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The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) celebrated the success of the Partnerships for Climate-Smart Commodities, a funding initiative that supports commodities produced using climate-smart methods. This effort helps farmers, ranchers, and forest landowners implement practices that build soil health, reduce greenhouse gas emissions, and generate revenue.

At a meeting in Hershey, PA, Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack highlighted the initiative’s achievements in creating market opportunities for climate-smart commodities. The USDA has invested $3.03 billion in 135 projects since 2022, connecting over 14,000 farms to climate-smart markets, enrolling 3.2 million acres into climate-smart practices, and sequestering over 400,000 metric tons of carbon.

In Pennsylvania, 29 projects are helping producers implement climate-smart practices and access new markets with over $907 million in federal funding. Projects include dairy farmers using innovative tools to manage herds sustainably, farming organizations producing climate-smart crops, and initiatives to expand climate-smart markets for various commodities.

The Partnerships for Climate-Smart Commodities opportunity was announced in 2022, with USDA investing in partnerships to promote the production and marketing of climate-smart commodities. The initiative received over 1,000 proposals totaling $20 billion in funding requests. Under the Biden-Harris Administration, USDA is focused on transforming the food system, supporting local food production, fair markets, and climate smart practices.

For more information, visit www.usda.gov.

USDA is committed to equity and is an equal opportunity provider, employer, and lender.

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