NRCS Announces Conservation Funding Opportunities for FY 2026

HARRISBURG, PA, Sept. 30, 2025 - The USDA Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS) in Pennsylvania is announcing fiscal year 2026 assistance opportunities for agricultural producers and private landowners for key conservation programs, such as the Agricultural Management Assistance (AMA) program, Conservation Stewardship Program (CSP), Environmental Quality Incentives Program (EQIP), and Regional Conservation Partnership Program (RCPP).

While applications are accepted on a continuous basis, NRCS utilizes application cutoff periods to assess and rank applications based on their potential conservation impact. All applications need to be received by Nov. 1, 2025, to be considered for this first round of funding for fiscal year (FY) 2026. Applications received after this date will be held and considered for subsequent rounds, as funding permits. 

Through conservation programs, NRCS provides technical and financial assistance to help producers and landowners make conservation improvements on their land that benefit natural resources, build resiliency, and contribute to the nation's broader effort to improve natural resource conditions on America's private lands.  

"NRCS conservation programs are good for Pennsylvania's natural resources and for your operation's bottom line," said Denise Coleman, NRCS State Conservationist in Pennsylvania. "Whether this is your first time working with NRCS or you want to take conservation to the next level on your land, we encourage you to contact your local NRCS service center to learn more."

Applying for Assistance

NRCS accepts applications for its conservation programs year-round. State Technical Committees, composed of representatives from conservation and agricultural-related organizations, work with NRCS to set state-specific priorities to evaluate applications for funding. Funding is provided using a competitive process.

Program Options

AMA helps agricultural producers manage financial risk through diversification, marketing or natural resource conservation practices. NRCS administers the conservation provisions while Agricultural Marketing Service and Risk Management Agency implement the production diversification and marketing provisions.

CSP helps you build on your existing conservation efforts while strengthening your operation. Whether you are looking to improve grazing conditions, increase crop yields, or develop wildlife habitat, we can custom design a CSP plan to help you meet those goals.

EQIP provides cost share assistance for producers to use 170-plus conservation practices to address a wide variety of natural resource concerns, including but not limited to, water quality, soil health, and wildlife habitat.

RCPP leverages partnership funding and technical assistance to address targeted resource concerns in a specific geographic area. The identified outcomes of the Programmatic Partnership Agreements determine which conservation practices are eligible for cost share assistance. For FY26, we have two RCPP projects open for applications. Project 2712 - Farmland Preservation with PA Department of Agriculture- is a statewide project to implement conservation practices that improve soil health on preserved farms. Project 2761 - Implementing a strategy to rapidly restore agriculturally impaired streams in Central PA with Chesapeake Conservancy - is available in Lycoming, Union, Snyder, Clinton, Centre, and Huntingdon Counties.

Additional Producer Benefits

Special provisions in EQIP and CSP are also available for certain producers, including beginning farmers and ranchers and those who are military veterans, among others. Be sure to ask your Service Center about advance payments or higher payment options.

More Information

To participate in USDA conservation programs, applicants should be farmers or farm or forest landowners and must meet eligibility criteria. To learn more, producers can contact their local service centeror visit our website at https://www.nrcs.usda.gov/PA.  Producers can also apply for NRCS programs, manage conservation plans and contracts, and view and print conservation maps by logging into their farmers.gov account. If you don't have an account, sign up today. 

For 90 years, NRCS has helped farmers, ranchers and forestland owners make investments in their operations and local communities to improve the quality of our air, water, soil, and wildlife habitat. NRCS uses the latest science and technology to help keep working lands working, boost agricultural economies, and increase the competitiveness of American agriculture. NRCS provides one-on-one, personalized advice and financial assistance and works with producers to help them reach their goals through voluntary, incentive-based conservation programs. For more information, visit nrcs.usda.gov.