CLIMATE-SMART AGRICULTURE AND FORESTRY STRATEGY: 90-DAY PROGRESS REPORT - U.S. DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE - Agri-Pulse
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U.S. DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE CLIMATE-SMART AGRICULTURE AND FORESTRY STRATEGY: 90-DAY PROGRESS REPORT
In accordance with Federal civil rights law and U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) civil rights
regulations and policies, the USDA, its Agencies, offices, and employees, and institutions participating in
or administering USDA programs are prohibited from discriminating based on race, color, national origin,
religion, sex, gender identity (including gender expression), sexual orientation, disability, age, marital status,
family/parental status, income derived from a public assistance program, political beliefs, or reprisal or
retaliation for prior civil rights activity, in any program or activity conducted or funded by USDA (not all
bases apply to all programs). Remedies and complaint filing deadlines vary by program or incident.
Persons with disabilities who require alternative means of communication for program information (e.g.,
Braille, large print, audiotape, American Sign Language, etc.) should contact the responsible Agency or
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Service at
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To file a program discrimination complaint, complete the USDA Program Discrimination Complaint Form,
AD-3027, found online at How to File a Program Discrimination Complaint and at any USDA office or write
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copy of the complaint form, call (866) 632-9992. Submit your completed form or letter to USDA by: (1) mail:
U.S. Department of Agriculture, Office of the Assistant Secretary for Civil Rights, 1400 Independence
Avenue, SW, Washington, D.C. 20250-9410; (2) fax: (202) 690-7442; or (3) email: program.intake@usda.gov.
USDA is an equal opportunity provider, employer, and lender.
May 2021
2 CLIMATE-SMART AGRICULTURE AND FORESTRY STRATEGY: 90-DAY PROGRESS REPORTA Message from Secretary Vilsack
Dear Reader,
As we face the global challenge of climate approach. It will be multi-pronged and centered
change, there has never been a more important on voluntary incentives that beneft producers
and exciting opportunity for leadership from and landowners. We will look across climate
American agriculture and forestry. America’s science and research, forest health, outreach
producers and forest owners have long been at the and education, existing programs, and new and
forefront of stewardship of our lands, promoting emerging markets to advance climate-smart
wildlife habitat, biodiversity, and clean air and agriculture and forestry. All of this must be done in
water – while also sequestering carbon to combat partnership with landowners, producers, state and
climate change. Today, they are on the front lines, local governments, Tribes, and other stakeholders
experiencing the impacts of climate change as across agriculture and forestry.
shifting weather patterns and increasingly frequent
and severe storms, foods, drought, and wildfre Equity and justice will play a guiding role in our
wreak havoc and cause billions of dollars in work. We recognize that to tap the potential
damages. At the same time, scientists tell us that within agriculture and forestry, we need to reach
our powerful nature-based carbon sink—our farms all producers and landowners. As we build our
and forests—could begin to degrade if we do not strategy, we will ensure that socially disadvantaged
take action. With the right tools and partnerships, producers have a seat at the table and reap the
American agriculture and forestry can lead the benefts of these programs. We will also prioritize
world in solutions that will increase climate actions that provide tangible, near-term benefts
resilience, sequester carbon, enhance agricultural for low-income communities and communities of
productivity, and maintain critical environmental color.
benefts.
At this pivotal time, President Biden has called I am confdent that in partnership with our
upon USDA to develop a strategy for climate- country’s agriculture and forestry stakeholders, we
smart agriculture and forestry as part of a whole- can develop a strategy that is a win-win for our
of-government effort to addressing the climate producers in building climate resilience, mitigating
crisis. Central to USDA’s approach is the concept emissions, and conserving our natural resources. I
that to be effective, whatever we do must work look forward to continuing to work alongside you
for farmers, ranchers, and landowners. We must as we move forward.
pursue strategies that create new markets for rural
Americans and build wealth that stays in rural Sincerely,
communities.
Over the past months, USDA has heard the views
of Tribes and stakeholders across agriculture and
forestry on how USDA should develop its climate Secretary Tom Vilsack
smart agriculture and forestry strategy. This report
refects some of those initial conversations, and in
the coming months we look forward to continuing
to work with you to develop and implement our
CLIMATE-SMART AGRICULTURE AND FORESTRY STRATEGY: 90-DAY PROGRESS REPORT 1Introduction communities and communities of color. The
USDA’s climate smart strategy builds on the
On January 27, 2021, President Joe Biden signed administration’s whole-of-government approach to
Executive Order 14008 Tackling the Climate Crisis tackling the climate crisis, including its America
at Home and Abroad. This Executive Order directs the Beautiful conservation campaign, which
Federal agencies to coordinate a Governmentwide focuses on locally-led conservation activities that
approach to combat the climate crisis. Recognizing employ nature-based climate solutions, including
the important role that agriculture and forestry on working lands.
will play in climate change mitigation and
resilience, the Executive Order tasked the U.S.
Outreach Strategy
The Executive Order directed the Secretary
Secretary of Agriculture to deliver a report with
to collect input from Tribes, farmers, ranchers,
recommendations for a climate-smart agriculture
forest owners, conservation groups, frefghters,
and forestry (CSAF) strategy. In developing this
and other communities and organizations as part
strategy, the Secretary was directed to consider
of its strategy development. In line with this
CSAF practices that decrease wildfre risk fueled
directive, USDA published a Federal Register
by climate change, source sustainable bioproducts
Notice to collect input on how to best develop and
and fuels, and result in conservation actions
implement CSAF strategies. The Department’s
that provide measurable carbon reductions and
efforts focused on opportunities within existing
sequestration.
