Through the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA), the Biden-Harris Administration is contributing an additional $325 million to 71 projects. The Partnerships for Climate-Smart Commodities initiative seeks to increase the number of markets available to American manufacturers of climate-smart goods. The USDA received more than 1,000 bids for more than $20 billion in financing across two funding pools. The Secretary for Partnerships for Climate-Smart Commodities of the Department of Agriculture (USDA) has announced funding for 141 projects.
The principal partners on two initiatives are 1890 Land-grant University and the historically black college and university (HBCU) Tuskegee University. The USDA is in talks with the applicants for the first 70 projects and will work with them to complete the 141 initiatives that have been selected in the coming months. To encourage the application of climate-smart practices in relation to buffalo herds, the InterTribal Buffalo Council and other partners want to collaborate with 76 Tribes. In order to help Tribes sell their buffalo as a “climate-smart product,” the Tribal Buffalo Market Initiative was established. Marbleseed will work with grain growers who use organic methods as well as those who want to make the switch.
“One of the main objectives of Partnerships for Climate-Smart Commodities is to increase possibilities for small and marginalized producers. With few resources and a direct line to the effects of climate change, small and neglected farmers stand to benefit the most from capitalizing on the rising market demand for agricultural products made in a sustainable, climate-smart manner. Our objective is to increase the markets for climate-smart products while making sure that small and underutilized manufacturers profit from these market possibilities,” according to Vilsack.
Agrivoltaic technology will be tested at the University of Texas Rio Grande Valley in order to quantify and assess the reduction in greenhouse gas emissions for Hispanic farmers and ranchers. Farmers, ranchers, loggers, and communities will benefit significantly from the Partnership for Climate-Smart Commodities programs. According to USDA, the combined initiatives from the two financing sources will result in hundreds of new markets and sources of income for farmers and ranchers. Plans are present in the 141 chosen projects to match, on average, 50% of government investment with non-federal revenues.
Image provided by the USDA
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