climate-smart

Agricultural Producers to Conserve Land through Climate-Smart Easements

Dan Ag "Outdoors", Agricultural Conservation Easement Program – Wetland Reserve Easements (ACEP-WRE), Climate Change, Environment, USDA-NRCS

The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) will invest about $138 million of financial assistance from President Biden’s Inflation Reduction Act, the largest climate investment in history. This will be through 138 new climate-smart conservation easements, where farmers and ranchers are conserving wetlands, grasslands and prime farmlands. These selected Agricultural Conservation Easement Program (ACEP) projects are part of a broad investment in climate-smart agriculture …

conservation

Farm Conservation One Key to Fighting Climate Change

Dan Climate Change, Conservation, Environment, USDA-NRCS

Last year was a record setting year for USDA’s Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS). When it comes to conservation work, some 2.8 billion dollars was spent on various projects across the country. That was NRCS Chief, Terry Cosby, who says these farm conservation projects can help fight climate change. For fiscal year 2024, NRCS has $3 billion in Inflation Reduction Act funds …

conservation

USDA to Train Future Conservation and Climate Leaders

Dan Climate Change, Conservation, Environment, USDA-NRCS

The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) has announced a new effort to train the next generation of conservation and climate leaders. As part of the American Climate Corps (ACC) initiative, the Working Lands Climate Corps (WLCC) will provide technical training and career pathway opportunities for young people, helping them deliver economic benefits through climate-smart agriculture solutions for farmers and ranchers across the …

working lands

USDA’s Working Lands Climate Corps

Dan Climate Change, Environment, National Association of Conservation Districts (NACD)

The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) has launched the Working Lands Climate Corps (WLCC), an initiative designed to train the next generation of conservation and climate leaders. Xochitl Torres Small, Deputy Secretary of Agriculture, revealed the program at the National Association of Conservation Districts’ (NACD) yearly gathering in San Diego. According to Will McIntee, Senior Advisor for Public Engagement at …

changing climate

Changing Climate Means More Pests for Almonds, Peaches, Walnuts

Dan Climate Change, Environment, Fruits, Specialty Crops, This Land of Ours, USDA-NIFA

How a changing climate could mean more pests for some tree crops. That’s coming up on This Land of Ours. Department of Agriculture research shows climate change may increase the insect population that poses a threat to the specialty crops industry. Led by the National Institute of Food and Agriculture (NIFA) and the University of California, the research shows populations …

climate

U.S Agriculture “Flips the Script” at U.N. Climate Meeting

Dan Climate Change, This Land of Ours

U.S. Agriculture’s climate change mitigation efforts were showcased at COP28. That’s coming up on This Land of Ours. At last year’s UN climate conference, COP 27, US agriculture, was in some cases on the defensive about its work on climate change. But in this year’s conference- “We flipped the script for American agriculture,” Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack, said on the …

true cost

“True Cost” of Food Discussed at COP28

Dan Climate Change, Economy

True cost accounting takes into consideration every possible expense involved in an activity. In the case of agriculture, two recent true cost accounting reports show there are many hidden costs in the food supply around the world. They were a topic of discussion at the UN Climate Change Conference, COP28, this week in Dubai. Sara Farley, Vice President of the …

eqip

EQIP Signup Reminder in Georgia

Dan Climate Change, Conservation, Environment, Environmental Quality Incentives Program (EQIP), Forestry, Georgia, USDA-NRCS

The USDA Natural Resources Conservation Service in Georgia (NRCS-GA) wants to remind agricultural and forest producers in the state that signup for Fiscal Year 2024 statewide federal assistance opportunities through the Environmental Quality Incentives Program (EQIP) runs until Friday, November 17, 2023. This application ranking date announcement is for all general EQIP, special initiatives, as well as the IRA-funded Climate-Smart Agriculture and Forestry mitigation activities that address grazing, forestry, …

carbon

Injecting Carbon into National Forests and Grasslands

Dan Climate Change, Environment, Forestry, This Land of Ours

A proposed forest service change could lead to more carbon storage. That’s coming up on This Land of Ours. The U.S. Forest Service proposed a change in regulations that would allow it to consider requests to inject carbon dioxide beneath the 193 million acres of national forests and grasslands. Currently, the Forest Service is barred from authorizing “exclusive and perpetual …

Agricultural

Webinar: Expansion of Climate-Smart Agriculture and Forestry Mitigation Activities and other FY24 Conservation Opportunities

Dan Climate Change, Conservation, Economy, Environment, Farm Bill, Forestry, USDA-NRCS

The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) will hold a public webinar Wednesday, October 25 at 2 pm eastern that will cover the newly expanded list of Climate-Smart Agriculture and Forestry Mitigation activities available for Inflation Reduction Act funding. This is all through conservation programs offered by USDA’s Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS). The webinar will also cover available Inflation Reduction Act and …