Today’s guest is Colton Buckley, Chief of USDA’s Natural Resources Conservation Service. Buckley discusses the expansion of the Regenerative Pilot Program to $1 billion for fiscal 2027 after NRCS contracted $860 million with more than 5,000 producers during fiscal 2026.
Buckley also explains the move toward more state and locally driven conservation decisions, a lower Conservation Stewardship Program participation threshold, rolling applications, and expanded options for farmers and ranchers using practices such as prescribed grazing, cover crops and nutrient management.