Understanding Governance of Farm Bill Conservation Programs: Implications for Conservation Policy Planning and Evaluation

Abstract Information: Farm Bill conservation programs (e.g., Environmental Quality Incentives Program (EQIP)), administered by the Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS) provide technical and financial assistance to farmers and other rural land managers in exchange for their voluntary adoption of best management practices (BMPs) to address environmental resources concern resulting from agriculture. The planning, policy development, and implementation of these programs encourage partnerships among diverse conservation agencies and public participation at the federal, state, and local levels of decision-making.  However, there is a paucity of research to explore the extent of public participation in program planning, implementation, and evaluation at these decision-making levels. Drawing on the environmental governance framework we sought to address this gap by conducting 33 in-depth interviews with conservation professionals at the federal, state, and county levels and analysis of program documents. Our findings show the importance of public participation in conservation program planning and implementation and discuss strategies to enhance diverse stakeholder involvement in program governance. In this presentation, we will share the implications for natural resource management policy planning and evaluation.