USDA Secretary Tom Vilsack announces $3 billion investment in climate, agriculture
Source: La Junta Tribune-Democrat
USDA Secretary Tom Vilsack announces $3 billion investment in climate, agriculture
Jacy Marmaduke | Fort Collins Coloradoan
Published 1:50 p.m. MT Sept. 29, 2021 | Updated 2:09 p.m. MT Sept. 29, 2021
Colorado State University was the backdrop for U.S. Department of Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack's announcement of $3 billion in new drought response, animal disease prevention and supply chain investments.
Vilsack unveiled the federal funding, along with a plan to foster climate-smart revenue streams for agricultural producers and forest land owners, during a Wednesday speech at CSU's Lory Student Center. Vilsack's speech was part of the Salazar Center for North American Conservation's International Symposium on Conservation Impact, a virtual symposium also featuring remarks from U.S. Secretary of Interior Deb Haaland, Council on Environmental Quality Chair Brenda Mallory and former Vice President Al Gore.
Between his two stints as USDA secretary, Vilsack served as a strategic advisor for food and water initiatives at CSU Spur for the Colorado State University System. His appearance at CSU comes after the Biden administration's announcement of a new "30x30" goal to increase conservation of America's lands and waters 30% by 2030.
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USDA's Commodity Credit Corp. will fund the projects Vilsack highlighted in his speech. They will target a trio of challenges: Drought's damage to agricultural producers' livelihood, supply chain interruptions wrought by the COVID-19 pandemic, and the arrival of African swine fever in Haiti and the Dominican Republic.
The funding package includes the following:
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Read more: https://www.lajuntatribunedemocrat.com/story/news/2021/09/29/usda-secretary-vilsack-announces-3-billion-investment-climate-ag/5917010001/