USDA programs, potential new policies, and
The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA)
ways that USDA can support emerging markets
welcomes the President’s focus on developing a
to provide CSAF solutions. Within these broad
climate-smart agricultural and forestry strategy
categories, USDA requested specifc input on
that employs proven conservation practices to
agriculture and forestry carbon benefts; biofuels,
achieve enhanced productivity and economic
wood, and other bioproducts; renewable energy
sustainability for U.S. agriculture and forestry;
technologies; addressing catastrophic wildfre;
improved ecological, social, and economic
and achieving environmental justice. This
resilience to climate change; increased carbon
Federal Register Notice was issued on March 16
sequestration; and reduced greenhouse gas
and closed on April 29, 2021. USDA received
(GHG) emissions. Climate-smart practices
over 2,700 comments in response to the Federal
include activities that store carbon and improve
Register Notice.
resilience and soil health, such as reduced and
USDA also hosted a series of 10 stakeholder
no-till, cover crops, and prescribed grazing; reduce
listening sessions to provide a forum for feedback
GHG emissions, including methane and nitrous
and discussion around CSAF strategy development
oxide, using practices such as ruminant feed
and implementation. Participants included farmer
management, manure management, and fertilizer
organizations, commodity groups, livestock
management; improve on-farm energy effciency,
producer groups, environmental organizations,
such as improved irrigation effciency, reduced fuel
forestry representatives, agriculture businesses and
use, and energy conservation; and improve forest
technology companies, environmental market
management to increase forest resilience and
organizations, renewable energy organizations,
health.
Tribal organizations, and organizations
The Department also is committed to
representing socially disadvantaged communities.
implementing a CSAF strategy that furthers
Over 260 participants attended these listening
equity, environmental, and racial justice, and
sessions and provided USDA with feedback on a
is accessible to and will beneft all farmers,
CSAF strategy.
landowners, land managers, Tribes, and
communities — particularly low-income
2 CLIMATE-SMART AGRICULTURE AND FORESTRY STRATEGY: 90-DAY PROGRESS REPORTPreliminary takeaways from outreach enabling the United States to remain competitive
in a global economy.
This report takes note of the broad array of The Department will synthesize the wide array
perspectives raised during these initial outreach of comments received from the Federal Register
activities. Initial feedback underscored a broad Notice and listening sessions. This feedback,
range of ongoing work and the need for USDA and ongoing engagement with Tribes and
to learn from existing initiatives, leverage current stakeholders, will help guide USDA’s CSAF
programs and networks, forge new relationships strategy development and implementation moving
with community and private-sector partners, and forward.
continue to build on the efforts of producers, land Recommendations for a USDA Climate-Smart
managers, Tribes, and other groups to conserve Agriculture and Forestry Strategy
America’s natural resources and address climate A successful CSAF strategy will rely on a multi-
change. pronged approach. This will allow USDA to meet
While a wide range of ideas and comments were multiple objectives and provide a unifed strategy
shared with USDA, several common themes across USDA’s agencies and offces to address
emerged. Respondents valued the Department’s diverse needs and opportunities throughout the
efforts to assert a leadership role in combating agriculture and forestry sectors. Below are seven
climate change within the sector and welcomed recommended elements of a CSAF strategy:
the opportunity to partner with USDA on this
work. USDA was urged to seek approaches that
integrate climate, environmental, and equity
1. Prepare USDA to quantify, track,
and justice goals. Feedback indicated that the and report the benefts of
CSAF strategy should recognize and account for CSAF activities
co-benefts that CSAF practices provide beyond
USDA will take the following actions to quantify
reducing GHGs, including protecting habitat,
and assess efforts to expand climate-smart practices
improving air, water, and soil quality, and building
and technologies, including:
resilience. USDA also heard the need to remain
• Identify promising CSAF practices.
attentive to potential adverse impacts of a
USDA will continue working to identify
CSAF strategy, particularly on already burdened
and defne a suite of practices and
communities, and to engage directly with
technologies that deliver on climate
community members.
outcomes, including GHG emission
Another main theme was that a “one-size-
reductions, carbon sequestration, climate
fts-all” policy or program will not work for all
adaptation and resilience, and other co-
producers and land managers and that a CSAF
benefts that are appropriate for large-scale
strategy needs to be place-based, fexible, and
adoption. This may include practices for
locally led. Feedback cited the effectiveness but
which there is strong scientifc evidence
oversubscription of USDA’s existing programs
of emissions reductions and carbon
and initiatives and raised the need for increasing
benefts, as well as those that are well-
investment in or modifying these programs and
defned within existing USDA, Natural
providing adequate technical assistance. Early
Resources Conservation Service (NRCS)
discussions offered ideas for new and innovative
Conservation Practice Standards. USDA
programs and technologies focused on securing
will continue to identify a suite of CSAF
climate benefts, including the roles that USDA
practices and technologies that will be the
can play in supporting private, voluntary
primary programmatic focus of its CSAF
environmental markets. USDA was encouraged
strategy.
