February 8, 2022

Food and Agriculture Climate Alliance applauds USDA investment in climate-smart projects

More than 80 member organisations of the Food and Agriculture Climate Alliance (FACA) have commended the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) for advancing a voluntary, incentive-based approach to deploy climate-smart practices on working lands through its Partnership for Climate-Smart Commodities.

Members of the alliance welcome the USDA's plan to partner with farmers, ranchers, forest owners and non-governmental organisations through pilot projects and are pleased to see the programme structured in a manner consistent with FACA recommendations.

The American Farm Bureau Federation (AFBF) said it shares US Secretary of Agriculture Tom Vilsack's optimism that this approach will support climate-smart commodities while unlocking new market opportunities and the organisation believes it will build confidence in the climate benefits of advanced farming and forestry practices.
 

The FACA stressed in past comments submitted to the USDA the importance of building flexibility into the initiative to acknowledge that agriculture and forestry look very different in different regions.

"...we're pleased USDA's plan appears to welcome a diversity of practices and approaches. We also asked USDA to include a plan for engaging and enrolling Black, Indigenous, People of Color (BIPOC) and small farmers, ranchers and forest owners in the project, which the initiative has prioritised," the AFBF said.

FACA members look forward to contributing to proposals that meet the requirements of the CSAF to demonstrate the impact of voluntary, incentive-based programmes.

"We will continue to engage with the (US President Joe Biden) Administration and Congress to advance bipartisan solutions to address climate challenges that abide by the alliance's principles and recommendations," the AFBF said.

- AFBF