USDA Invests $21 Million in an Additional 10 Projects including one in Texas to Expand Wildlife Conservation, Outdoor Access

Projects Benefit Farmers, Wildlife and General Public

 

(Temple, Texas, November 3, 2026) – The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) is investing $21 million in an additional 10 projects to increase public access to private lands for wildlife-dependent recreation while benefiting farmers, ranchers and private landowners. This includes a $3 million project in Texas with Texas Parks and Wildlife Department (TPWD).

Through the Voluntary Public Access and Habitat Incentive Program (VPA-HIP), USDA’s Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS) is helping state and tribal governments encourage private landowners to allow public access to their land for hunting, fishing and other wildlife-dependent recreation. The second round of award selections includes projects in Arizona, Kansas, Oklahoma, South Carolina, South Dakota, Tennessee, Texas, Washington and Wyoming.

“The Voluntary Public Access and Habitat Incentive Program enables NRCS to work with state and tribal partners to provide recreational access to private lands, support rural communities and ensure we are keeping working land in working hands,” said Acting Texas State Conservationist Clint Evans. “

The Working Families Tax Cuts Act restored funding for VPA-HIP, enabling NRCS to offer the competitive grant program for state and tribal governments.  NRCS awarded $49 million to 19 projects during the first round of award selection announced in July 2026. Between the two rounds, NRCS has invested a total of $70 million in 29 projects.

The project in Texas selected during Round Two is:

• TPWD proposes to expand the number of public hunting areas and days; increase the acreage of our current leased public access program, the number of private-land drawn-hunt permits available through the state-run system, maintain existing leased river access sites, and establish new leased river access sites for fishing, paddling, and wildlife viewing. Requested funding will be used to make financial assistance available to private landowners to incentivize providing public access.

See a list of all projects here. 

Projects may be up to three years in duration. Selected projects will receive between $833,000 and $3 million in funding. Project sponsors can use up to 25% of funds to provide incentives to landowners to improve wildlife habitat on enrolled public access program lands.

For more than 90 years, NRCS has helped farmers, ranchers and forestland owners make investments in their operations and local communities to improve the quality of our air, water, soil, and wildlife habitat. NRCS uses the latest science and technology to help keep working lands working, boost agricultural economies, and increase the competitiveness of American agriculture. NRCS provides one-on-one, technical assistance and financial assistance and works with producers to help them reach their goals through voluntary, incentive-based conservation programs. For more information, visit nrcs.usda.gov.