2024 Farm Bill: Pathways to Sustainable Agriculture

We believe the 2024 Farm Bill represents a significant opportunity to promote sustainable agriculture and safeguard our environment. We urge lawmakers to consider the following priorities:

our asks

These programs, including the Environmental Quality Incentives Program and the Conservation Security Program, are crucial for farmers of all sizes. They provide vital cost-share dollars that help farmers improve soil, water, plant and animal health. Investing in Title II conservation programs is essential for supporting innovative farmers and advancing practices that safeguard the future of agriculture in a changing climate.

This program, previously eliminated in 2008, was a critical NRCS initiative that provided competitive funding for technical assistance in writing and implementing grazing plans, education on managed grazing, and farmer networks focused on grass-based agriculture. Reasons to restore GLCI include:

- Managed grazing sequesters carbon, reduces soil and nutrient loss, and increases water infiltration.

- GLCI promotes profitable practices for farmers while enhancing environmental sustainability.

- Recent appropriations restored partial funding, but demand surpasses available resources. Including GLCI in the Farm Bill would meet the demand and ensure continued benefits.

We advocate for the expansion of the Federal Crop Insurance Program to better support climate-smart agricultural systems that measurably reduce emissions of carbon dioxide, methane, and nitrous oxide. This includes:

- Providing crop insurance coverage for practices, such as agroforestry, managed grazing, and perennial crops.

- Reducing crop and farm insurance premiums for farms implementing perennial and regenerative agriculture.

- Offering loans to implement perennial agricultural systems that are more resilient to climate change and its impacts.

Establishes a new manure management program to increase farm profitability, improve water quality, and reduce methane and nitrous oxide emissions.

Covers costs of transitioning to manure handling systems with greater environmental benefits, such as advanced solids separation, composted manure, and pasture-based strategies.

Supports agricultural resilience to climate change and greenhouse gas mitigation.
Creates a soil health grant program, prioritizes climate change research, and increases funding for USDA's Regional Climate Hubs.

Provides a $5/acre insurance premium subsidy to farmers who plant cover crops to enhance soil health and water quality.

Promotes economic benefits for farmers while reducing the need for inputs and improving crop yields.

Incentivizes integration of trees and shrubs on farms through multifunctional practices that mitigate climate change and improve water and air quality.

Diversifies farm revenue with high-value products like fruits, nuts, and hardwoods.

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WATCH

Cows in the Woods: What it Takes to Create a Silvopasture

How do you transform land overgrown with invasive shrubs and weeds into a shade-dappled pasture perfect for managed grazing? Find out how Butler Grassfed Beef in Spring Green, Wis., created a silvopasture for its cows in a move that benefits farmers, water quality, our climate and our animals.

From Hoops to Harvest: The Story of Beulah Family Homestead

How do you leave a fast-paced NBA career to start a sustainable family farm? Former Milwaukee Bucks and Wisconsin forward Marcus Landry, and his wife Efueko, who played at Marquette, take us on their journey to create Beulah Family Homestead in Elkhorn, Wisconsin.