WASHINGTON – The U.S. Department of Agriculture on Thursday announced the official kickoff of the implementation phase for projects funded through the $3.1 billion Partnerships for Climate-Smart Commodities effort.
Project partners are beginning work on formal implementation of the climate-smart production practices, marketing and quantification, monitoring, reporting and verification of greenhouse gas benefits that are funded through the effort as agreements are finalized on a rolling basis. As projects get underway, today USDA is launching the Partnerships for Climate-Smart Commodities Learning Network (Partnerships Network), a collaboration of all the project partners, which will generate key lessons-learned as projects are implemented.
“Farmers, ranchers and forest landowners are on the front lines of climate change. At the same time, they are uniquely positioned to deliver climate solutions through climate-smart production that reduces greenhouse gas emissions and sequesters carbon,” said Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack. “Through these projects, our partners are working to create new markets for climate-smart commodities, while developing the tools needed to quantify impacts and help producers implement climate-smart practices on their land. We’re excited these projects are getting underway and look forward to achieving meaningful results for producers, agriculture and forestry economies and our climate.”
In the coming weeks and months, partners will be opening signup under their projects for producer participation. Producers interested in participating in projects are invited to visit the Partnerships for Climate-Smart Commodities Active Projects Dashboard to find projects in their areas. This dashboard will be updated periodically with newly active projects and links to their project websites when available.
The announcement was highlighted in a virtual kick-off event for the public, producers and stakeholders with USDA leaders and project partners.
Partnerships for Climate-Smart Commodities
USDA is investing more than $3.1 billion for 141 projects through the Partnerships for Climate-Smart Commodities effort, which seeks to build and expand market opportunities for American commodities produced using climate-smart practices through pilot projects, positioning American producers as global leaders in climate-smart agricultural production.
The selected projects – spanning up to five years – will:
- Provide technical and financial assistance to producers to implement climate-smart production practices on a voluntary basis on working lands.
- Pilot innovative and cost-effective methods for quantification, monitoring, reporting and verification of greenhouse gas benefits.
- Develop markets and promote the resulting climate-smart commodities.
All selected projects require meaningful involvement of small and underserved producers.
This effort builds on ongoing administration initiatives to increase the competitive advantage of U.S. agriculture both domestically and internationally, build wealth that stays in rural communities, and support a diverse range of producers and operation types.
Partnerships for Climate-Smart Commodities Learning Network
The Partnerships Network, consisting of all the project partners, will generate key lessons-learned from Partnerships for Climate-Smart Commodities projects. These lessons will inform what makes markets for climate-smart commodities successful, and meaningful, for farmers, forest landowners, and rural communities. As projects get underway, learnings and summary data will be shared publicly on a periodic basis.
