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More details needed as climate programs get rebrand

A former USDA Under Secretary of Farm Production and Conservation says he’s glad to see the USDA keep a climate program from the Biden administration.

Robert Bonnie tells Brownfield “I suspect what’s happened is they got a little bit over their skis and realized this is a good program, it’s popular to allow most projects to move forward.”

Bonnie says the program was designed to incentivize farmers and ranchers to adopt climate-smart practices, get paid for that stewardship and develop new markets for agriculture.

“The smartest thing for them to do is let the projects move forward,” he says. “This is an opportunity to provide new sources of revenue when the Trump administration’s tariffs are making it more expensive to farm.”

The Climate Smart Commodities Initiative has been rebranded as the Advancing Markets for Producers Initiative.

USDA says they’ll honor all eligible expenses in the program prior to April 13. And the agency says it plans to use existing funding for projects, but no new funding will be made available.

The USDA is reviewing existing grant agreements and will contact current partners about future participation.

Bonnie says he’s optimistic the administration will find a way to allow the really good projects to continue.

“We’ll see in the coming weeks or months ahead. USDA needs to provide certainty. Right now, with those projects we need to know the rules of the game moving forward.”

In a statement, the American Soybean Association says they’re appreciative the USDA’s decision has made a pathway for initiatives like Farmers for Soil Health, a program supported by the National Corn Growers Association, pork and soy checkoffs, which enhances sustainable growing practices for farmers.