Participation is down 40% in this agricultural program that protects wildlife, water, and soil

Participation is down 40% in this agricultural program that protects wildlife, water, and soil

Simon Bratt // Shutterstock Paying farmers to fallow their fields for conservation only works if the price is right, no matter how noble the cause. In some regions of the United States, farmers can net higher returns by continuing to harvest crops like corn and soybeans than they would if they leased their land for conservation efforts. In 2021, the Biden administration set a "30 by 30 goal" by which the U.S. would conserve 30% of all land and w…

Participation is down 40% in this agricultural program that protects wildlife, water, and soil: Thistle compiled data from the Farm Service Agency to examine how enrollment in the Conservation Reserve Program has changed over time and why participation ha

Thistle compiled data from the Farm Service Agency to examine how enrollment in the Conservation Reserve Program has changed over time and why participation has declined in recent years.