WASHINGTON, D.C. (April 3, 2025) — A bipartisan bill would save taxpayers money while protecting native grasslands and supporting ranching operations. The American Prairie Conservation Act, reintroduced this week by Senators John Thune (R-S.D.) and Amy Klobuchar (D-Minn.), would reduce taxpayer-funded crop insurance subsidies that inadvertently incentivize converting native prairie to cropland, even where the land is not suitable for long term cropping.

“Native grasslands are not only important for ranchers and rural communities, they provide critical habitat for birds, pollinators, and other wildlife,” said Aviva Glaser, senior director of agricultural policy at the National Wildlife Federation. “The American Prairie Conservation Act is a common sense bill that helps to keep grasslands in grass while saving taxpayer dollars. We thank Senators Thune and Klobuchar for their long running leadership on this issue and look forward to working with them and the Agriculture Committees to ensure that the 2025 Farm Bill includes this important legislation.”