Reactions vary to Conservation Reserve Program expansion USDA's plan to expand the Conservation Reserve Program, the country's best-known agricultural conservation program, has drawn a mixed reaction. 5:30 am, May 3, 2021 × A butterfly in wildflowers on Conservation Reserve Program land. (Liz Harder / Harder Stock) The U.S. Department of Agriculture's plan to expand the Conservation Reserve Program has received both praise and wariness from ag groups. The National Association of Conservation Districts and the National Sustainable Agriculture Coalition commended the expansion, while the National Grain and Feed Association said it wants to see more details and that CRP "should be targeted at the most environmentally sensitive portions of farms."