Because There is No Planet B: Conservation Efforts of Farmers in North Carolina.

Earth Day is recognized on April 22, it was first observed on April 22, 1970. This important day is meant to show support for environmental protection. On its inaugural launch it was estimated that approximately 20 million people nationwide attended events at tens of thousands of sites including elementary and secondary schools, universities, and community sites across the nation. Since that time awareness on how precarious our ecosystems have heightened, but no one is more aware than the American Farmer. 

Farming does come at a cost, unfortunately agriculture has had negative impacts emitting carbon dioxide through its operations. According to the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), agriculture accounted for approximately 10.6 percent of U.S. greenhouse gas emissions in 2021. The sources of these emissions come from electricity use, nitrous oxide from cropped and grazed soils, methane from enteric fermentation and rice cultivation, nitrous oxide and methane from managed livestock manure, and CO2 from on-farm energy use.

But agriculture producers are seeking to be part of the solution. The United States Department of Agriculture’s (USDA) Natural Resource Conservation Service (NRCS) is the lead federal agency in assisting agricultural producers in implementing conservation practices. Through the Environmental Quality Incentives Program (EQIP), Conservation Stewardship Program, and the Agricultural Conservation Easement Program (ACEP) the state’s producers have implemented over $53 million dollars in conservation in the state of North Carolina. This was double the amount invested in the previous fiscal year. 

Some common conservation activities were Animal Mortality Facility, Roofs and Covers, Waste Storage Facility, Cover Crop, and Forest Stand Improvement. These practices are unique, but they have the same end goal to assist in protecting soil and water quality throughout the state. Because all programs offered by USDA-NRCS are voluntary, the conservation practices and the dollars invested are all demonstrations of how serious the agricultural producers are in North Carolina and across the country. 

“We are frequently reminded of the devastating impact changes in weather patterns can have on farming operations, from increased hurricane frequency to changing seasonal temperatures. Farming and land ownership is an opportunity to be stewards for the next generation and our future-focused approach emphasizes limiting our impact on the environment through targeted, environmentally friendly, and sustainable land management practices,” said Frank Howey Jr., owner, operator of Frank Howey Family Farms and Howey Ranch and USDA-NRCS program participant. 

Thanks to the Inflation Reduction Act (IRA), even more conservation investments have been made. The IRA represents the single largest investment in climate and clean energy solutions in American history. It provides an additional $19.5 billion to existing Farm Bill funds to help support the United States Department of Agriculture’s (USDA) conservation programs that yield climate mitigation benefits while building resilience to climate change in agricultural operations. These activities conserve natural resources, build healthier soils, reduce greenhouse gas emissions, and sequester carbon. In North Carolina, producers have invested over $11 million in additional funding that has covered over 47,000 acres in conservation. 

“NRCS is excited to be a part of this historic opportunity to provide both financial and technical assistance to private landowners to address their conservation needs within their operations,” said Julius George, acting State Conservationist.

Year after year producers across the state have continued to input conservation practices on their private lands, proving that they’re serious about protecting the environment while tackling the monumental task of feeding the world. This Earth Day we are reminded that producers are uniquely positioned to deliver climate-change solutions by implementing Climate-Smart Agriculture and Forestry Mitigation Activities on their operations. That today is a day to recognize the producers who are investing in the climate solutions that will ensure a prosperous agricultural future for generations to come.

USDA touches the lives of all Americans each day in so many positive ways. To get started, please visit your local USDA Service Center.