USDA programs often favor industrial companies that have capital and resources to make the transition. So what is being done to help small scale farmers,. ranchers, make this transition that involves investment and learning new ways of doing things? Well, there are a couple answers and responses to that question. The structure of the climate smart partnership initiative recognized the importance of making sure that we were able to provide smaller grants to underserved operators. We know that it sometimes can be difficult for underserved producers to be able to access these programs.
Agriculture is responsible for around 11% of U.S. carbon emissions. And yet soil holds the potential for massive carbon sequestration. Conventional agriculture focuses more on crop productivity than soil health, relying on pesticides, fertilizer, and other practices that contribute to climate-changing emissions rather than reduce them. U.S. Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack advocates for a federal initiative focused on supporting “climate smart” agriculture for commodity crops that comprise the bulk of what’s grown on American farms: corn, soybeans, wheat. Meanwhile, the restaurateur behind Zero Foodprint is working to create change from table to farm, by crowdsourcing funds from customers to support regenerative farming practices directly.
Guests:
Tom Vilsack, Secretary, US Department of Agriculture
Jeremy Martin, Senior Scientist, Union of Concerned Scientists
Anthony Myint, Executive Director, Zero Foodprint
For show notes and related links, visit https://www.climateone.org/watch-and-listen/podcasts
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