Biden-Harris Administration Announces $90 Million in Innovative Projects that Help Conserve Natural Resources and Address Climate Change as Part of In

Today, Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack revealed that the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) will be putting $90 million towards 53 projects focused on Conservation Innovation Grants (CIG). These grants will help create and implement new methods and technologies to improve conservation efforts on private lands. The funding for these projects has increased this year thanks to President Biden's Inflation Reduction Act, specifically targeting initiatives that address climate change. One important area of focus will be finding innovative solutions to reduce the emissions of enteric methane from livestock, a harmful greenhouse gas.

For the past two decades, the Conservation Innovation Grants from the USDA have encouraged the development of innovative tools and technologies to protect natural resources, enhance the sustainability of producers' operations, and boost their profits. With the implementation of President Biden's groundbreaking Inflation Reduction Act, we now have the opportunity to support our conservation partners even more and meet the growing need from producers to adopt conservation practices that benefit both their farms and the environment. Secretary Vilsack expressed gratitude for the act, highlighting its positive impact on profitable farming, rural economies, and climate conservation efforts.

The USDA's Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS) is giving out more than $69.7 million for CIG On-Farm Trials projects and over $20.2 million for CIG Classic projects. Secretary Vilsack announced the CIG grants at a roundtable event in Pennsylvania, highlighting USDA programs that focus on innovative climate strategies. The Inflation Reduction Act allocates $19.5 billion over five years to support USDA's popular conservation programs, including CIG grants. This act, which is part of President Biden's Investing in America agenda, is the largest investment in climate and clean energy solutions in American history. The funding for conservation goes directly to local communities, helping farmers get the financial support they need to buy equipment, hire workers, and implement these practices. This support benefits producers financially and reduces their costs for implementing conservation and climate-friendly practices.

Two successful CIG projects are coming to Pennsylvania. One will help farmers make better decisions about managing their farms in order to improve nutrient management in the Chesapeake Bay watershed. The other will use advanced agricultural technology to measure available forage on dairy farms and offer support, data collection, and evaluation of the economic and conservation benefits of using the technology. This support and information is designed to help farmers switch from continuous grazing to managed grazing.

You can find a list of CIG project grants on the CIG website.

The NRCS is dedicated to supporting all farmers, businesses, and partners in our country. There are some farmers in marginalized communities who have faced challenges that make it difficult for them to succeed in farming and ranching. These farmers are crucial to maintaining a strong agricultural economy and preserving our natural resources. The NRCS welcomes proposals from organizations that work with or are made up of farmers from these communities.

The Inflation Reduction Act, a key part of President Biden's plan to invest in America, has provided more funding for various conservation programs. One program that has received increased funding is the Regional Conservation Partnership Program. In April of this year, the NRCS made $1.5 billion available for projects that help farmers save money, generate new sources of income, and improve productivity. Additionally, in March, the USDA announced a $138 million investment in 138 new climate-smart conservation easements. These easements enable farmers and ranchers to protect wetlands, grasslands, and valuable farmland.

Furthermore, the USDA's National Institute of Food and Agriculture revealed in December 2023 that they will be putting $10 million towards researching ways to decrease methane emissions from ruminant animals. This gas is a powerful contributor to climate change. The USDA is aiming to promote climate-friendly agriculture practices by funding projects in every state. These initiatives will help create new markets for environmentally-friendly products, capitalize on the benefits of sustainable agriculture, and offer valuable support to small and disadvantaged farmers.

Additional Information on the Grants for Innovation in Conservation Program

By using creative thinking and new ideas, CIG partners are tackling issues dealing with water quality, water quantity, air quality, soil health, and wildlife habitats in our country. At the same time, they are also making agricultural operations better.

From 2004 until now, CIG has put in $541.9 million towards supporting 929 creative initiatives and 467 collaborators. This also involves $170 million specifically allocated for 121 projects under the Biden-Harris Administration.

The national program CIG has two components: CIG On-Farm Conservation Innovation Trials and CIG Classic. With CIG Classic, partners create innovative tools, technologies, and methods to aid future conservation efforts on active lands and formulate solutions to resource issues. For CIG Classic, the funding priorities for this year included:

The CIG On-Farm Trials involve NRCS working with partners to carry out conservation activities on farms and analyze their results. These projects aim to encourage the adoption of new conservation techniques by farmers. Producers are offered financial incentives to help cover the costs of trying out these new methods. In 2021, the focus of CIG On-Farm Trials funding was:

The Soil Health Demonstration Trial (SHD) part of CIG On-Farm Trials is all about trying out conservation practices and systems that make the soil healthier. This helps reach the goals of the Inflation Reduction Act by capturing more carbon and cutting down on greenhouse gas emissions.

One important part of each CIG On-Farm Trials project is the evaluation of the project. Partners need to come up with strong scientific methods for their CIG On-Farm Trials, which will provide data and analyses on the environmental, financial, and social impacts of the trials. NRCS will look at the results of these evaluations and analyses to see if there are any new conservation assistance programs, guidance documents, technical tools, or changes to existing ones that can be developed. For instance, CIG partners created and tested a tool for farmers called Irrigator Pro, which helps farmers decide when to irrigate for the best crop growth while saving water and reducing irrigation costs. Originally a cloud-based platform, Irrigator Pro can now be accessed as a smartphone app.

The USDA has a big impact on all Americans every day in many good ways. Under the Biden-Harris administration, the USDA is changing how America's food system works. They are focusing more on local and regional food production that is sustainable, creating fair markets for all farmers, making sure everyone has access to safe and healthy food, and helping farmers and producers find new ways to make money using environmentally friendly practices. The USDA is also making investments in rural infrastructure and clean energy, and working to make sure everyone in the Department has a fair chance at success. To find out more, visit www.usda.gov.

The USDA offers the same opportunities to everyone, regardless of their background, and encourages fair and equal employment and lending practices.