Federal Investments in Agriculture Driving Climate Action and Rural Prosperity

As the need for climate action in agriculture becomes increasingly urgent, federal investments are playing a crucial role in supporting sustainable practices. What specific investments are being made, and how do they tackle pressing climate challenges? Additionally, what role do partnerships have in promoting these initiatives, and what tangible outcomes are emerging from them? Moreover, what policy changes are necessary to effectively implement these initiatives and ensure their long-term success?

Natural Climate Solutions are benefiting rural communities nationwide, and our coalition members are working tirelessly to ensure that funding reaches those who need it most and achieves maximum impact for both communities and the environment. Below, we present four recent updates that showcase how these initiatives are and can continue making a difference.

NRCS’s Record-Breaking Investment for Climate-Resilient Agriculture

© Richard Hamilton Smith for TNC

The Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS) recently announced a $1.5 billion investment in 92 conservation projects under the Regional Conservation Partnership Program (RCPP), with an additional $968 million in partner contributions. This historic funding, supported by the Inflation Reduction Act, enables farmers, ranchers, and forest landowners to adopt conservation strategies that enhance natural resources and address climate challenges.

RCPP drives climate action through innovative projects, including efforts to reduce methane emissions from livestock, conserve water in drought-prone areas, and restore wildlife habitats. Additionally, $100 million has been allocated for Tribal-led projects, reinforcing the impact of public-private partnerships in fostering sustainable agriculture and climate resilience nationwide. By leveraging collective resources and collaborating on common goals, RCPP demonstrates its effectiveness in promoting sustainable agriculture and climate resilience across the United States.

USN4C members were recipients of several RCPP grants, including:

  • The Nature Conservancy ($102.5 million, including projects in ID, IN, ME, NH, OH, SD)
  • Trust for Public Land ($19,436,000 – SOAR land conservation initiative in Colorado)
  • American Farmland Trust ($10,000,000 — Minnesota Farmland Protection Project: Bridging the Gap Between Landowners and Emerging Farmers).

Don’t miss:

Securing Water Resources with Conservation Easements in Arizona

Walnut Creek in Big Chino Valley, Arizona. © Adriel Heisey for TNC

In a landmark move for water conservation, The Nature Conservancy (TNC), Yavapai Ranch, and the NRCS secured a 1,889-acre conservation easement in Arizona’s Big Chino Valley. Supported by Farm Bill funding through the RCPP, the project not only protects water resources but also supports the local agricultural community. This collaboration shows how RCPP funding can unite farmers, ranchers, and conservationists to drive impactful conservation efforts, ensuring sustainable water management and agricultural practices for future generations.

USDA’s Climate-Smart Commodities Initiative Spurs Markets and Sustainability

The USDA celebrated the success of its Partnerships for Climate-Smart Commodities initiative, which has connected over 14,000 farms to climate-friendly markets across 3.2 million acres. Since 2022, the initiative has sequestered 400,000 metric tons of carbon, with projections of 60 million tons. It has created new income streams for farmers, especially small and underserved producers, while expanding access to climate-smart goods.

The recent Progress Report showcases the benefits of these projects, such as improved soil health, reduced greenhouse gas emissions, and enhanced productivity, underscoring the initiative’s goals of supporting rural communities and advancing climate objectives.

Leveraging Crop Insurance to Boost Soil Health and Climate Resilience

A recent article by the Environmental and Energy Study Institute examines how the Federal Crop Insurance Program (FCIP) could support soil health practices to enhance climate resilience. By encouraging cover cropping, reduced tillage, and crop rotation, the FCIP could help farmers manage climate impacts like drought while boosting farm profitability. Find out what the potential policy changes needed are to support these initiatives and what is needed to effectively implement these changes.

Don’t miss:

Don’t Miss These Other Important NCS Updates:


For monthly updates on the latest successful implementations, funding opportunities, policies, and scientific advancements related to Natural Climate Solutions, be sure to sign up for our newsletter. Click below to subscribe!

