FACA Commends USDA for Advancing Climate-Smart Pilot Projects

The Food and Agriculture Climate Alliance (FACA) commends USDA for its consideration and selection of pilot projects through its Partnerships for Climate-Smart Commodities.

The more than 80 member organizations of the Food and Agriculture Climate Alliance represent farmers, ranchers, agribusiness, forest owners, state departments of agriculture, and nongovernmental organizations that support voluntary, incentive-based climate solutions.

FACA appreciates USDA's use of Alliance recommendations as a guidepost when developing Partnerships for Climate-Smart Commodities and commends Secretary Vilsack and Under Secretary Bonnie for their meaningful inclusion of early adopters and small and underserved producers in the program. The Alliance is pleased that the projects selected recognize differences between regions, farm size and forest type, and diversity of production in the United States.

FACA supports innovative and voluntary solutions to reduce greenhouse gas emissions, increase carbon sequestration and storage, build climate resilience, and drive sustainability across the supply chain. The newly announced projects climate-smart production practices, measure and verify associated GHG benefits and increase demand for commodities produced using forward-thinking and sustainable methods.

The Alliance continually works to build on our recommendations and looks forward to engaging with USDA and Congress on future climate-smart programs.