to continue to support and enhance the entire
value chain of established and emerging industries,
CLIMATE-SMART AGRICULTURE AND FORESTRY STRATEGY: 90-DAY PROGRESS REPORT 3• Develop or enhance tools to assist agricultural practices. Soil carbon data
farmers, ranchers, and foresters in collection is typically limited or rare,
quantifying benefts of CSAF practices. and the use of satellite and other newly
USDA will develop or enhance available technologies that can help
methods and tools for quantifying the estimate soil carbon is not routinely or
GHG benefts and other co-benefts of consistently used or applied. Moreover,
promising CSAF practices and ensure there is no common platform in which
that they are consistent and scientifcally soil carbon data can be made accessible
sound. These methods and tools should for supplemental analysis. Improved
accurately capture real reductions but also soil carbon data is critical to help refne
be simple and fexible enough to cover quantifcation tools and models for
the broad range of contexts in which they estimating and verifying benefts of CSAF
will be applied to facilitate streamlined practices. As part of this effort, USDA
reporting by producers and landowners. will increase data collection and feld
• Track implementation and quantify testing of carbon sequestration benefts
benefts of CSAF practices at the associated with CSAF practices to help
national scale. USDA will establish calibrate and/or validate methods and
specifc goals and benchmarks for tools used to quantify GHG benefts for
encouraging and tracking progress on CSAF practices.
CSAF practice adoption. USDA will USDA and other government scientists are aware
consult with government and outside that these shortcomings apply broadly across
experts to develop and conduct timely all land and ocean carbon contexts. The Biden
surveys of the adoption rates of CSAF administration is launching a science-based review
practices and to track progress on to address these issues by investing in improved
their implementation. In addition, carbon data collection and synthesis techniques
the Department will work with the that can confrm additional, measurable, and
Environmental Protection Agency to verifable carbon reductions and sequestration
use this information when updating across a variety of land types and practices.
the Inventory of U.S. Greenhouse Gas The administration and USDA are committed
Emissions and Sinks and ensure that it to advancing CSAF practices and will invest
accurately refects the benefts of CSAF substantial resources in this effort. USDA offcials
actions. will work closely with scientists and practitioners
• Support research and data collection from across the Federal Government and the
for quantifcation, monitoring and private sector to elevate carbon measurement
verifcation of carbon benefts. The and verifcation capabilities on a continuous
Executive Order directs USDA to improvement basis.
encourage CSAF practices that “result
in additional, measurable, and verifable 2. Develop a CSAF strategy that works
carbon reductions and sequestration.”
for all farmers, ranchers, forest land-
USDA recognizes that carbon
owners, and communities
measurement, monitoring and verifcation
present challenges in the agricultural The Executive Order directs USDA to undertake
and forestry sectors due to variability robust actions to mitigate climate change while
among land types and practices and building resilience to the impacts of climate
the limited soil carbon data collection change that have already manifested and are
and testing—particularly in regard to continuing to intensify. This requires a CSAF
4 CLIMATE-SMART AGRICULTURE AND FORESTRY STRATEGY: 90-DAY PROGRESS REPORTstrategy that will further equity and environmental producers and forest landowners,
justice and is inclusive of Tribes, farmers, ranchers, including limited resource, beginning,
forest owners, public land users and communities, socially disadvantaged, and veteran
and land managers of different sizes and operation farmers, ranchers, and forest owners, to
systems, including organic and conventional identify ways to ensure that the benefts
producers. USDA recognizes that Black and of the CSAF strategy are distributed
Indigenous farmers and ranchers have been equitably. While these frst steps are
innovators in regenerative agriculture and will critical in shaping a just and equitable
ensure that their leadership helps shape its CSAF CSAF strategy, they will only be the
strategy. beginning of the Department’s efforts to
The history of systemic discrimination against consult Tribes and engage stakeholders,
Black farmers has been well documented, including those in both urban and rural
including a 2003 U.S. Commission on Civil areas. In engaging in this outreach,
Rights report which found discrimination in the USDA will consider specifc community
processing of Black farm loan applications, and a needs, including translation services and
more recent study fnding that Black farmers suffer internet access.
disproportionately higher rates of foreclosure than • Identify opportunities for broader
any other race. The CSAF strategy must establish inclusivity within USDA programs. The
the support systems that enable Black farmers and Department is committed to providing
other socially disadvantaged producers to take opportunities equitably and will pay
advantage of the opportunities that climate-smart special attention to barriers that may
practices provide. Only with the establishment preclude full participation. Specifc areas
of such systems will USDA be able to address the to investigate may include impacts of farm
cumulative effect of discrimination and break the size and land tenancy on participation;
cycles that are holding these producers back. distributional effects of promoting
USDA is also committed to securing certain CSAF practices; effciency-equity
environmental justice and spurring economic tradeoffs; and the particular needs of
opportunity for communities, including socially small-scale, family-owned, specialty crop,
disadvantaged farmers, ranchers, forest owners, and socially disadvantaged producers
producers, and Tribes. USDA will pay particular and forest landowners. Likewise, many
attention to ensure that Tribes and stakeholders opportunities exist in rural and urban
are meaningfully consulted and substantively forests, including ensuring access to urban
engaged throughout this process. To advance and suburban greenspaces, building equity
environmental justice and equity, USDA should through forest legacies, and engaging
take the following actions: in meaningful shared stewardship
• Strengthen consultation and engagement and co-management with Tribes and
with Tribes and socially disadvantaged communities.
communities and producers. Meaningful • Remove barriers to participation and
and substantive consultation and adoption. To ensure its programs are
engagement with socially disadvantaged widely accessible by all farmers, forest
communities is a priority for USDA, with owners, and Tribes, USDA will identify
a focus on supporting communities and and remove barriers to entry in existing
Tribes in achieving success on their terms. programs and build enabling provisions
USDA is reaching out to representatives into the design of its new programs from
from socially disadvantaged communities, the start, with an emphasis on addressing
as well as historically underserved systemic discrimination.
