs for landowners to protect and improve soil quality, soil health, and wildlife habitat.

“NACD (National Association of Conservation Districts) is very pleased that House and Senate appropriators have finally reached an agreement that will support funding for critical conservation programs,” NACD President Brent Van Dyke said. “The investments Congress makes now in voluntary, incentive-based conservation will yield natural resource and economic benefits for many generations of Americans to come.”

The funding bill includes a $13.6 million increase to the Natural Resources Conservation Service’s (NRCS) Conservation Operations account, which supports the vitally important Conservation Technical Assistance (CTA) program. Congress also allocated a $6 million increase in funding to the Environmental Protection Agency’s Section 319 non-point source grant program, $28.6 million for the Emergency Conservation program, $21 million for the Watershed Rehabilitation program, and for the first time since Fiscal Year (FY) 2010, funded the Watershed Operations (PL-566) program at $150 million.