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Audubon Joins More Than 50 Conservation Groups in Urging Senate to Strengthen the Conservation Reserve Program
As CRP marks its 40th year, Audubon and a broad conservation coalition are calling for investments and updates that benefit farmers, ranchers, wildlife, and grasslands
Last week, the National Audubon Society joined more than 50 wildlife, conservation, and sporting groups in sending a letter to the Senate Agriculture, Nutrition, and Forestry Committee urging investment in the Conservation Reserve Program in the next Farm Bill. Close alignment among these organizations ahead of Senate consideration of a Farm Bill demonstrates the strong coalition behind working lands conservation and the grassland restoration priorities needed to help recover declining bird populations.
The Conservation Reserve Program (CRP) is one of the largest private lands conservation programs in the country. Originally established in the 1985 Farm Bill and now in its 40th year, CRP provides financial incentives for agricultural producers to preserve environmentally sensitive land. As the letter highlights, “CRP has served as a critical part of the farm safety net, helping producers and landowners manage risk, generate on-farm income, provide forage during extreme drought, and conserve environmentally sensitive lands. The program also restores wildlife habitat for a broad array of wildlife species, improves soil and water quality, and supports the $1.3 trillion outdoor recreation economy.” Despite its track record of success and sustained popularity, the program has not received any significant updates or resources since the 2018 Farm Bill.
Increased investment in CRP is essential to encourage enrollment in the program and fairly compensate farmers, ranchers, and foresters for their conservation efforts. CRP’s payment rates do not adequately reflect the cost of implementing conservation practices today. The program’s land management tools also need to be updated to support sustainable grazing and other practices that enhance wildlife habitat in the most imperiled ecosystems, including our nation's grasslands.
Additional resources can also boost incentives for producers to convert marginal cropland into productive pasture, one of Audubon’s key 2026 Farm Bill policy priorities. Establishing perennial forage and integrating rotational grazing across working lands improves soil health, increases water infiltration, provides wildlife habitat, and reduces erosion and nutrient loss, all while protecting water quality and maintaining productive agricultural use.
With nearly half of the U.S. land base dedicated to agricultural production, the Farm Bill represents a unique opportunity to achieve meaningful conservation outcomes at scale. To join Audubon in urging Congress to invest in CRP and pass a conservation-forward Farm Bill, please visit our Action Center here.