The US Department of Agriculture – Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS) is announcing the availability of up to $5 million in Wetland Mitigation Banking Program (WMBP) grant funds for the development and establishment of mitigation banks and banking opportunities solely for agricultural producers with wetlands subject to the Wetland Conservation Compliance provisions of the 1985 Food Security Act (as amended). WMBP is a competitive grants program accepting proposals from Federally Recognized Native American tribal governments, State and local units of government, for-profit entities, non-profits with and without 501(c)3 status with the IRS other than institutes of higher education (IHE), private IHEs, and public and State controlled IHEs.

Wetland mitigation banking is the restoration, creation or enhancement of wetlands for the purpose of compensating for unavoidable impacts to wetlands at another location. Wetland mitigation banking is commonly used to compensate for wetland impacts from development, but it also used for impacts from agriculture. Conservation compliance provisions for wetlands, commonly called Swampbuster provisions, aim to remove certain incentives to produce agricultural commodities on converted wetlands. Producers seeking benefits through most USDA programs must meet conservation compliance by filing form AD-1026, affirming they will not drain, dredge or fill wetlands in order to grow commodity crops. In situations where avoidance or on-site mitigation is challenging, the Farm Bill allows for off-site mitigation through mitigation banking.

Wetland mitigation banking is the restoration, creation or enhancement of wetlands for the purpose of compensating for unavoidable impacts to wetlands at another location. Wetland mitigation banking is commonly used to compensate for wetland impacts from development, but it also used for impacts from agriculture.

Based on NRCS data, proposals from the following States will receive priority consideration: Georgia, Illinois, Indiana, Iowa, Michigan, Minnesota, Nebraska, Ohio, South Dakota, and Wisconsin.