Bridging Divides through Natural Climate Solutions: Insights from Commissioner Hilary Franz at New York Climate Week

At New York Climate Week, we had the opportunity to hear from Hilary Franz, Washington State’s Commissioner of Public Lands, as she outlined how Natural Climate Solutions (NCS) are bridging political divides and creating tangible, bipartisan economic and environmental benefits. One of our most important Natural Climate Solutions is protecting the forests, coastal wetlands, and grasslands we already have. In addition to storing carbon, these are the places that make America beautiful, and we owe it to future generations to protect them. They also provide habitat for wildlife and opportunities for hunting, fishing, hiking, and other recreation activities. Additionally, forests cover 800 million acres of land in the United States and can play a key role in addressing climate change. Planting more trees, protecting the trees we already have, and managing our forests to reduce the risk of catastrophic wildfire can help put our forests to work in our efforts to address climate change. With vast responsibilities managing millions of acres of public land, Franz has become a champion for stewarding our natural resources to address climate change while boosting local economies.

Managing Washington’s Natural Resources in the Face of Climate Change

As Commissioner of Public Lands, Franz oversees Washington’s Department of Natural Resources, which is responsible for managing and stewarding 6 million acres of aquatic, forest and agricultural land, restoring federal, state, and private forestland, providing critical funding for schools and communities, supporting recreational access, leading the state’s wildfire response, and overseeing the geological survey for the state. These lands encompass forest, agricultural, and aquatic areas that generate crucial revenue for the state and support jobs in rural communities. However, climate change has severely impacted her ability to manage these resources sustainably.

Picture of family playing in a creek surrounded by trees at Cascade National Park. Natural climate solutions like protecting the lands that make America beautiful must be a priority for climate action.
© Breanna Oakley/TNC Photo Contest 2019

Protecting both lives and livelihoods must be the priority for climate action. Washington’s success has come from uniting stakeholders across political and ideological lines to focus on shared outcomes:
Natural Climate Solutions.

Hilary Franz, Commissioner of Public Lands for the State of Washington

“We’re seeing increasing sea-level rise, ocean acidification that’s decimating our kelp beds, droughts leading to dust storms, and forests under threat from wildfires and disease,” Franz told attendees. Wildfires, once an East-side problem, now plague the wetter, western side of the state. Communities dependent on these natural resources for their livelihoods are facing existential threats due to the compounding effects of climate change.

Franz stressed that protecting both lives and livelihoods must be the priority for climate action. The key to Washington’s success, she emphasized, has been uniting stakeholders across political and ideological lines to focus on shared outcomes—Natural Climate Solutions.

Natural Climate Solutions as an Economic Engine

In 2017, on the heels of catastrophic wildfires, Franz spearheaded Washington’s first Forest Health Plan to restore 1.25 million acres of forests. This plan was developed with broad stakeholder input, including environmental groups, timber industries, and rural communities, and signaled a shift in thinking: climate solutions can also be economic opportunities.

The forest health plan has already paid off. In response to the plan, two of the largest cross-laminated timber facilities in the U.S. opened in Washington. These facilities, which create sustainable wood products from small-diameter trees and waste material, were built within a year and a half of Franz’s announcement—demonstrating that bold commitments can quickly spur investment.

Picture of logged small-diameter trees, which can serve as a natural climate solution (reducing wildfire risk) while providing economic opportunities like jobs in rural communities.
Commissioner Franz’s 2017 Forest Health Plan, developed with input from rural communities, timber industries, and environmental groups, shows that climate solutions can drive economic growth, as seen in the opening of two timber facilities that turn small-diameter trees and waste into sustainable products, reducing wildfire risk.
© Chris Crisman for TNC

Washington’s experience with Natural Climate Solutions, such as reforestation, sustainable agriculture, and biochar production, has led to job creation in areas hit hard by economic downturns. As Franz pointed out, these communities often feel the sting of environmental regulations, which historically limited their economic options. Now, through bipartisan collaboration and federal investments like those from the Inflation Reduction Act, new industries are breathing life into rural economies.

A new biochar facility—breaking ground with $40 million from the Inflation Reduction Act—is set to provide hundreds of jobs in one such community. Biochar production transforms wood waste into carbon-rich material that enhances soil health, offering a promising solution for both climate mitigation and job creation.

