Senators Introduce Legislation to Strengthen the Conservation Reserve Program

posted in: General

August 8, 2025

Bipartisan bill aims to modernize and enhance one of America’s most effective wildlife habitat programs.

The Conservation Reserve Program (CRP) is one of the nation’s most important federal programs for supporting wildlife habitat. Introduced in the 1985 Farm Bill, the Conservation Reserve Program incentivizes landowners to put a portion of their land into conservation cover, particularly on acres that would be more productive as wildlife habitat than they are for crops. It is currently responsible for creating, maintaining, and enhancing nearly 27 million acres of habitat across the U.S. But due to lack of progress in passing a full, five-year Farm Bill, the program hasn’t had a policy update since 2018.

Thankfully, lawmakers from both sides of the aisle are showing their support for strengthening the CRP. On July 31^st, Senators John Thune (R-S.D.), Amy Klobuchar (D-Minn.), Jerry Moran (R-Kan.), and Tina Smith (D-Minn.) introduced the CRP Improvement and Flexibility Act (S.2608).

The CRP Improvement and Flexibility Act would:

Reestablish cost-share for CRP mid-contract management, encouraging the management that is best for the habitat instead of the cheapest way to comply.

Finally raise the CRP’s 40-year-old payment limitations to reflect inflation and modern land values.

Support grassland management through managed livestock grazing by providing cost-share for grazing infrastructure like fencing and water development.

Permanently establish State Acres for Wildlife Enhancement (SAFE) as a practice under CRP’s Continuous Enrollment option.

Change CRP emergency haying provisions to provide better quality forage for livestock producers in times of drought while preventing damage to wildlife habitat both within and across growing seasons.

“The CRP Improvement and Flexibility Act is an excellent example of lawmakers working across the aisle and among multiple stakeholders to find practical solutions,” said TRCP’s director of private lands conservation Aaron Field. “We are grateful to Majority Leader Thune, Ranking Member Klobuchar, Senator Moran, and Senator Smith for their leadership and pragmatism on improving this critical program for hunters.”

“Ensuring that CRP continues to be an effective option for producers and landowners is critical to South Dakota’s agriculture industry,” said Senator John Thune (R-S.D.). “As a longtime supporter of CRP, I’m proud to lead this commonsense legislation that would help advance the multiple-use benefits of this conservation program, including wildlife habitat and livestock forage potential.”

“The Conservation Reserve Program helps equip our farmers with the tools to conserve and improve soil, water quality, and wildlife habitat,” said Senator Amy Klobuchar (D-Minn.). “This bipartisan legislation makes commonsense improvements to CRP that will strengthen conservation practices and landowner enrollment in this vital program.”

The Conservation Reserve Program has been one of the nation’s most important conservation programs for nearly 40 years. Many of the species we love to pursue find habitat in farm country thanks to the CRP. Without the CRP, pheasant numbers would plummet, the northern plains states would lose much of their best duck breeding habitat, sage grouse in the West would be at even greater risk, and brook trout would decline in Eastern headwaters. Put simply, without the CRP, millions of sportsmen and women would lose hunting and fishing opportunities across rural America.

Learn more about the Conservation Reserve Program and other Farm Bill conservation programs HERE.

Top photo by Anthony Hauck

One Response to “Senators Introduce Legislation to Strengthen the Conservation Reserve Program ”

James Gavitt August 16, 2025

I have been attempting to get my two farms, a total of 430 acres, enrolled in the Conservation Easement program for the past ten years. The problem is that the county has no “3rd Party” organization to monitor the program. This problem needs to be solved as local farms are being broken up into small, non-productive units by realtors and auctioneers.

August 16, 2025 at 6:36 am

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by: Noah Davis

posted in: General

August 5, 2025

onX and TRCP Release Map of Public Acres Available for Potential Sale

First-of-its-kind tool identifies six million acres the Bureau of Land Management could advance for sale

onX and the Theodore Roosevelt Conservation Partnership today launched an interactive map that identifies lands deemed eligible for potential sale by the Bureau of Land Management. This map is the first publicly available, easy-to-use tool to inform both the public and policymakers about the locations of public land parcels that the federal government could advance for sale.