CLIMATE-SMART AGRICULTURE AND FORESTRY STRATEGY: 90-DAY PROGRESS REPORT 5• Recognize and include early adopters. 3. Leverage existing USDA programs
While USDA seeks to expand voluntary to support CSAF strategies
adoption of CSAF practices, it recognizes
that innovative farmers, ranchers, and USDA has a wide range of programs that provide
forest landowners may have already cost share and fnancial assistance for on-farm and
adopted many of these practices on forest conservation. USDA’s CSAF strategy should
their own. Recognizing how critical strengthen the ability of these programs to deliver
early adopters are to championing new climate benefts alongside other environmental
conservation practices, USDA should benefts. Many of these programs already include
provide options within its programs to funding and technical assistance for practices
ensure that early adopters are included that have carbon benefts, including cover crops,
and not disadvantaged by their initial precision agriculture, manure management, and
commitment to using environmentally forest restoration. They can also help reduce risks
sound practices. from extreme weather and other climate change
• Target education and outreach. Programs impacts. Opportunities to leverage existing
must be complemented by education programs include:
and intentional outreach to maximize • Identify and prioritize climate
the uptake of CSAF practices. Targeted risks, adaptation opportunities, and
education and outreach efforts are critical carbon benefts of USDA programs.
for building trust with Tribes, socially Evaluation of the carbon benefts and
disadvantaged producers, and forest explicit consideration of climate risks
landowners, demonstrating long-term and adaptation would strengthen
economic and environmental benefts, programs such as the Environmental
and ensuring that all communities are Quality Incentives Program (EQIP),
aware of and able to take advantage which provides agricultural producers
of available programs and support. and forest landowners with fnancial
Recommendation 4 below expands on the resources and one-on-one assistance
importance of education and outreach. to plan and implement conservation
• Design the CSAF strategy to advance practices; the Conservation Stewardship
environmental justice. The CSAF Program (CSP), which incentivizes
strategy should support the Department’s enhanced environmental stewardship;
goal to reduce overall emissions and help the Agricultural Conservation Easement
achieve healthy communities in line Program (ACEP), which helps
with the Biden-Harris administration’s landowners, land trusts, and other entities
vision for tackling the climate crisis protect, restore, and enhance wetlands,
and addressing the disproportionately grasslands, and working farms and ranches
high and adverse human health, through conservation easements; and the
environmental, climate-related and other Conservation Reserve Program (CRP),
cumulative impacts on disadvantaged which provides annual rental payments to
communities as laid out in the Executive farmers enrolled in the program who agree
Order. to remove environmentally sensitive
land from agricultural production
while planting species that improve
environmental health and quality.
Promoting carbon and climate adaptation
practices and projects as a priority for
6 CLIMATE-SMART AGRICULTURE AND FORESTRY STRATEGY: 90-DAY PROGRESS REPORTfunding in these programs, as well as in education and outreach, improved data
competitive grant programs such as the collection and tracking of food loss
Conservation Innovation Grants (CIG) and waste, improved food labeling and
and Regional Conservation Partnership donation guidelines, collaboration to
Program (RCPP), will spur on-the-ground reduce food loss and waste across the
innovation and learning. USDA has supply chain, and reduced food loss and
already begun this work through the CRP waste at Federal facilities.
by introducing a new Climate-Smart • Invest in infrastructure improvements
Practice Incentive that will increase that can facilitate the implementation
signups for the program while providing of CSAF practices. USDA’s Rural
the opportunity to demonstrate “proof of Development offce offers loans and
concept” regarding CRP-related increases grants to provide funds for the costs
in carbon sequestration and reduced of construction, improvement, and
GHG emissions. acquisition of facilities and equipment
• Keep forests as forests while building needed to provide enabling infrastructure
climate resilience through forest and technology, such as broadband
conservation programs. The Forest service, in eligible rural areas.
Legacy Program (FLP) is a critical Broadband is essential infrastructure for
tool that advances climate goals by implementing practices like precision
encouraging the protection of privately agriculture, which is an important
owned forest lands through conservation technology for reducing nitrous oxide
easements or land purchases. Other emissions from fertilizer, for reducing
forest conservation programs, such as the emissions from fuel use, and for increasing
Community Forest Program (CFP), Forest agricultural productivity. Broadband
Stewardship Program (FSP), Sustainable is also necessary to ensure that rural
Forestry African American Land communities remain engaged and have
Retention Program (SFLR), and Urban access to the full suite of USDA resources.
and Community Forestry (UCF) Program, • Support and help fnance renewable
should explicitly incorporate forest carbon energy and energy effciency activities.
and climate impacts into decision-making USDA is committed to supporting rural
to ensure that mitigation and adaptation communities in completing energy audits,
considerations more clearly infuence providing renewable energy development
forest management and project design assistance, making energy effciency
decisions. improvements, and installing renewable
• Reduce food loss and waste. USDA is energy systems. USDA currently has
committed to reducing food loss and programs that help convert older heating
waste to meet the national goal of a sources to cleaner technologies, produce
50-percent reduction by 2030. Reducing advanced biofuels, install solar panels,
food loss and waste reduces the methane construct anaerobic digesters, build
emissions associated with food scraps biorefneries, and much more. USDA’s
decomposing in landflls and conserves Rural Development offce is at the
resources that may otherwise contribute forefront of renewable energy fnancing,
to GHG emissions. USDA should with options including grants, guaranteed
continue working across government loans, and payments.
