U.S. Secretary of Agriculture Tom Vilsack highlighted climate-smart farming initiatives and expansion of the U.S. biofuels industry during a symposium on Feb. 23 as means for American farmers to “diversify” their incomes and boost profits.
Direct Benefits to Farmers
The USDA intends to spend $2.8 billion on the first 70 selected projects under the Partnerships for Climate-Smart Commodities program. Another $325 million is slotted for 71 additional projects.Overall, the goal is to create end-to-end supply chain partnerships and specific market opportunities for climate-smart commodities.
During the conference, Vilsack touted the ambitious spending package as a means to create “additional profit opportunities” for farms of every size and scale, not just the proverbial big dogs.
“So instead of two or three ways to generate profit and income on a farm, we have five, or six, or seven different ways,” he said.
No-Till Farming
The USDA is putting up $19.5 billion under the Inflation Reduction Act to encourage the widespread adoption of land conservation practices and climate-smart production. Two of the techniques are the use of cover crops and no-till farming.Then, there’s the country’s growing biofuels industry, which Vilsack said is another profit opportunity for American producers.
“We’re now investing in a bio-based economy that will give us the ability to create from agricultural waste, chemicals, fabrics, fibers,” he said.
He further described the value of the diversity of commodities such as soybeans, which could be turned into a product that “will repair roads more easily and less expensively.”
New Market Opportunities
The timing is relevant, since the global biofuel market is predicted to surpass $200 billion by 2030. Last year, the market topped $116 billion, with the United States commanding the lion’s share.Legislators are also buzzing about the expansion of the United States’ biofuel initiatives.
Sen. Joni Ernst (R-Iowa) expressed support for the biofuels initiative during a Feb. 1 congressional hearing. Ernst noted that while Iowa might be the second-largest agricultural producer state, it remains the leader in U.S. biofuel production.
Ernst said there’s also a need to widen the international reach of U.S. biofuels, noting that India is a promising new market opportunity.
During the Feb. 23 conference, Vilsack noted that the United States could produce renewable energy and fuel, to return the nation to energy independence. He also said that, in turn, can lower energy costs for farmers.
“Better soil health, purer water quality, and a stronger sense of community and connection—that’s the future,” he said. “That’s what we’re investing in now.”