“Public lands, like those managed by the BLM, support 178.5 million outdoor recreation participants who rely on these landscapes to hunt, hike, fish, off-road, ski, climb, and bike,” said onX CEO Laura Orvidas. “The outdoor community cherishes these places, and has recently fought fiercely to keep them public. Yet the land disposal process has historically been opaque–often buried in hundreds of pages of government documents. We created this map with TRCP to bring transparency to the land disposal process, to inform outdoor enthusiasts of nearby parcels, and to encourage lawmakers to uphold existing policies that safeguard the public interest when considering any land sales.”

This map was developed using publicly available GIS data derived from 160 individual BLM Resource Management Plans in 17 western states. It reveals 6,086,900 acres of public land marked for potential sale.

“For the first time, the public and policymakers can engage with one map that spans most BLM planning areas, and see public land parcels eligible for sale in the context of other landmarks, like towns, roads, and adjoining public lands,” said Joel Pedersen, president and CEO of the Theodore Roosevelt Conservation Partnership. “TRCP is proud to partner with onX to share this valuable tool that shows specific locations of land that could be considered for sale like never before.”

The six million acres depicted in the map are not guaranteed to be sold, rather, they have been identified in BLM land use plans as eligible for potential disposal or sale. Identification of lands as eligible for disposal does not trigger immediate action, it means those parcels may be considered for sale if and when a proposal is advanced. Importantly, any future sale must go through a multi-step process that includes additional opportunities for public review and comment. By showing these parcels on a map, the public can more readily participate in any future public process.

Explore the map HERE.

Learn more about the BLM’s land disposal history and current process HERE.

Public lands need champions, and thankfully, several bipartisan members of Congress are taking the lead. Learn more about the Public Land Caucus HERE.

by: Noah Davis

posted in: General

August 1, 2025

TRCP Applauds Brian Nesvik Confirmation as Fish and Wildlife Service Director

Former Wyoming Game and Fish Director a friend to hunters and anglers

Today, the Theodore Roosevelt Conservation Partnership cheers the Senate confirmation of Brian Nesvik to lead the United States Fish and Wildlife Service. The new FWS Director previously served as the Wyoming Game and Fish Director and has an extensive track record of working to conserve and manage fish and wildlife species and their habitat.

“TRCP has worked with Nesvik for many years, and we are pleased to have him in the role of Fish and Wildlife Service Director,” said Joel Pedersen, president and CEO of TRCP. “We look forward to working with him in his new capacity to conserve fish and wildlife habitat and bolster hunting and fishing opportunities.”

The USFWS manages more than 560 National Wildlife Refuges and 70 national fish hatcheries that provide crucial habitat and support opportunities to hunt and fish across the nation. The USFWS also oversees the Endangered Species Act and the Migratory Bird Act as well as programs focused on managing invasive species and providing oversight on importing and exporting wildlife.

Learn more about the USFWS HERE.

by: Noah Davis

posted in: General

July 31, 2025

The Tradition Continues

TRCP’s Western conservation communications manager reflects on the recent victory for public lands and the opportunities this freedom affords

My dad and I worked our way up the creek, which was the only way through the willows, the only path to follow. The stream emptied the peaks above and had flattened out in this hanging valley before it would again find its course to pour lower into the valley.

Where the water gained a foot of depth in front of a young ponderosa that had fallen in, we watched cutthroat trout interrupt the flow as they rose to a hatch of small, gray mayflies that tumbled in the current.

I’d caught a 10-incher in the last bend, so dad took his position on the left bank. Back far enough so his shadow wouldn’t reach over the water, he cast a #14 purple haze toward the top of the run in the bubble line that hugged the grass.

On a day like the one we’d been having, there should’ve been no surprise when the trout appeared below the fly. But there is always a reaction—the same as when a woodcock flushes from cover, or a deer walks into a clearing—of a trout materializing where only a moment ago there was none.

