Conservation, Innovation, and What’s in the Bill

This week, we’re breaking down what the “One Big Beautiful Bill” Act could mean for agriculture. According to a Market Intel report from the American Farm Bureau Federation, there’s quite a bit in there for conservation and research.

Let’s start with conservation. The bill proposes extending key USDA programs like EQIP and CSP—two tools that many Southeast producers use to implement conservation practices without losing profitability. There’s also support for partnerships that promote climate-smart farming, soil health, and water quality.

On the research side, the bill prioritizes funding for ag innovation—specifically research into crop resilience, pest management, and data systems that could improve decision-making on the farm. One goal is to keep American ag competitive while giving producers more tools to handle both market and environmental pressures.

If you’re interested in using conservation practices or staying ahead with tech and research tools, these parts of the bill may catch your eye.

This is part two of our four-part look at the proposed legislation. We'll continue tomorrow, and if you're ready to dig in deeper, full details are at fb.org.