The Partnerships for Climate Smart Commodities program was introduced in September of 2022. Now, those dollars are starting to get into the hands of agriculture.
Former Natural Resource Conservation Service Chief Bruce Knight, who is now the principal and founder of Strategic Conservation Solutions, spoke about a variety of ways the $3 billion dollars distributed will impact American agriculture.
“I view cover crops as something that may be included in most of these 140 grants,” Knight says. “It is a relatively easy conservation practice to put on ground. It’s one that most anyone can implement.”
He expects the Climate Smart partnerships to generate 10-12 million acres of additional cover crops. He expects cover crop implementation to kick off as early as this coming fall.
Knight found 11 grants that are specifically directed at dairy. In addition, there are two grants targeted at feed management. The FDA has product approvals on products that could see up to 30 percent greenhouse gas reduction for feed additives that could be on the market in the next year.
The next several years will offer great opportunities for livestock producers. Livestock agriculture has a greater regulatory regime, especially relating to water quality, which has led to many livestock producers being more resistant to change. Despite that traditional resistance, Knight sees opportunity connected to digesters as a way for livestock producers to earn carbon credits.
Where do you begin if you’re just getting started in these conservations? According to Knight, now is the time to get in and diversify — bet on multiple markets, he says.
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