USDA announces $1 billion to fund projects to help fight climate change

Growing crops and raising cattle emit lots of greenhouse gases into the air that trap heat and warm the Earth. The agriculture sector accounts for about 10% of the total annual U.S. greenhouse gas emissions.

U.S. Secretary of Agriculture Tom Vilsack announced a new program Monday as part of President Joe Biden’s pledge to halve greenhouse gas emissions from agriculture by 2030. The Partnerships for Climate-Smart Commodities, a $1 billion program, will fund pilot projects on farms and forests that curb greenhouse gas emissions.

The USDA is asking for ideas on how to execute practices like no-till farming, nutrient management and manure management on a large scale. Those ideas must include plans to measure and verify the impact from the projects and plans to develop markets.

During a news conference at Lincoln University of Missouri in Jefferson City, Vilsack said consumers and businesses are more interested in buying food produced with “climate-smart” agriculture and forestry practices. He said that will also help U.S. farmers stay competitive abroad.