The $10.5 Billion Conservation Opportunity: A County-Level Analysis

A LandConnect: Powered by GRŌ Research Brief

Generated December 7, 2025

Executive Summary

The U.S. conservation landscape is undergoing a rapid expansion driven by record federal investments and heightened demand from landowners seeking technical and financial support. Based on the most recent LandConnect platform data—covering 152,473 NRCS payment records updated as of November 18, 2025—this report analyzes more than 1.9 million conservation payments and practices across 55 states and territories.

The combined analysis of USDA’s Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS) and the Farm Service Agency (FSA) reveals a nationwide conservation economy exceeding $10.5 billion, including $9.39 billion in NRCS funding and an estimated $1.18 billion in FSA payments. With thousands of contracts distributed across 3,117 counties, this dataset provides one of the most granular national assessments available on conservation funding flows, regional variations, and local market opportunity.

What emerges from this analysis is clear: the conservation market is not only large—it is accelerating. The scale, distribution, and concentration of funding points to meaningful opportunities for contractors, landowners, investors, and state-level agencies shaping climate and resource strategies.

National Funding Landscape

A $10.5B Multi-Agency Market

Combined NRCS and available FSA records analyzed through LandConnect point to a total of $10.57 billion in conservation spending. NRCS accounts for the bulk of this activity at $9.39 billion, with FSA representing an additional $1.18 billion, particularly across programs such as the Conservation Reserve Program (CRP) and cost-share initiatives.

Together, these investments form the backbone of federal conservation deployment—funding that supports sustainable agriculture, water conservation, soil health, energy efficiency, forestry, and climate-smart practices.

Scale of Participation

• 55 states and territories represented

• 3,117 counties with conservation activity

• 1,931,525 payment and practice records

• $5,000 average payment across all contracts

These figures illustrate not only the broad reach of conservation assistance but the depth of ongoing program engagement at the county level.

State-by-State Rankings: Where the Investments Are Flowing

A state-level review reveals substantial differences in both funding volume and contract concentration. The following table captures the leading states by total funding, number of contracts, and average contract value:

RANK	STATE	TOTAL FUNDING	CONTRACTS	AVG CONTRACT
1	Texas	$625M	96,240	$6K
2	California	$546M	49,375	$11K
3	Arkansas	$489M	92,311	$5K
4	Mississippi	$462M	91,735	$5K
5	Georgia	$337M	68,480	$5K
6	Minnesota	$304M	67,910	$4K
7	Kansas	$282M	50,888	$6K
8	Montana	$277M	42,549	$7K
9	Missouri	$268M	85,325	$3K
10	North Dakota	$268M	40,346	$7K
11	Nebraska	$262M	60,012	$4K
12	South Dakota	$251M	62,398	$4K
13	Illinois	$243M	62,577	$4K
14	Tennessee	$240M	80,076	$3K
15	Oregon	$238M	33,033	$7K

Key State-Level Insights

• Texas leads the nation, with $625 million in total conservation funding—reflecting both program maturity and expansive agricultural land.

• California’s high average contract size ($11K) signals cost-intensive conservation practices in specialty crop and high-water-use regions.

• The Delta states (AR, MS) show high participation volume, with more than 180,000 combined contracts, underscoring strong engagement in soil health and nutrient management.

County-Level Hotspots: The Top 10 Highest-Funded Counties

A deeper dive identifies concentrated pockets of conservation investment. These counties represent critical hubs of agricultural activity and environmental need.

RANK	COUNTY	STATE	TOTAL FUNDING	PRACTICES
1	Sunflower	MS	$76M	9,444
2	Bolivar	MS	$61M	7,344
3	Tulare	CA	$58M	3,232
4	San Joaquin	CA	$44M	1,590
5	Fresno	CA	$43M	2,561
6	Madera	CA	$34M	2,461
7	Box Elder	UT	$33M	3,520
8	Hawaii	HI	$32M	5,347
9	Desha	AR	$28M	3,955
10	Lawrence	AR	$28M	4,846

County-Level Observations

• Sunflower County, Mississippi stands out with an unprecedented $76 million supporting 9,444 conservation practices—the highest in the nation.

• California’s Central Valley dominates the top 10, reflecting concentrated fruit, nut, and vegetable production systems requiring high conservation investment.

• Box Elder County, Utah highlights significant funding in mixed agricultural and rangeland systems.

• Hawaii County demonstrates strong participation in diversified agriculture and water management programs.

Market Implications: The Emerging Conservation Economy

1. A Growing Market for Contractors and Technical Assistance Providers

The depth of contracts—particularly in states such as Texas, Arkansas, Mississippi, and Missouri—points to a robust pipeline for engineers, consultants, conservation planners, foresters, construction firms, and renewable energy developers.

2. Agency and Investor Opportunities

For agencies, this dataset highlights where demand is most concentrated and where resource allocation may need to scale. For investors, the county and state clusters can serve as a roadmap for resource deployment, market entry, and public-private partnership strategies.

3. The Role of LandConnect

This report draws on platform datasets including:

• nrcs_payment_archive

• fsa_payment_archive

• state_funding_totals

• county_reference

LandConnect’s multi-source integration enables high-resolution analysis of conservation trends essential for planning, forecasting, and opportunity assessment.

Conclusion

The $10.5 billion in tracked federal conservation spending represents far more than payments—it reflects a rapidly expanding marketplace for ecological restoration, climate solutions, and regenerative agriculture. With more than 3,000 counties participating and nearly 2 million practices implemented, conservation has evolved into a national economic engine.

For landowners, service providers, agencies, and investors alike, understanding where the money flows—and why—is the first step to unlocking new opportunities in the conservation sector.

Citation

All statistics sourced from LandConnect platform data.

Data coverage includes multiple fiscal years of NRCS and FSA payment records.

Research brief generated December 7, 2025 at 4:27 AM under Content ID eco-1.