The trout followed the drift for a moment, then swallowed the fly with confidence. Dad’s 3wt bowed with the strong runs and we shared smiles watching the beautiful fish turn in the clear water. The black-spotted Westslope cutthroat came to his hand. The pastel cheek iridescent above the orange flash of the slash beneath the chin.

After a quick picture, the fish bolted back into the depth, disappearing in the nervous water as mayflies continued to float past.

“Plenty of water ahead,” my dad said, drying his hands on his pants.

“And plenty of day to fill,” I smiled back.

For the last dozen summers, my dad and I have spent weeks together in the backcountry of America’s public lands. Sometimes my mom and brother would accompany us, other times my wife, but the constant has been my dad and me folding into the routine of sleeping, eating, and fishing.

This most recent trip felt different. Not that anything had changed, but that it had stayed the same.

During the months before our father-son-first-week-of-July excursion, I’d worked with dozens of members of our TRCP team to help elevate the voices of tens of thousands of fellow hunters and anglers, leading outdoor brands, and partners in urging lawmakers to remove public land sales from budget reconciliation legislation.

We built action alerts and sent emails, organized letters and meetings, called our representatives and spread the news far and wide. We experienced small victories and setbacks and kept pushing knowing that every message to Congress was another step toward keeping our public lands in public hands. It was a powerful and moving moment to be committed our public lands that are the pride of our nation. I was honored to play a small part in this work.

By the time my trip rolled around, the team knew a decision was imminent, yet nothing had been announced. The day before I disappeared into mountains remote enough to bar me from any news, the amendment that would have mandated the sale of millions of acres of public lands was removed.

The celebration began across social media, news outlets, and emails from engaged organizations. The challenge that we had spent months working to overcome was overcome thanks to tens of thousands of conservation-minded people, as well as national, state, and local hunting and fishing businesses and organizations, and leadership from a bipartisan group of public land champions in Congress. Public lands had won!

The beaver dam had been blown out, but still the far side benefited from the slower water where the foundation clung to the bottom. A willow carcass made the run that much more enticing to fish and a danger to an errant cast.

And an errant cast was thrown by me so that my royal Wulff wrapped around a skinny finger of a branch and hung there for just long enough that disappointment grew in my stomach for ruining such a pool. Then, gracefully, the tug of the current on my line pulled the hook to set it free and the fly landed on the water.

Because the accidental placement became accidentally perfect for the drift, a cutthroat rose and swallowed the fly. I watched the orange sides turn and bully into the tangle. My tippet held and finally the trout came into the shallows where I beheld its spot-free side before the black studs appeared on the tail. A perfect fish in a perfect stream.

When the cutthroat returned to the run, Dad and I took a moment to drink some water before continuing. In that still moment, a time when our minds weren’t only occupied by the best path around a log jam or if that stretch was worth fishing, we each said out loud how grateful we were to live in a country that has public land where we can explore and be together without any worry or need to ask permission. That these millions of acres are ours to cherish.

And then we went back to fishing.

The victory of defeating public land sales is worth celebrating, but this most recent challenge is a reminder that our public lands are never guaranteed.

Learn more about how you can stay engaged on hunting and fishing access through our updated Public Land Access webpage below.

Learn More

Read more public land reflections from the TRCP team HERE.

by: Michael O'Casey

posted in: General

July 29, 2025

Breaking Down BLM Land Disposal

Understanding the past and present of BLM’s land disposal authority

Earlier this summer, tens of thousands of engaged hunters and anglers across the country, as well as national, state, and local hunting and fishing businesses and organizations, and leadership from a bipartisan group of public land champions in Congress defeated an amendment in budget reconciliation legislation that would have forced the sale of up to 3 million acres of public lands. This victory underscores the need to understand how public lands, particularly Bureau of Land Management acres, were established and what current laws guide public land sales and disposals.

At TRCP, we believe America’s public lands are a shared legacy that should be retained for future generations to enjoy. While we strongly oppose large-scale transfers or sales of public lands, we recognize that small, community-driven land sales or exchanges can be appropriate. For us to support such proposals, they must:

Clearly benefit local communities.
Preserve or enhance existing hunting, fishing, and recreational access.
Include a robust public process.
Avoid disposal of lands with important fish and wildlife habitats.
Ensure that proceeds from any sale are reinvested in conservation and public access.

