The Biden-Harris Administration has announced a $90 million investment in 53 Conservation Innovation Grants (CIG) projects aimed at developing new tools, approaches, practices, and technologies to further natural resource conservation on private lands. This year's funding increase is attributed to President Biden’s Inflation Reduction Act, which specifically supports projects addressing climate change with a focus on reducing livestock emissions of enteric methane.
"Over the last 20 years, USDA’s Conservation Innovation Grants have helped spur new tools and technologies to conserve natural resources, build resilience in producers’ operations and improve their bottom lines. Thanks to President Biden’s historic Inflation Reduction Act, we are able to further empower our conservation partners, as well as help meet the demand from producers, to engage in conservation practices that are good for profitable farming, good for rural economies and good for the climate," stated Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack.
The U.S. Department of Agriculture’s Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS) is allocating more than $69.7 million for CIG On-Farm Trials projects and over $20.2 million for CIG Classic projects. Secretary Vilsack made this announcement during an Investing in America roundtable held in Pennsylvania.
The Inflation Reduction Act provides $19.5 billion over five years to support USDA's oversubscribed conservation programs, including CIG grants. The funds aim to assist farmers financially by providing necessary equipment and labor to implement conservation practices that lower costs and support climate-smart agriculture.
Two of the awarded CIG projects will be implemented in Pennsylvania. One project focuses on empowering farmers within the Chesapeake Bay watershed to improve nutrient management through innovative farm management decisions. The other project aims to deploy precision agriculture technology on dairy farms to measure forage availability and evaluate both economic and conservation impacts.
A list of CIG project grants can be found on the CIG website.
NRCS emphasizes its commitment to supporting all producers, including those from marginalized communities who play a crucial role in maintaining a healthy agricultural economy and conserving natural resources.
The Inflation Reduction Act has also bolstered funding for other conservation programs such as the Regional Conservation Partnership Program. In April 2024, NRCS allocated $1.5 billion for projects that enhance productivity while saving costs for farmers. Additionally, USDA plans to invest $138 million into new climate-smart conservation easements this year.
In December 2023, USDA’s National Institute of Food and Agriculture announced a $10 million investment aimed at advancing science related to reducing methane emissions from ruminant animals.
Since its inception in 2004, the national CIG program has invested $541.9 million into 929 innovative projects involving 467 partners. Under the Biden-Harris Administration alone, $170 million has been allocated for 121 projects.
The national CIG program includes two parts: CIG On-Farm Conservation Innovation Trials and CIG Classic. This year's funding priorities include forestry, habitat conservation, water quality improvement on agricultural lands, energy conservation, economics, and strengthening Indigenous knowledge in conservation efforts.
CIG On-Farm Trials involve collaboration between NRCS and partners implementing on-the-ground activities followed by evaluations of their impact. These trials support broader adoption of innovative approaches with incentive payments provided to offset risks associated with implementation.
A key element of each trial is robust scientific evaluation of environmental, financial, and social impacts. For example, previous trials led to the development of Irrigator Pro — an irrigation water management tool now available as a smartphone app helping farmers optimize crop growth while conserving water resources.
Under the Biden-Harris administration, USDA is focused on transforming America’s food system towards more resilient local production; ensuring fairer markets; providing access to nutritious food; building new income streams through climate-smart practices; investing in rural infrastructure; and promoting equity across its departments.
Further information can be found at www.usda.gov.
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