USDA Invests $3 Million for Wetland Mitigation Banking Projects to Support Producers and Protect Wetland Ecosystems

USDA Invests $3 Million for Wetland Mitigation Banking Projects to Support Producers

New Funding Expands Compliance Pathways and Protects Vital Wetland Ecosystems Across American Working Landscapes

WASHINGTON, D.C. — July 24, 2026

The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) announced on July 24, 2026, an investment of $3 million to support the development of wetland mitigation banks for agricultural producers through the Wetland Mitigation Banking Program (WMBP). Administered by the Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS), the program helps restore, create, or enhance wetlands, generating credits that producers can purchase to offset unavoidable impacts at other locations.

Streamlining Compliance and Protecting Ecosystems

Agricultural producers must comply with wetland conservation provisions to remain eligible for USDA program benefits. When avoidance or on-site mitigation is challenging, purchasing off-site credits from an established wetland mitigation bank provides a legal mechanism to maintain program eligibility.

“Wetland mitigation banks provide farmers and ranchers a clear and efficient compliance pathway, while at the same time helping to restore and protect vital wetlands and all the benefits they provide.”

— Colton L. Buckley, NRCS Chief

Grant Details and Priority Regions

Eligible entities—including city and county governments, tribal entities, and organizations—can request up to $1 million per project over a period of up to four years. Priority will be given to banks in states with significant numbers of individual wetlands and conservation compliance requests, including:

Georgia, Illinois, Indiana, and Iowa
Michigan, Minnesota, Nebraska, and Ohio
Pennsylvania, South Dakota, and Wisconsin

WMBP funding covers costs related to site identification, development of mitigation banking instruments, site restoration, land surveys, permitting, and market research. Applications are due by September 8, 2026, via Grants.gov.

“Ensuring the long-term resilience and productivity of American working landscapes.”