Share of conservation spending by major programs and predecessors in the 2014 and previous farm acts

The share of mandatory conservation funding devoted to land retirement (the Conservation Reserve Program, or CRP) and conservation easements (Agricultural Conservation Easement Program, or ACEP, and predecessor programs (see chart)) will decline during 2014-2018, and the share of conservation funding for working land conservation programs (the Environmental Quality Incentives Program, or EQIP, and the Conservation Stewardship Program, or CSP) will rise, compared with actual spending during 2008-2013. Combined funding for EQIP and CSP is projected to account for more than 50 percent of conservation spending during 2014-2018. These programs (and predecessors) accounted for just over 40 percent of spending during 2008-2013, 32 percent during 2003-2007, and 11 percent during 1996-2002.

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