Federal Conservation Programs Are Part Of U.S. Wheat’s Stories Of Stewardship

U.S. Wheat Associates (USW) has a responsibility to help the world’s wheat buyers, flour millers, bakers, and wheat food processors better understand how U.S. farmers produce higher-yielding, higher-quality wheat while using methods that are better for the planet we all share. Our new “Stories of Stewardship” focus provides specific examples of this commitment.

It is also important to understand that farmers and the federal government have been partners in conservation for decades. The 2018 Farm Bill maintained a strong commitment to voluntary, incentive-based conservation programs that have been utilized by wheat growers across the country and are expanding with the infusion of additional funding under the Inflation Reduction Act (IRA) of 2022.

The National Association of Wheat Growers (NAWG) has reported that between 2018 and 2021, wheat farmers entered over 7,500 contracts with USDA’s Natural Resources Conservation Service through the Farm Bill conservation programs. These include such practices as cover crops, reduced tillage, erosion control terraces, and grassed waterways. NAWG suggests the flexibility and local decision-making included in the Farm Bill conservation programs is vital to their success.

Source: US Wheat Associates