and with partners to reduce food loss
and waste through increased consumer
CLIMATE-SMART AGRICULTURE AND FORESTRY STRATEGY: 90-DAY PROGRESS REPORT 7• Help build community resilience to and programs. This includes the USDA, Farm
climate change. Climate change poses Service Agency’s (FSA) county offce staff as well
risks to the operational and economic as NRCS’s Conservation Technical Assistance
viability of farms, ranches, and forests. Program, which provides conservation planning
USDA provides risk management and implementation assistance through a
products that build resilience to these network of locally respected and technically
threats. USDA should examine additional skilled conservationists. USDA should work to
opportunities to incorporate CSAF incorporate Indigenous and Tribal knowledge
through USDA’s risk management and into its CSAF outreach and education strategy.
disaster relief programs in innovative USDA should also leverage its Climate Hubs,
ways that work for farmers, ranchers, and which deliver science and data syntheses; tool and
forest landowners. In addition, USDA technology curation and implementation support;
should build on the existing work to and technical assistance and training on CSAF
improve resilience through promotion of practices and technologies. This strategy should
soil health practices and other adaptive also build on programs such as the Soil Health
practices. Initiative, which provides education, outreach,
and training on critical conservation strategies. In
4. Strengthen education, training, and addition, USDA should continue to work through
technical assistance for CSAF practices partners like land-grant university extension
offces, conservation districts, Technical Service
Outreach, education, training, and technical Providers, and others to perform outreach and
assistance are important elements of effective deliver technical assistance on CSAF practices.
voluntary programs. They also help USDA To build trust and ensure effective outreach to
learn from program participants. Effective Tribes and socially disadvantaged producers and
communication and meaningful engagement with forest landowners, USDA will work with partners
Tribes, producers, and forest owners on CSAF such as 1890 land-grant institutions, historically
practices is necessary for conveying the benefts Black colleges and universities (HBCUs),
of these practices, raising awareness of available Hispanic-serving institutions, Tribal colleges
fnancial assistance, creating literacy around and universities, and other potential technical
new and emerging market opportunities, and assistance partners from socially disadvantaged
integrating feedback into programs for continued communities. New initiatives, such as the Civilian
improvement. Technical assistance will also Climate Corps, may also play a role in mobilizing
be important in ensuring that producers have additional work force to support outreach and
access to the expertise they need to successfully technical assistance efforts.
implement and integrate CSAF practices into
their operations in ways that are ecologically Specifc opportunities for improving education
appropriate and tailored to their needs. In and outreach under USDA’s CSAF strategy may
addition, it will be necessary to train feld offce include:
staff, conservation planners, forest managers, • Strengthen and increase technical
and other technical staff on the suite of CSAF assistance. With input from Tribes and
practices and the new tools, opportunities, and stakeholders, USDA should identify
markets related to CSAF so that they are well opportunities to leverage existing
positioned to provide effective guidance to technical assistance skills and resources
producers and landowners. in support of USDA’s climate goals.
To meet these needs, USDA should rely on and The Department should also expand
enhance many of its existing efforts, relationships, and strengthen its network of expertise,
8 CLIMATE-SMART AGRICULTURE AND FORESTRY STRATEGY: 90-DAY PROGRESS REPORTincluding through recruitment and • Invest in and strengthen the role of the
training of additional NRCS and Forest Climate Hubs. USDA Climate Hubs help
Service staff and Technical Service identify regional climate vulnerabilities
Providers, to enable better outreach to and work with farmers and land managers
socially disadvantaged producers and to prioritize, plan, and implement
new and beginning farmers in areas of projects or practices to adapt to climate
CSAF practices and technologies, as well stressors. The Climate Hubs also serve
as their climate benefts and appropriate to connect research to practice, reducing
applications. Finally, USDA should the vulnerability of productive working
work with Tribes and stakeholders to lands to long-term climate change and
determine gaps or limitations in capacity extreme weather events. In support of
and accessibility of technical assistance to the CSAF strategy, the Climate Hubs
farmers, ranchers, and forest owners, with should continue to lower barriers and
a priority of understanding the needs of increase the rate of adoption of CSAF
socially disadvantaged producers, new and practices. They should also help identify
beginning farmers, and local and regional opportunities for collaboration with
food systems. partners to develop necessary innovations
• Build on and expand existing education or curate tools and technologies to
and outreach efforts. USDA should moderate stressors. The Climate Hubs
expand CSAF knowledge through should also continue to bring lessons-
activities such as on-farm and forest learned back to USDA agencies and
adaptation demonstrations and other their partners to complete a cycle of
applied research and technical assistance. learning, enhance resilience, and improve
USDA should leverage its network to productivity.
reach a wider community of producers,
as described above in recommendation 5. Support new and better markets
2. Achieving these outcomes will require for agriculture and forestry products
meaningful engagement with community-
generated through CSAF practices
based groups, non-governmental
organizations, educational institutions, The private-sector demand for carbon credits
Tribes, and other State and Federal and commodities produced with CSAF practices
agencies on CSAF strategies. USDA could be an important lever for incentivizing
should also increase awareness and CSAF practice adoption across the landscape.
participation in its conservation programs, Consumers, including processors and their
particularly from socially disadvantaged domestic and international customers, are
producers and landowners. Education and increasingly demonstrating a preference for
outreach efforts should also include use of agricultural commodities produced using CSAF
extension services and partnerships with practices. Extensive evidence exists that a growing
1890 and other land-grant universities, number of purchasers of agricultural commodities
HBCUs, Hispanic-serving institutions, are placing a premium on commodities that can
and Tribal colleges and universities. demonstrate these attributes. However, barriers
USDA can work with its offces, and limitations, such as high transaction costs,
including Offce of Partnerships and diffculty in estimating GHG benefts, and high
Public Engagement and Offce of Tribal implementation costs of some CSAF projects,
Relations, to leverage internal equity are hampering growth in these markets and
efforts to amplify these opportunities.
