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December 15, 2022
The Honorable Thomas J. Vilsack
Secretary, U.S. Department of Agriculture
1400 Independence Avenue, NW
Washington, D.C. 20250
The Honorable Terry Cosby
Chief, Natural Resources Conservation Service
1400 Independence Avenue, SW
Washington, D.C. 20250
Dear Secretary Vilsack and Chief Cosby,
We write to you in response to the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s (USDA) request for
information on implementation of climate-smart funding in the Inflation Reduction Act (P.L.
117-169). As you work to finalize details, we urge the Natural Resources Conservation Service
(NRCS) to specifically incentivize the adoption of conservation practices that, while combatting
climate change, can simultaneously mitigate the impacts of drought.
As you know, the Inflation Reduction Act invested $20 billion through key conservation
programs to ensure that the agricultural sector plays a central role in combatting the climate
crisis. As USDA finalizes criteria for priority projects and activities that address greenhouse gas
emissions, reduce nitrogen losses, and improve soil carbon, we urge you to pay special attention
to practices that also address drought, including enhancing groundwater recharge, reducing
salinity, improving irrigation efficiencies, reducing pumping, and utilizing organic practices.
These and other practices will help meet climate goals while also helping Western farmers
currently facing the worst megadrought in 1,200 years.
Farmers and ranchers know better than most that our ability to feed the nation – and to
support family farmers and farmworkers alike – depends on clean air, clean water, and land
stewardship. In order to truly support the farmers, ranchers, and farmworkers who feed our
nation in adopting and expanding climate-smart activities and systems, we must ensure that the
historic funding in the Inflation Reduction Act for emissions reductions also bolsters drought
resilience.
We thank you for your consideration of this request, and we look forward to your
response.
Sincerely,
Sections
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