USDA News:

The USDA’s Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS) on July 31, announced a $53 million investment in hunting and fishing access through the Voluntary Public Access and Habitat Incentive Program (VPA-HIP).  

VPA-HIP supports state-led programs, tailored to the needs of local landowners, hunters, and anglers. It is the only federal program designed to incentivize willing landowners to allow hunting and fishing access. It also  supports streamlined habitat improvement on those same acres. 

“As the Chief of NRCS, one of my top priorities is to expand wildlife conservation and outdoor access; the Voluntary Public Access and Habitat Incentive Program is a key part of our strategy to execute that priority,” said NRCS Chief Colton L. Buckley. “This program—made possible by the Working Families Tax Cuts Act—prioritizes farmers and ranchers while strengthening rural economies through support of wildlife conservation and outdoor recreation. These projects encourage landowners to allow the public to access their land for hunting, fishing, and other wildlife-dependent recreation.”    

TRCP has been a major supporter of VPA-HIP since its inception, and we’ve worked hard to ensure it remains authorized and funded. This award represents the largest single investment in VPA-HIP in history, and the first federal support these programs have received in years.  

“Finding access is one of the biggest challenges hunters and anglers face, especially those of us without large blocks of public land nearby,.” said Aaron Field, TRCP’s director of private lands conservation. “We applaud NRCS for this investment and look forward to the great hunting and fishing opportunities it will create nationwide.” 

Learn more about VPA-HIP here. 

About the TRCP

Founded in 2002, the TRCP is the largest coalition of conservation organizations in the country, uniting and amplifying the voices of sportsmen and women by convening hunting and fishing groups, conservation organizations, and outdoor businesses to a common purpose.