USDA NRCS Chief Aubrey Bettencourt briefs Midwest Council on Agriculture on conservation delivery reforms and farmer-focused priorities

April 15, 2026 — Aubrey Bettencourt, Chief of USDA’s Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS), joined the Midwest Council on Agriculture (MWCA) during their April monthly meeting for an in-depth discussion on agency reforms, conservation delivery modernization, and efforts to re-center NRCS on practical, producer-driven outcomes across the Midwest. 

Introduced by former USDA Under Secretary and MWCA Advisor Greg Ibach, Chief Bettencourt outlined a set of significant operational and policy changes underway at NRCS aimed at strengthening its core mission as a farmer-facing technical assistance agency and improving the efficiency, transparency, and effectiveness of federal conservation programs. 

“NRCS must work for farmers first,” Bettencourt said. “That means preserving working lands, keeping producers on the land, and ensuring conservation programs are accessible, timely, and accountable.” 

Chief Bettencourt emphasized a renewed focus on NRCS’s foundational role in supporting working lands conservation, with reforms designed to reduce delays and administrative burden for producers.  

She also previewed the rollout of a “One Farm / One File” initiative, integrating producer records across USDA agencies to streamline participation and reduce duplicative paperwork. 

Bettencourt discussed NRCS’s investment in modern field tools, including a new mobile “Integrated Field Tool” that allows conservation planners to work directly with producers in the field. The tool is currently being field tested, with broader deployment planned for fiscal year 2027. 

Additional reforms include simplification of Environmental Quality Incentives Program (EQIP) and Conservation Stewardship Program (CSP) signups and ranking processes, restoration of greater local discretion in conservation planning, and actions expected to save an estimated 85,000 staff hours annually. 

Chief Bettencourt addressed improvements to oversight and accountability in NRCS partnership programs, including the Regional Conservation Partnership Program (RCPP), with an emphasis on ensuring program dollars translate into on-the-ground conservation outcomes. 

She also highlighted NRCS’s shift toward outcomes-based conservation metrics—such as soil health, water quality, and biodiversity—while underscoring that producers retain ownership of their data. 

As part of that effort, Bettencourt noted the launch of a $700 million regenerative agriculture pilot program through EQIP and CSP, with particularly strong participation from Midwest producers. 

NRCS has also undertaken major reforms related to environmental compliance, including an approximately 80 percent reduction in CPA-52 paperwork and improved use of categorical exclusions under the National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA). 

About the Midwest Council on Agriculture: The Midwest Council on Agriculture works to harness the power of a multi-state coalition of farmers, ranchers, agribusinesses, commodity groups and agricultural lenders united with common goals and to advocate for strong agriculture and economic policy that promotes long-term sustainability of the agriculture industry in the Midwest region. 

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