USDA/NRCS Announces Two Conservation Innovation Grants in Climate-Smart Agriculture Awards for LSU

April 13, 2023 - Last week, Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack announced the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) is investing $40 million this year for 31 new projects through its Conservation Innovation Grants (CIG) program, one of the ways USDA brings together partners to develop innovative approaches to climate-smart agriculture. These investments emphasize adoption and implementation of climate-smart practices, including nutrient management, which helps producers manage nutrients and soil amendments to maximize their economic benefit while minimizing their environmental impact. The announcement reflects the goals of President Biden’s Investing in America agenda to rebuild the economy from the bottom-up and middle-out and unleash an innovation boom that is Made in America.

“Addressing climate change is a tremendous challenge, but agriculture plays an important role, and we’re grateful for our many partners who are helping us confront the challenge head on. These new projects and agreements are working to mitigate climate change, conserve and protect our water, enhance soil health and create economic opportunities for producers,” said Vilsack. “We’re empowering our partners to develop new tools, technologies and strategies to support next-generation conservation efforts on working lands and develop cost-effective solutions to resource challenges.”

Louisiana State University (LSU) is the recipient of both CIG On-Farm and CIG Classic funding. NRCS awarded LSU $1,036,830 for CIG On-Farm funding and $553,413 for CIG Classic Funding.

This year, USDA’s Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS) is investing $25 million through On-Farm Trials, which supports more widespread adoption and evaluation of innovative conservation approaches in partnership with agricultural producers. Incentive payments are provided to producers to offset the risk of implementing innovative approaches. The LSU project Demonstration of Climate Smart Agricultural Solutions for Sugarcane and Rice Production in Southern USA will work exclusively with underserved producers to implement and showcase climate-smart conservation practices and systems to reduce greenhouse gas emissions from rice and sugarcane while increasing or maintaining agronomic yields.

Meanwhile, NRCS is investing $15 million in 17 projects through CIG Classic, which enables partners to develop new tools, technologies, and strategies to support next-generation conservation efforts on working lands and develop market-based solutions to resource challenges. LSU is one of three universities leading a collaborative effort, along with the University of Arkansas and the University of Connecticut, to receive funding through this effort. Their project, Modernizing Fertilizer Recommendations for Climate-Smart Crop Production: The Fertilizer Recommendation Support Tool (FRST), aims to increase the accuracy and transparency of soil-test-based fertilizer recommendations by providing clear and consistent interpretations that can be used throughout the US. Improving soil-test-based recommendations and their interpretation has the potential to significantly reduce nutrient applications by accurately identifying the critical soil test value, resulting in potential cost-savings for producers.

For fiscal year 2023, NRCS set aside targeted funds for CIG Classic and On-Farm proposals that entirely benefit underserved producers, which includes producers who have previously lacked access or not participated in NRCS programs. This includes socially disadvantaged producers, military veterans, beginning farmers and limited-resource producers. Additionally, applicants competing for these set-aside funds were able to waive the non-federal match requirements.

The IRA provided $19.5 billion to support climate-smart practices through NRCS conservation programs, enabling NRCS to invest $50 million per year from fiscal years 2023 to 2027 for CIG On-Farm Trials. As part of the next call for proposals, NRCS will prioritize applications that focus on diet and feed management to reduce enteric methane emissions from livestock. More information on the fiscal year 2023 call for proposals is forthcoming.

NRCS has prioritized projects that serve underserved producers through CIG and RCPP in recent years. Additionally, NRCS is investing up to $70 million in cooperative agreements with entities for two-year outreach projects that will increase participation by underserved producers and underserved communities in conservation programs and enhance opportunities for students to pursue careers in agriculture, natural resources and related sciences.

USDA touches the lives of all Americans each day in so many positive ways. In the Biden-Harris administration, USDA is transforming America’s food system with a greater focus on more resilient local and regional food production, fairer markets for all producers, ensuring access to safe, healthy and nutritious food in all communities, building new markets and streams of income for farmers and producers using climate smart food and forestry practices, making historic investments in infrastructure and clean energy capabilities in rural America, and committing to equity across the Department by removing systemic barriers and building a workforce more representative of America.