Colorado Adds Two Funded Practices to Regenerative Pilot Program: Soil Carbon Amendment and Range Planting, With a Nov. 20 Deadline
The U.S. Department of Agriculture announced in Denver, Colorado, on November 5 that farmers and ranchers in the state taking part in the Regenerative Pilot Program can now apply for assistance with two additional conservation practices: Soil Carbon Amendment (practice 336) and Range Planting (practice 550). The additions were recommended by the state technical advisory committee to reflect local resource concerns and production systems, and they complement the program's core practices available nationwide.
Alyson Keaton, acting state conservationist in Colorado for USDA's Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS), said the pilot helps producers address whole-farm resource concerns through voluntary regenerative agriculture conservation plans, and that Colorado has dedicated funding from the Environmental Quality Incentives Program (EQIP) and the Conservation Stewardship Program (CSP) to support practices that improve soil health and water resources.
In fiscal year 2027, USDA increased financial assistance for the pilot from $700 million to $1 billion, dedicating $650 million through EQIP and $350 million through CSP, while keeping whole-farm planning at the center of the program. The new year also lowers the entry barrier: CSP applicants must now address the state's identified critical soil and water resource concerns on 75% of their land, down from 100%.
Producers can bundle multiple regenerative practices into a single application and may sign up at any time during the year, but Colorado producers interested in funding during the current fiscal year should apply by November 20, 2026, through their local NRCS service center, under the single regenerative application process for both EQIP and CSP.
Source: USDA Natural Resources Conservation Service
Published by GSM · USA (original Chinese edition)
Photo: 图：科罗拉多州 San Luis Valley 的牧场作业场景。照片：Boyd Norton 摄，美国国家档案馆藏，公共领域，经 Wikimedia Commons 发布／A ranch at work in Colorado's San Luis Valley. Photo by Boyd Norton, National Archives, public domain, via Wikimedia Commons
