Natural Resources Conservation Service Partners Up to Deliver RCPP Funding and Technical Support to Farmers and Ranchers in Western South Dakota

Huron, SD, Sept.10, 2025 -The U.S. Department of Agriculture's (USDA) Natural Resources Conservation Service's (NRCS) Regional Conservation Partnership Program (RCPP) is making financial assistance available for livestock producers on grazing lands in partnership with the World Wildlife Fund (WWF). Applications will be available to producers in Western South Dakota (SD) and are accepted Sept.10-Oct. 10, 2025.

"World Wildlife Fund's Sustainable Ranching Initiative is excited to partner with NRCS to promote livestock grazing practices that benefit grassland ecological functions, grassland bird populations, and ranch viability and resiliency," stated Alexis Bonogofsky, WWF Sustainable Ranching Initiative Program Manager. Through this RCPP, "Building Ranch Resiliency in South Dakota and Nebraska," we look forward to making a landscape-level impact and working to understand how grazing practices impact ecological function, soil health, and grassland bird populations in the Northern Great Plains."

The goal of the program is to increase resiliency on SD ranches through complete ranch systems planning and implementation of practices that will improve grassland and natural resources and enhance economic viability. While not required, additional financial assistance is available to producers who enroll in WWF's ranch systems and viability planning, which provides training, cost share, ranch monitoring, and access to peer-to-peer networking for producers willing to withhold converting grasslands for 10 years, followed by an agreed-upon grazing management plan.

The following practices are eligible under this project:

• Brush Management (314)
• Herbaceous Weed Treatment (315)
• Conservation Cover (327)
• Prescribed Burning (338)
• Fence (382)
• Pasture and Hay Planting (512)
• Livestock Pipeline (516)
• Prescribed Grazing (528)
• Pumping Plant (533)
• Range Planting (550)
• Heavy Use Area Protection (561)
• Livestock Shelter Structure (576)
• Watering Facility (614)
• Water Well (642)
• Upland Wildlife Habitat Management (645)
• Structures for Wildlife (649)
  

Additional partners include SD Game, Fish and Parks, Rainwater Basin Joint Venture, Department of Interior - Bureau of Land Management, Bird Conservancy of the Rockies, Millborn Seeds, Northern Great Plains Joint Venture, and South Dakota State University.

If you are a landowner interested in applying for enrollment, please contact your local USDA NRCS service center.

*Photo by Joe Dickie for USDA NRCS SD*

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