Agriculture

 

 

 

Our Plan To Invest In American Agriculture For Climate Solutions

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Maximizing Agricultural Climate Solutions

American agriculture has the potential to become a significant carbon sink and a crucial part of the climate solution. Climate stewardship practices, such as no- and low-till farming, planting cover crops, diversified crop rotations, rotational grazing, and improved nutrient management, increase carbon sequestration in roots and soils and reduce agricultural greenhouse gas emissions. Financial and technical challenges, however, can often be barriers for farmers and ranchers implementing these practices on their agricultural operations. Many farmers also must contend with encroaching development and may see selling their lands as the best path forward.

America’s farmers and ranchers can be active partners in solving the climate crisis by sequestering carbon in their soils and adopting climate stewardship practices. Many are already providing valuable climate and ecosystems benefits, but they need the federal government’s support to do it at scale. Congress must invest generously in financial and technical assistance, education, and research to encourage agricultural producers to implement climate-smart agriculture practices.

 

Increase carbon sequestration and reduce agricultural greenhouse gas emissions by boosting spending for new and existing conservation programs to provide financial and technical assistance to farmers and ranchers eager to deploy climate stewardship practices.

Expand USDA resources, research, and partnerships to provide more education, outreach, and technical assistance to agricultural producers.

Support on-farm renewable energy and energy efficiency projects to help farmers reduce on-farm fuel use and emissions.

Preserve farmland from development and prevent the conversion of natural spaces to agricultural use in order to maximize carbon sequestration.

Increase support for beginning, young, and socially disadvantaged farmers and incorporate climate-smart agriculture into new farmers’ programs.

Reduce food waste and transportation emissions by supporting local and regional food systems and developing waste reduction goals and initiatives.