CLIMATE-SMART AGRICULTURE AND FORESTRY STRATEGY: 90-DAY PROGRESS REPORT 9limiting opportunities for agricultural producers to kept that potential in check. As a result,
effectively participate. only 2 percent of carbon offsets sold in
A wide range of market-based approaches exists the United States are generated from
for incentivizing climate-friendly agriculture agricultural practices. These barriers
commodities. These include voluntary markets include the relatively small scale of
for carbon where agriculture and forestry can agricultural and small forestry offset
provide carbon offsets or credits, sustainable projects, high transaction costs associated
supply chain initiatives, and ’insetting” approaches with project development, monitoring,
where companies reduce emissions within their reporting, and verifcation, and confusion
own supply chains and production facilities. in the carbon marketplace where there is
They can also include markets for low-carbon a lack of consistency among approaches to
biofuels, renewable energy, and biobased and wood protocols for generating GHG offsets from
products. These markets can promote voluntary agriculture. For these reasons, producers
adoption of conservation technologies and and small landowners have yet to reap the
practices and leverage private-sector demand for full benefts of this market potential.
GHG benefts associated with CSAF practices. USDA can help to overcome these
These types of market opportunities can offer market barriers. In line with the
cost-effective ways to incentivize CSAF practice Department’s commitment to equity,
adoption and provide new income streams. inclusion, and transparency, efforts
Through the CSAF strategy, USDA should are underway to solicit public input
support the identifcation and verifcation of the and inform our decision-making as
GHG benefts associated with CSAF practices and we consider possible strategies. These
facilitate the participation of farmers, ranchers, strategies may include setting standards
and landowners in new markets for CSAF goods to reduce transaction costs; adopting
and services. science-based monitoring, reporting
The expanded adoption of CSAF practices and verifcation approaches for CSAF
will increase opportunities in domestic and practices; bolstering market infrastructure;
international markets for commodities produced or serving as a source of demand for
in climate-friendly ways, ensuring benefts for agricultural carbon credits by setting clear
farmers and forest landowners. Ultimately, these price signals through price supports, loan
efforts will contribute to the development of new programs or other fnancial tools that
and additional markets and uses for a broad range can help producers implement CSAF
of crops, commodities, and forest products. technologies. USDA’s carbon market
It is also important to broaden access for small, strategy will likely include a multi-
socially disadvantaged, and beginning farmers, pronged approach to achieve a variety of
ranchers, and forest landowners, as well as those objectives.
early adopters who have paved the way and • Support the role of agriculture in
demonstrated the benefts of agricultural and decarbonizing the transportation
forest conservation. Opportunities for supporting sector. The growth of the U.S. biofuels
markets for CSAF practices include: sector, driven in part by the Renewable
• Support producer participation in Fuels Standard, has reduced GHGs and
voluntary carbon markets. Although strengthened the rural economy. Ethanol
agricultural and forest carbon market produced from corn reduces GHG
opportunities have great potential to emissions relative to gasoline. Market
fnance large-scale adoption of CSAF opportunities such as California’s Low
practices, there are barriers that have Carbon Fuels Standard and the 45Q
10 CLIMATE-SMART AGRICULTURE AND FORESTRY STRATEGY: 90-DAY PROGRESS REPORTFederal Tax Credit for carbon capture mechanisms to provide upfront capital
and sequestration can further drive down for biogas technologies and encourage the
the GHG footprint of the biofuels sector. connection of multiple small operations
USDA should identify opportunities to provide economical renewable energy
for agriculture and forestry to play a production.
role in the production of low-carbon • Support new markets for wood products.
biofuel feedstocks, and for innovative Wood products such as building materials
technologies such as Biomass Energy currently account for 9 percent of annual
with Carbon Capture (BECCS) to carbon sequestration and storage in the
reduce emissions associated with biofuel United States. Potential increases in the
production while spurring rural economic use of wood in buildings could sequester
development. carbon at the rate equivalent of taking
• Support renewable energy development 7 million cars off the road per year.
in rural America. USDA should help USDA should support the wood products
position Tribes, farmers, ranchers, rural industry and the development of new
landowners, and environmental justice wood product innovations such as cross-
communities to be leaders in renewable laminated timber, nanomaterials, and
energy development. This includes urban wood utilization to enhance carbon
making investments in technologies sequestration while providing economic
such as rural wind and solar that can opportunities to both rural and urban
operate on working farms and ranches, America.
