climate change

Last month at the 2023 United Nations Climate Change Conference (COP28) in Dubai, the global message was clear: agriculture is a key solution to tackling climate change.

In June 2013, Secretary Vilsack outlined a vision for agricultural solutions to environmental challenges, which included creating the Regional Climate Hubs. In 2014, the USDA Climate Hubs were established in to serve as regional centers of climate change information and outreach to reduce risks. The Climate Hubs enhance USDA capacity to deliver science-based knowledge and practical information to support climate-informed decision making on farms, ranches, and forests.

We see them every time we purchase fresh fruits and vegetables: price look up (PLU) labels. The little coin-size stickers are stuck to everything from apples, bananas, and cantaloupes to watermelons, yams, and zucchini.

Fifty years after the creation of National Agriculture Day, America’s farmers, ranchers and private forestland owners find themselves on the front lines of climate change. They are uniquely positioned to deliver solutions by implementing climate-smart practices that conserve natural resources, build healthier soils, reduce greenhouse gas emissions, and sequester carbon.

Imagine this – an ice cube that is reusable, flexible, and biodegradable. Look no further, that’s exactly what University of California, Davis researchers are developing.

Unprecedented floods in Kentucky and Yellowstone, a megadrought in the Southwest, historic wildfires in Alaska—these are some of the many consequences climate change has already wrought onto diverse American communities in 2022, alone. These increasingly common extreme weather events disproportionately affect American rural communities and producers.

Climate change is causing greater environmental and economic challenges for U.S. agriculture. But did you know that soil health practices can help working farmlands become more resilient to climate extremes?

Local communities face many challenges when mitigating and adapting to climate change. Cities across the country are experiencing the effects of increased natural disasters, limited resources, sea-level rise, and other impacts. Municipalities and stakeholders have an opportunity to curb greenhouse gas emissions and increase food security through addressing food loss and waste.

As we celebrate this Earth Day, we want to share a few examples of USDA’s commitment to climate-smart research and scientific investments.

As we celebrate our planet this Earth Day, we highlight ongoing research being conducted at USDA’s Agricultural Research Service (ARS) exploring how a seaweed species could potentially reduce methane emissions in livestock production.