“We’re saving lives and livelihoods,” Franz remarked, adding that Washington’s successful efforts have united the state’s diverse communities across political lines, creating sustainable economic models that both urban and rural residents can support.

Healing Political Divides through Natural Climate Solutions

Washington State’s political landscape mirrors the deep divisions seen across the U.S., with urban and rural areas often holding conflicting views on environmental policies. Yet, Franz highlighted how Natural Climate Solutions can bridge these divides, emphasizing that they are key to achieving bipartisan climate action.

“We have to bring people together, rural and urban, conservative and liberal, if we’re going to make real progress,” Franz said. By emphasizing the economic benefits of Natural Climate Solutions—such as job creation, community stability, and resource management—Washington has been able to move forward despite political differences.

Wheat fields in Washington state. Natural Climate Solutions like climate-smart agriculture have the power to bridge political divides by uniting rural and urban communities around shared economic and environmental benefits.
Natural Climate Solutions have had the power to bridge political divides in Washington State by uniting urban and rural communities, as well as conservatives and liberals, around shared economic and environmental benefits, enabling bipartisan climate action. © Quyen Phan/TNC Photo Contest 2022

Franz noted that environmental policies historically hurt rural economies by prioritizing conservation over job creation. For example, the spotted owl controversy in the 1990s, which significantly limited timber harvesting, slashed the operating budgets of many Washington counties by more than half. The economic devastation bred resentment that still lingers today.

However, Franz and her team have shown that it doesn’t have to be a choice between jobs and the environment. Washington’s forest health plan demonstrates that restoring ecosystems can also generate revenue and support rural economies. “We’re proving that Climate Solutions—natural ones—can protect rural lives and livelihoods,” she emphasized.

A National Blueprint for Bipartisan Climate Action

Franz’s success in Washington offers valuable lessons for federal policymakers. First, Natural Climate Solutions, when implemented strategically, can address environmental challenges while spurring economic growth in struggling rural areas. These solutions also provide a way to unite communities and bridge political divides—something essential in today’s polarized political climate.

Franz’s message to policymakers was clear: Natural Climate Solutions are a critical tool for addressing both the climate crisis and economic instability. With appropriate support, these solutions can be scaled up nationwide to create resilient communities, restore natural landscapes, and stimulate job growth across rural America.

As U.S. policymakers look to replicate successful climate strategies at the federal level, Washington’s approach to Natural Climate Solutions offers a compelling model—one that delivers measurable benefits for both the economy and the environment, all while bringing together stakeholders from across the political spectrum.

Conclusion

Hilary Franz’s leadership in Washington shows how Natural Climate Solutions can turn environmental challenges into economic opportunities while fostering unity in divided communities. For U.S. policymakers, her message serves as a reminder that solutions to climate change are within reach—and that they can be pursued in ways that benefit both people and the planet.

Key Takeaways for U.S. Policymakers:

  • Natural Climate Solutions, like reforestation and sustainable agriculture, offer significant job creation and economic benefits in rural areas.
  • Broad stakeholder collaboration—across political, ideological, and economic divides—ensures success.
  • Federal policies, including the Inflation Reduction Act, play a vital role in supporting these solutions and scaling them up nationally.

By continuing to champion Natural Climate Solutions, U.S. policymakers can help address the urgent challenges of climate change while supporting economic recovery and fostering bipartisan cooperation.


Related Reading

As the 2024 election draws near, bipartisan support for Natural Climate Solutions (NCS) is rising, offering a powerful path forward in the fight against climate change. Recent polling reveals that voters across party lines back efforts to protect forests, farmlands, and wetlands, signaling a unique opportunity for policymakers to drive impactful, cost-effective solutions. Discover how NCS is uniting diverse sectors—from agriculture to forestry—and bridging political divides to create a sustainable future.
Read more.

What is biochar and how can it be a tool to improve timber practices and reduce carbon emissions? The Lands Council partnered with the Kalispel Tribe of Indians and others on a pilot project to reduce forest fuels and transform them to beneficial biochar. Learn more.

A USN4C-commissioned June 2024 poll of 1,000 registered voters in the U.S. revealed that 94% support funding and laws to expand implementation of NCS. Explore a short 2-pager that walks through some of the most attention-grabbing numbers from the poll.