What Does It Take to Enroll a Producer in a Conservation Program?

Environmental Initiative and Farm Journal’s Trust In Food™ conducted a study to benchmark the current levels of costs, time, and effort required to recruit farmers and ranchers into conservation programs in the United States.

The study:

Identifies the approaches conservation agriculture implementor organizations use for recruitment and the approximate level of effort and investment required for each method.
Provides an analysis of key conservation agriculture implementor pain points.
Highlights areas where additional training and support could be most useful.

What We Did

We began with in-depth interviews and informal input sessions to learn from people working directly with farmers and ranchers on conservation programs. We spoke with outreach staff and program leaders representing a wide range of organizations from national and international funders to county-level conservation groups. These conversations helped shape a national online survey.

Working with Environmental Initiative, Trust In Food™ designed and distributed the online survey to nonprofit, industry, and conservation program staff across the country from June to July 2025. In total, more than 50 experts contributed to the study.

Close work with an advisory council of experts from conservation and academic organizations ensured the survey and interview questions reflected real-world experience and research best practice.

What We Learned

Swipe through these key findings to explore what it takes to enroll a farmer or rancher into conservation programs, including the real-world challenges and opportunities faced by implementors on the ground.

Study participants reported it takes them between two and 10 hours of direct contact with a producer to recruit one participant into a program. Most implementors report that potential participants require between two and five touch points.

According to feedback from survey participants, higher incentives, simplified applications, better-timed reimbursement periods, access to lists of interested producers, and improved reimbursement timing emerged as the leading ways to lower enrollment costs.

Top pain points for implementors included funding/budget constraints and external bureaucracy, including the shifting of industry-wide priorities. Respondents recommended focusing on building relationships and understanding between implementors and funders as a key to success.

Transitioning to regenerative practices is a labor-intensive business with a correlation between number of producers served and staff size. While 79% of respondents report spending 15 or more hours each week administering their programs, just 47% spend that much time supporting enrolled participants. Our findings suggest scaling conservation agriculture practice adoption will require additional investment in staff capacity and reduced administrative burden.

Forty-one percent of surveyed implementors don’t have the information they need to estimate their program recruitment and enrollment costs. The survey indicated almost all programs measure success by acres or producers enrolled but did not have data on conversion costs. Implementors lack the time, capacity, tools, and data required to evaluate their outreach effectiveness and provide funders with insights needed to inform right-sized investments in producer recruitment efforts.

Scientific data and economic models that quantify the impact, return on investment, and success of sustainable practices are needed. Producers want to know exactly what they are being asked to do, for how long, to what benefit, and with what support before taking a step toward participation, but the answers to their questions aren’t always available. Information needs to be readily accessible, understandable, and regionally relevant to the potential recruits of a program for maximum resonance.

While contract lengths vary, implementors largely agreed that multi-season contracts are common and important. Sticking with producers for multiple seasons is seen as attractive to both producers and implementors. Conservation agriculture practices take time to grow and improve year over year, and the most effective programs match that steady growth in their design.

Want to Dig Deeper?

Download our summary research findings for additional detail along with practical recommendations for funders and program implementors committed to scaling change across the agricultural landscape.

Who We Heard From

Our research included 37 respondents who lead or manage conservation programs across the United States. They represent nonprofits, government agencies, universities, and businesses focused on regenerative agriculture, sustainability, and land stewardship. Job titles ranged from program managers and conservation directors to watershed coordinators and agronomists.

Most respondents are current program implementors (95%), with years of experience working directly with farmers, ranchers, and landowners. They’re spread across the country, with the largest clusters in the Midwest and California.

Program sizes vary—from just a few participants to hundreds. Nearly one-third oversee programs serving 25–100 farmers or landowners, while others work with larger regional or multi-state initiatives.

Many programs support row crop producers and livestock operations, and more than half (51%) work with both. The most common commodities include corn, soy, and beef, with some programs also supporting dairy, specialty crops, or fruit and nut growers.

The implementors surveyed in this study are leading a diverse mix of conservation agriculture programs. The most common program areas include soil health and conservation, water quality, nutrient management, low-till/no-till management, and cover crops.

Environmental Initiative

Environmental Initiative is a nonprofit that works with people in communities, businesses, nonprofits, and government agencies to advance environmental health. We create safe spaces for learning, discussion, and action, and manage projects that improve our air, land, and water. By focusing on collaboration where it’s most needed, we help achieve solutions that are more equitable and long-lasting. Our work includes designing and implementing strategic and culturally relevant engagement, outreach, and communications activities to connect with key audiences in ways that inspire action, foster connection, and facilitate behavior change.

Trust In Food

At Farm Journal, we empower American farmers by meeting evolving business, market, environmental and social expectations placed on them by a growing population. As Farm Journal’s social purpose initiative, Trust In Food works to bridge the gap between the global agriculture supply chain and the farm gate with the information and access needed to move toward a more resilient agriculture and food supply system. Our work supports our country’s farmers, our natural resources and all who depend upon them for food, fiber and fuel. Our Human Dimensions of Change accelerates the update of programs and practices through actionable intelligence about the psychological, attitudinal and behavioral data behind producer decision-making.

Need Additional Outreach Support?

Explore our self-guided outreach planning tool to design your next outreach plan in just five easy steps. Read case studies and download fillable worksheets to reach producers in your area more creatively and effectively.

In-person workshops are also available to organizations or teams looking to refresh their communications and outreach strategies.