The USDA announced their investment of up to $2.8 billion dollars for 70 selected projects in the Partnership for Climate-Smart Commodities. National Pork Board was a leader in one of the grants and a contributor to two additional, totaling $155 million. Ashley McDonald, interim vice president of sustainability with the National Pork Board, said they are excited for the projects and how they will benefit the pork producer.
?That would expand one of the tools, your farm report,? McDonald said. ?So those reports for producers that kind of pulls all of their data and shows environmental, economic and social outcomes from the practices or the initiatives that they’re a part of.?
NPB and its partners seek to increase the sustainability of U.S. pork products by advancing climate-smart agriculture practices in Iowa, Minnesota, and Missouri, specifically measured and documented through the on-farm sustainability reports. The project titled ?Advancing U.S. Pork Sustainability and Market Value? was funded for $20 million.
?To be able to have every pork producer in the country get this report for no additional dollars other than their checkoff investment, what these dollars will do to enhance that is in a big part of the Midwest, they’ll now eligible to take some of those federal dollars and utilize it for practice implementations,? McDonald said.
McDonald added that this funding will help to add an extra layer of information for the producer that otherwise would be cost prohibitive.
?We?re really pleased that the Secretary recognize the value that working through your farm report through our partner and sustainable environmental consultants, the value of being able to leverage federal dollars with it, will expand that program and ultimately be able to share that continuous improvement story of U.S. pork producers,? McDonald said.
Visit porkecheckoff.org to learn about all three grant programs in more detail.
