Expanding IRA Funding for Comprehensive Conservation Needs

The Inflation Reduction Act of 2022 (IRA) appropriated $18 billion for climate-smart agriculture and forestry (CSAF) practices through existing USDA conservation programs. However, the IRA's definition of CSAF practices is narrow, and many traditional conservation practices that are important to farmers and ranchers are excluded.

For example, prescribed fire and brush management, irrigation efficiency practices, terraces, and manure management practices are all excluded from IRA funding, even though they have climate benefits and help producers meet their conservation and sustainability goals.

In fact, estimates show that over half of the conservation practices funded through EQIP and CSP from 2020 to 2022 would not be eligible for IRA funding. This suggests that the IRA favors a one-size-fits-all approach to climate mitigation over the local conservation needs of agriculture and rural America.

Farmers and ranchers value the farm bill conservation programs, which have long addressed broad climate and environmental concerns. Many of the traditional conservation practices that are so important to America's producers are left behind in the IRA.

There is an effort to move IRA resources into the 2023 farm bill to create an additional permanent baseline for these programs. However, if IRA funding is moved to the farm bill without broadening the eligibility to include other conservation needs, it will be unable to address the long list of other critical and bipartisan resource needs demanded by farmers, ranchers, foresters, and agricultural stakeholders.

Climate mitigation is a laudable goal, but moving and expanding IRA conservation dollars in the farm bill to address other resource concerns can help farmers and ranchers not only adopt practices on the farm that sequester carbon and reduce emissions, but also help with regulatory compliance.

In conclusion, the IRA's narrow definition of CSAF practices excludes many traditional conservation practices that are important to farmers and ranchers. Moving IRA resources to the farm bill without broadening the eligibility would be a missed opportunity to address the full range of conservation needs in agriculture and rural America.

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