USDA Announces Conservation Innovation Grant Awards

USDA’s Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS) announced that it is awarding more than $69.7 million for Conservation Innovation Grants (CIG) On-Farm Trials projects and more than $20.2 million for CIG Classic projects. The totals reflect increased funding this year through the Inflation Reduction Act, which is funding CIG projects that address climate change, with a particular focus on innovative solutions to reduce livestock emissions of enteric methane. Through CIG Classic, partners develop new tools, technologies, and strategies to support next-generation conservation efforts on working lands and develop market-based solutions to resource challenges. CIG On-Farm Trials projects, meanwhile, feature collaboration between NRCS and partners to implement on-the-ground conservation activities and then evaluate their impact. A list of funded CIG project grants is available online, along with a listing of program funding priorities for this year.