Examining equity in USDA conservation funding

This study examines the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s Environmental Quality Incentives Program (EQIP) and how the funding it provides is distributed both socially and geographically. This study has a particular emphasis on investigating how the nature of EQIP contracts might vary depending on a producers' race or ethnicity. It is determined whether there are issues of inequity within the program's funding records, and the degree to which the limited data available can assess this. Agricultural producers of all kinds are facing a range of challenges as the price of farmland continues to rise, the agricultural system further consolidates, and the financial risk involved for those operating small landholdings rises. While all farmers face impending hardship, the challenges for farmers of color and other underserved groups are compounded by historically having agricultural aid and resources withheld from them. Some efforts have been made to improve equity in USDA programs, but vigilance in identifying areas of potential inequity remains important, both to hold the USDA accountable and to identify where additional improvements can be made. This work contributes to that effort by investigating this under-studied program in its funding rate and conservation practices as they differ for producers of different social and racial backgrounds. It is indicated that socially underserved producers are eligible for greater funding amounts under EQIP. Results support that these producers are funded at higher rates, but results vary depending on how funding is calculated at the level of geography that is studied. More transparency from the NRCS on EQIP funding would allow for a more comprehensive assessment of equity.