The Food and Agriculture Climate Alliance, the National Association of State Departments of Agriculture and the National Sustainable Agriculture Coalition have all submitted comments to the Agriculture Department in response to USDA’s request for comment on President Biden’s Executive Order on Tackling the Climate Crisis at Home and Abroad.

The Food and Agriculture Climate Alliance, which has 70 farm and environmental groups as members, recommended to the Agriculture Department today that it start pursuing its climate change objectives with pilot projects. Its members include the American Farm Bureau Federation, the National Farmers Union, the National Council of Farmer Cooperatives and the Environmental Defense Fund.

In the document, FACA said the pilot projects should be focused in four areas:

▪ Developing, improving and scaling climate-smart agriculture practices.

▪ Encouraging widespread adoption of climate-smart practices and critical climate infrastructure.

▪ Establishing carbon accounting criteria and guidelines for endorsing standards.

▪ Engaging with and providing equitable opportunities for minority, socially disadvantaged and small-scale producers.

NASDA, which is also a member of FACA, said USDA should partner with the state departments of agriculture on its initiatives.

“State departments of agriculture are uniquely positioned as co-regulators with responsibilities for conservation, environmental protection, and the promotion of economic sustainability of farmers, forest owners, and ranchers,” the document said.

NSAC called for a doubling of USDA conservation spending and provided detailed recommendations on how to implement conservation programs.