CEMA 216 Basics

USDA's primary regenerative agriculture funding opportunity is the NRCS Regenerative Pilot Program, launched for FY2026. The program provides approximately $700 million to support the adoption of regenerative practices. As part of the application process, soil health testing is required at the beginning of the contract and throughout the contract period.

The challenge throughout the winter has been the list of required soil health tests outlined in the CEMA 216 document. Previous versions of the document not only specified the required tests but also required specific laboratory methods to perform them. These methods were not commonly offered by commercial laboratories, greatly limiting access to labs capable of completing the required testing.

In April, CEMA 216 was updated to the January 2026R version, which removed the laboratory method restrictions. The latest version of the CEMA documents can always be found here: https://www.nrcs.usda.gov/programs-initiatives/eqip-environmental-quality-incentives/cpas-dias-and-cemas.

While ALGL is not currently able to perform the entire suite of required tests in-house, we can subcontract the necessary soil health testing to help you and your customers participate in NRCS regenerative agriculture funding programs.

Contact your regional agronomist or the laboratory directly for more information.