liquid fuels, renewable natural gas from
livestock, and production of sustainably 6. Develop a forest and wildfre resil-
produced biomass for renewable energy
ience strategy
generation. Investments in these
technologies can provide new market Forests are distributed across the spectrum of rural
opportunities for Tribes and rural America to urban environments, covering 896 million
and create new uses for agriculture and acres (including approximately 130 million acres
forestry waste products, while reducing in urban, suburban, and developed areas), or 33
GHG emissions. percent of land in the United States. Forests on
• Support deployment and development of public and private lands provide numerous benefts
methane digesters, biogas, and biobased to people in the United States, including clean
products. The adoption of on-farm biogas water, fber and wood products, fsh and wildlife
capture technologies and the production habitat, biodiversity, recreational opportunities,
of biobased products can provide spiritual renewal, and carbon storage. Forests and
producers with new income streams harvested wood products take up the equivalent
while also reducing GHG emissions and of more than 14 percent of economy-wide CO2
improving water quality. Opportunities to emissions in the United States annually, and
generate income from these technologies there is potential to increase carbon sequestration
include the generation of renewable capacity by approximately 20 percent (−187.7
electricity and the production of biobased million metric tons [MMT] CO2) per year
products from manure, renewable by facilitating re-plantings in understocked
natural gas (RNG) and liquifed natural productive forestland.
gas (LNG). USDA should support Realizing this carbon potential while maintaining
producers as they enter these new other ecosystem services, building resilience
markets and consider innovative fnance to climate change, and reducing risk to severe
CLIMATE-SMART AGRICULTURE AND FORESTRY STRATEGY: 90-DAY PROGRESS REPORT 11wildfre, will require integrating climate million acres on National Forest System
considerations throughout forestry-related (NFS) land and 30 million acres on
programs and practices in USDA. Core actions other Federal, State, Tribal and private
include fuels reduction, climate-informed lands, especially in the Western United
reforestation and forest management, research States. USDA needs to thin forests
to support mitigation and adaptation, and an and return low-intensity fre to fre-
equitable distribution of services related to wildfre adapted landscapes across the country
mitigation and response. Maintaining the health in the form of prescribed fre to enable
and integrity of America’s forests is vital to U.S. forestlands and communities to be
protecting their carbon sequestration potential, resilient to the natural fre they need.
including conserving old-growth forests from Working collaboratively through shared
wildfre and other threats, ensuring proper forest stewardship with States, Tribes, local
regeneration after fre and other disturbance, communities, and private landowners,
and ensuring that forests are resilient across a sustained investment over the next
large landscapes. Forest and wildfre resilience 10 years to treat other Federal, State,
opportunities within the CSAF strategy include: Tribal, and private lands, especially in
• Increase the rate of fuels reduction to the Western United States, can reset our
decrease the risk of severe wildfre. future.
Over 10 million acres burned across • Increase the rate of reforestation,
all jurisdictions in the 2020 wildfres, especially after disturbances. Nearly 90
with nearly 4.8 million acres on Forest percent of current reforestation needs
Service lands-the most since the “Big on National Forest System lands are
Burn” of 1910. High-intensity wildfre the result of wildfre and other natural
adversely affects communities, people, disturbances. The greater the rate of
and watersheds, and can move forests reforestation, the greater the cumulative
from being a solution to address our carbon sequestration. Increasing the rate
changing climate to a signifcant emitter of reforestation also requires increases in
of GHGs. Restored, resilient forests that nursery capacity and associated supply
withstand low-intensity wildfre are key chains. Climate-smart principles and
to decreasing wildfre risks to our forest- ecologically sound strategies should
dependent communities and providing underpin all reforestation efforts, ensuring
long-term carbon storage to mitigate that investments into nurseries and
climate change. In FY 2020, the agency planting are reinforced by intentionally
improved forest conditions on over 2.65 choosing climate-adapted species and
million acres. Forest Service and other genotypes and using climate-informed
research scientists have determined that planting techniques, consistent with
this current level of treatment is not maintaining or restoring the ecological
enough to keep pace with the scale and health of the landscape.
scope of the wildfre problem. Current • Support applied forest research
modeling indicates that in order to to inform climate mitigation and
signifcantly reduce the risk of high- adaptation. Forest inventory, trend,
intensity wildfre, USDA must increase and health analyses help quantify
the scale of its actions by two to four the distribution and extent of forests,
times more than is currently treated. disturbance agents and impacts, and forest
This means that over the next 19 years, carbon and benefts. This information
it is necessary to treat an additional 20 informs decision-making and creates
12 CLIMATE-SMART AGRICULTURE AND FORESTRY STRATEGY: 90-DAY PROGRESS REPORTcontext for further applied science such 7. Improve research
as market analyses, scenario planning,
climate impacts modeling, large landscape Ensuring that agricultural lands, national forests,
research, and adaptation decision support and private working lands are sustainably managed
tools and processes all of which support makes agriculture and forest production more
shared stewardship and climate resilience. resilient to climate change and other disturbances
This type of research should also be used such as drought, invasive species, and wildfre.
to assess carbon baseline information in Further, based on the best available science,
different forest types and potential carbon new strategies and management practices should
gains from improved forestry practices. be developed to mitigate and adapt to climate
As with agricultural practices, USDA change. Agricultural systems must adapt to
needs to increase data collection and changing weather patterns and temperature
the feld testing of carbon sequestration regimes to ensure food security. Moreover,
results associated with specifc CSAF increasing agricultural productivity even while
practices to help calibrate and/or validate improving agriculture’s carbon footprints
methods and systems used to quantify critical given the need to feed a growing world
GHG benefts of forestry practices. population. These enormous challenges call for
Enhancements to the wildland fre system, innovative research supported by bold, trans-
including prediction, planning, decision disciplinary collaborations. Some of these research
support, impact assessment, and recovery, opportunities are provided below:
are also important to help manage fre • Support landscape-scale conservation
risk. and management. USDA should
• Ensure equitable distribution of build on its existing research by
services regarding wildfre mitigation identifying existing gaps and generating
and response. As climate change new interdisciplinary research that
exacerbates the severity and frequency incorporates Tribal and stakeholder input
of wildfres, USDA needs to work with to increase the use of best management
Tribes, partners, communities, and practices, innovative technologies,
across landscapes, to reduce the risk of and tools to promote resilient farms,
catastrophic wildfre, mitigate smoke forests, and rangelands, and improve
hazards, and communicate in ways that ecosystem services. These initiatives
are meaningful for each community. should include open access to research
USDA should incorporate Indigenous data to facilitate trans-disciplinary
and Tribal ecological knowledge into research, meaningful and substantive
its wildfre strategy. This work needs Tribal and stakeholder engagement,
to be distributed equitably across all and the co-development of research
populations, considering the unique risks and management recommendations.
