USA Rice Prepared to Build on Climate Smart Record

JEFFERSON CITY, MO -- Today, Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack announced that the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) will provide $1 billion of funding to partnerships in support of the Administration’s goal to develop markets for climate-smart farmers.  The new Partnerships for Climate-Smart Commodities program will finance projects through participating partners who agree to create new market opportunities for U.S. agricultural and forestry products that use climate-smart practices that also include gainful and innovative methods to measure and verify greenhouse gas benefits.  USDA will immediately begin to accept project applications for fiscal year 2022.

For partners who seek to assist the USDA in delivering these funds and the producers that participate, a “climate-smart commodity” will be defined as an “agricultural commodity that is produced using agricultural (farming, ranching, or forestry) practices that reduce greenhouse gas emissions or sequester carbon.”

The funding will be provided to eligible partners through the USDA’s Commodity Credit Corporation (CCC) who develop and deliver incentives to producers and landowners who:  implement climate-smart conservation practices, activities, and systems on working lands; measure/quantify, monitor and verify the carbon and greenhouse gas (GHG) benefits associated with those practices; and develop markets and promote the resulting climate-smart commodities.

Funding will be provided in two pools depending on the size and scope of the proposal.  The deadline for proposals for the first funding pool (for projects ranging from $5 million to $100 million) is April 8.  The second pool of funding for smaller projects ranging from $250,000 up to $4,999,999 will have a deadline of May 27.  

“U.S. rice farmers have been smart about the climate for decades and blazed a trail in conservation and sustainability initiatives,” said Ben Mosely, USA Rice vice president government affairs.  “USA Rice is no stranger to effective collaboration when it comes to sustainability efforts given our history with the Rice Stewardship Partnership established in 2013.  That success makes the industry a prime candidate to participate in this initiative and we plan to consult with our network of partners as we develop proposals in the coming weeks.”