Grazing for Climate and More
Grazing for Climate, 300 Million in Ag Research Funding, and CRP Grasslands Signup Numbers in this Week’s Roundup from the National Sustainable Agriculture Coalition (NSAC)
Grazing for Climate
Editor’s Note: This is the seventh blog in a series focusing on specific provisions included in the Agriculture Resilience Act (ARA) introduced by Rep. Chellie Pingree (D-ME) in February 2020. The ARA represents the first comprehensive piece of legislation introduced in the House of Representatives addressing climate change and agriculture. Read blogs one, two, three, four, five ,and six here.
Livestock production systems are a hot topic of discussion when it comes to the climate crisis. Researchers have used data on livestock-related greenhouse gas emissions to justify concentrated animal feeding operations (CAFO), to advocate for pasture-based systems, or to condemn livestock production and meat consumption altogether.
The Agriculture Resilience Act (ARA) recognizes the importance of transitioning to pasture-based livestock systems and advanced grazing management to restore the soil carbon that has been lost over the past 300 years. The bill aims to enable farmers and ranchers to improve soil health, protect air and water quality, reduce runoff and soil erosion, and shrink the greenhouse gas footprint of livestock production. Click below to learn more about grazing for climate!
Calling All Researchers! Nearly $300 Million in Ag Research Funding Now Available!
Research is essential to helping farmers problem solve and underpins every aspect of successful and viable farming— whether it’s a fifth generation commodity producer looking to diversify their crop rotation—or a beginning farmer interested in tapping into the huge unmet demand for grassfed beef.
The National Institute of Food and Agriculture (NIFA) recently released the Request for Applications (RFA) for The Agriculture and Food Research Initiative (AFRI)’s “Foundational” Program, which supports a wide range of research priorities that have been established by Congress through the farm bill. Over $290 million is available for new grants in 2021, $100 million more than last year as a result of increased congressional appropriations for AFRI. Learn more on our blog!
Big 2020 Signup Numbers for CRP Grasslands
In July 2020, the Farm Service Agency (FSA) announced that it accepted around 1.2 million new acres into the Conservation Reserve Program (CRP) Grasslands initiative. These acres were accepted from applications submitted between March 16 and May 15, 2020.
While other variations of CRP support conservation by removing land from cultivation for extended periods of time – up to 15 years – CRP’s Grasslands Program is unique in that it promotes the conservation of grassland by permitting its use as grazing land. Read more about this program below!
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