to socially disadvantaged populations Investment in research and development,
who are often the most vulnerable to education, and extension activities can
climate change. Likewise, by engaging also increase our collective understanding
with diverse communities to develop of whole ecosystem responses to current
and implement climate mitigation and and projected climate change, as well as
adaptation strategies, USDA can gain environmental impacts of agricultural
critical insights and input from local and forestry activities. USDA should also
knowledge and needs. invest in farmer-led research efforts to
demonstrate the effects of CSAF practices
on working lands.
CLIMATE-SMART AGRICULTURE AND FORESTRY STRATEGY: 90-DAY PROGRESS REPORT 13• Evaluate potential climate benefts of and weather variability on communities
new technologies. USDA should leverage and agricultural producers will contribute
its research agencies to evaluate the to the development of appropriate and
potential of new CSAF technologies and effective responses. USDA should also
practices to mitigate and adapt to climate determine the economic costs and
change. USDA should develop protocols benefts of CSAF practice implementation
for performing research to evaluate on farms, ranchlands, and forest lands.
the effectiveness of these technologies In addition, USDA should consider the
and practices and should publish these effect of climate change on food nutrient
protocols to allow partners to perform content and human health.
research consistent with USDA’s • Target research on technologies with
methods. potential for mitigating U.S. agricultural
• Increase our understanding of climate GHG emissions. The agricultural
change and variability, its effects on industry is increasingly called upon to
agriculture and forests, and ways contribute to climate change mitigation
to build adaptation and resilience. by reducing GHG emissions, sequestering
USDA should collaborate with relevant carbon to reduce atmospheric CO2,
agencies, including the National Oceanic and even developing working lands-
and Atmospheric Administration, to based approaches for generating energy
perform and contribute to research that as alternatives to fossil fuels. Working
addresses the resiliency and vulnerability lands are also faced with adapting
of agricultural production, natural quickly to unprecedented climate
resource stewardship, and socioeconomic changes and weather extremes with
systems. This includes analyses, tools, minimal interruptions in production.
and data that support decisions for Specifc opportunities for deeper research
agriculture, water resources, land, and identifed by a recent series of internal
forest management. Likewise, it is USDA listening sessions included
critical to identify mechanisms that development of solutions for reduction
increase resilience of food and forest of enteric methane emissions; animal
products systems after extreme events. resilience to climate stress; abatement
It is necessary to monitor and evaluate of nitrous oxide emissions from fertilizer
the environmental effects (including (e.g. from improved fertilizer management
benefts and limitations) of adaptation or use of enhanced effciency fertilizers);
and mitigation practices through a enhancement of soils and crops for carbon
combination of scientifc research and storage and adaptation; and improved
adaptive management. waste management for GHG emissions
• Support research into human reductions and energy generation.
dimensions and economic effects of
climate change for agricultural and Next Steps
forest-dependent communities. USDA
should develop deeper knowledge of the This report is the beginning of a process to
human dimensions of climate change and position USDA to adapt to and mitigate climate
weather variability, including perceptions change in ways that build strong communities,
and effective framing of risk, adaptation, fair markets, and are inclusive of all Tribes and
and mitigation incentives. Examining stakeholders. USDA will continue outreach on
the economic effects of climate change CSAF to ensure policies are responsive to the
needs of constituents. Ongoing activities include:
14 CLIMATE-SMART AGRICULTURE AND FORESTRY STRATEGY: 90-DAY PROGRESS REPORT• Continue outreach plans and activities.
Public comments received through the
Federal Register Notice process and
listening sessions are being reviewed and
will be given full consideration as USDA
continues to develop its CSAF strategy.
As mentioned, these initial engagement
opportunities will serve as the starting
point for ongoing conversations between
the Department, Tribes, and stakeholders
who will beneft from or be impacted
by its CSAF strategy and programs.
USDA values this input and is intent on
designing its strategy around the needs of
farmers, ranchers, and landowners, with
particular attention to removing barriers
and elevating opportunities for socially
disadvantaged groups.
• Develop and implement strategies based
on stakeholder feedback. As USDA
continues to gather input and lessons-
learned from Tribes, stakeholders, and
States, it will refne and narrow its vision
to develop concrete actions and policies
for implementing a CSAF strategy.
Specifcally, USDA will internally review
its programs to identify opportunities for
integrating elements of a CSAF strategy
into existing programs as well as making
the necessary investments in training,
tools, personnel, programs, and research
to enable successful implementation
of a CSAF strategy. In implementing
any strategies going forward, USDA
will identify ways to work across the
Department and partner with other
Federal agencies, Tribes, State and local
governments, and others to effectively
implement a CSAF strategy.
CLIMATE-SMART AGRICULTURE AND FORESTRY STRATEGY: 90-DAY PROGRESS REPORT 15You can also read
