USDA Role in Supporting Decisions on Climate Change

William HohensteinGlobal Change Program Office

January 10, 2005

Federal Government Climate Change Policy Development

What is Decision Support?

“…the set of processes that includes interdisciplinary research, product development, communication, and operational services that provide timely and useful information to address challenges and questions confronting those who need to make policy and/or resource management decisions…there is typically a premium on timeliness, resolution, comprehensiveness and effective communication of levels of scientific confidence and uncertainty.”

- CCSP Strategic Plan, 2003

Decision Support:Three CCSP Elements

Scientific syntheses and assessments Adaptive management for resources and

infrastructure Support for policymaking

Principal Guidelines for theCCSP Approach to Decision Support

Analyses structured around specific questions

Early and continuing involvement of stakeholders

Explicit treatment of uncertainties Transparent public review of analysis

questions, methods, and draft results Evaluate ongoing CCSP analyses and build

on lessons learned

USDA Role

USDA’s Climate Change Activities

Implement actions under USDA’s conservation programs

Develop methods for estimating sources and sinks from agriculture and forestry

Support voluntary agreements with the private sector MOU with the rural utilities Agreement with the American Forest and Paper

Association

Support the development of technologies and practices

Implement Climate Change Science Program Strategic Plan

Cooperate with the Department of State on bilateral agreements

ChiefEconomist

Member of USDA Global Change Taskforce

Roles of the USDA Agencies ARS: Assess potential impacts and vulnerabilities to agriculture; identifying

opportunities to respond and adapt; develop technologies and practices to mitigate greenhouse gases

Forest Service: Assess and manage potential impacts on forest productivity, health, disturbance processes, and species distributions; improve the information on carbon cycling and inventories, provide landowner assistance.

CSREES: Support the national UV-B monitoring network; provides competitive grants to assess impacts; oversee major soil carbon study.

NRCS: Provide technical assistance to farmers; help farmers plan and implement conservation systems; maintain soil survey and associated databases.

ERS: Assess the economics of mitigation options and impacts of climate change on well-being of global and US agricultural producers and consumers.

Others with roles: FSA, RUS, International Forestry, FAS, NASS

The Program is based on several widely accepted facts.

Weather extremes and climate variability are major limitations to production.

Land use and land-use change affect the environment, and vice-versa.

Crops are being produced in an atmosphere containing a constantly increasing concentration of CO2.

Crops and range plants are not alone in their exposure to changes in weather, climate, and CO2.

Increasing soil carbon has broad environmental benefits on and off the farm.

USDA Activities in the CCSP budget

USGCRP CCRI CCSP

Scientific Research 827 144 971

USDA 59 6 65

NASA Space-based Obs. 1,001 24 1,025

Total 1,828 168 1,996

In millions of dollars

Source:

Our Changing Planet 2004

Human Contributions and Responses: Nutrient management and precision agriculture

• The U.S. emitted 20 MMTCE from fertilizer and manure land application

• USDA/ARS is building a national network called GraceNET to evaluate alternative management practices

Decision Support: Carbon dioxide affects glyphosate efficacy in the field.

Ambient CO2 2 x CO2

Presidential directives to USDA

In February, 2002, the President directed Secretary Veneman to:

Provide recommendations on targeted incentives for forest and agricultural sequestration of greenhouse gases

Develop accounting rules and guidelines for crediting carbon sequestration projects, in consultation with DOE and EPA

Greenhouse gases have been incorporated into USDA Conservation Programs

• Environmental Quality Incentives Program (EQIP) • NRCS provided national guidance to make GHG a priority resource

concern.• New practice standards for digesters announced in 2003.• Tiered payments under EQIP will reward producers who improve

nutrient management

• Conservation Reserve Program (CRP)• Secretary Veneman announced that USDA would target 500,000 acres

(226,000 ha) of bottomland hardwoods under the CRP continuous sign-up

• FSA providing points for carbon sequestration in rating CRP proposals through the Environmental Benefits Index (EBI).

• Conservation Innovation Grants (CIG)• A competitive grants program administered by NRCS• Provides opportunities to accelerate the development, transfer and

adoption of innovative technologies and approaches for agriculture.