Where It All Began: A Nation Built on Land Disposal

The United States’ expansionist vision in the 19^th Century drove a series of major land acquisitions such as the Louisiana Purchase (1803), the Oregon Territory (1846), and the Alaska Purchase (1867), which dramatically expanded the amount of land managed by the federal government. At its peak, the federal government owned approximately 1.8 billion acres. To fuel westward expansion and promote economic growth, federal policies prioritized disposing of these lands to settlers and private companies.

By the mid-20th century, the national mindset had begun to shift. The frontier had closed, and public demand grew for recreation, conservation, and more deliberate land stewardship. In 1946, the federal government created the Bureau of Land Management, which inherited responsibility for managing the leftover lands that hadn’t been claimed or sold off. These lands were long considered “disposable,” and for decades lacked a clear guiding mission. But that changed in 1976.

FLPMA and the End of the Disposal Era

The Federal Land Policy and Management Act, passed by Congress in 1976, was a landmark moment in public land history as it ended the government’s longstanding policy of land disposal and replaced it with a new guiding principle: that public lands should be retained in federal ownership unless disposal clearly serves the national interest.

This “retention policy” marked the beginning of the BLM managing lands more intentionally under the principle of multiple use (recreation, conservation, mining, energy development, and grazing) while ensuring sustainable, science-based planning and public involvement.

Importantly, FLPMA didn’t eliminate the ability to sell or exchange public lands. Instead, it imposed strict criteria and public process requirements. Under Section 203 of the law, lands may only be sold if they meet one or more of the following conditions:

They were acquired for a specific purpose and are no longer needed for that or any other federal use;
Their disposal would serve important public objectives, like community expansion or economic development, and those objectives outweigh the public values of keeping the land in federal hands; and
They are difficult and uneconomic to manage due to location or other characteristics and are not suitable for transfer to another federal agency.

Additionally, Section 102 of FLPMA reinforces that land sales must be carefully weighed and support the broader national interest. Any proposed disposal of a parcel of public lands must have been previously identified as ‘available for disposal’ through the land use planning process during the development of more than 160 individual Resource Management Plans. Before any parcel is sold, that specific parcel must also go through a formal public comment and notice.

The BLM Today: Managing Lands for All Americans

Today, the BLM is the largest land management agency in the country, overseeing 245 million surface acres and over 700 million acres of subsurface mineral estate. These lands are a cornerstone of America’s hunting, fishing, and outdoor traditions with more than 99% of BLM lands open to hunting and recreational shooting. They also provide important habitat for fish and wildlife, opportunities for hiking, camping, and exploring, and support local economies by providing lands for sustainable grazing and domestic energy development.

Many BLM lands are valuable precisely because they were not sold off during the disposal era. So many of them are rugged, remote, and rich in natural values that make them prized by sportsmen and women and other recreationists. While some parcels identified decades ago as “available for disposal” still appear in planning documents, that designation doesn’t automatically mean they will be sold, especially under today’s laws and standards.

Why It Matters Now

These lands belong to all Americans and are central to TRCP’s mission of guaranteeing all American’s quality places to hunt and fish. Any decision to part with our public lands must be transparent, grounded in science, and open to public scrutiny.

At TRCP, we’re committed to defending America’s public land legacy. We’ll continue working with lawmakers, agency leaders, and conservation partners to ensure that federal land policy upholds the values of access, habitat conservation, and community benefit.

Learn More

Debates about land sales have taken place for decades, most recently in 2025, but the public has had no easy way to see where these parcels marked for potential sale actually sit. onX and the Theodore Roosevelt Conservation Partnership have teamed up to develop a first-of-its-kind webmap that identifies lands deemed eligible for sale by the Bureau of Land Management.

Explore the map to learn what lands are identified for potential sale near you through the button below.

EXPLORE THE WEBMAP

Public lands need champions, and thankfully, several bipartisan members of Congress are taking the lead. Learn more about the Public Land Caucus HERE.