The U.S. Division of Agriculture’s (USDA) “climate-smart” applications are sometimes climate-neutral, and in some circumstances climate-negative, in accordance with a brand new report.

Of $5.5 billion despatched to farmers through one in all USDA’s essential environmental applications between 2017 and 2022, solely $1.7 billion — 31 % — funded practices on the division’s official climate-smart record, in accordance with the Environmental Working Group (EWG). Of the highest 10 practices funded by that program in 2023, solely two have been on the climate-smart record, the non-profit group mentioned.

“A lot of the [remaining] $3.8 billion in funding went to structural practices like fencing, different livestock practices and irrigation practices,” mentioned Anne Schechinger, EWG’s Midwest director.

USDA’s Environmental High quality Incentives Program (EQIP) is likely one of the division’s largest conservation subsidy applications. It supplies funding for a variety of actions on a “climate-smart” record, together with cowl crops that shield soil and enhance its fertility, no-till soil routines and wetland restoration. EQIP is essential as a result of 10.6 % of the US’s whole greenhouse emissions in 2023 got here from agriculture, in accordance with USDA.

However in 2023 and 2024, 14 “provisional” practices have been added to the climate-smart record. “Provisional practices are added to the record ‘provisionally’ as a result of USDA doesn’t have any knowledge/quantification to point out that they really cut back emissions,” mentioned Schechinger. 

A type of practices is waste storage, particularly the development of manure lagoons. Waste accounts for 11 % of U.S. agricultural emissions, and manure lagoons launch giant quantities of nitrous oxide, a potent greenhouse gasoline. Manure additionally usually pollutes streams, ingesting water and groundwater.

This isn’t the primary time EQIP has come underneath fireplace. “EQIP specifically pays for agricultural practices that aren’t environmentally useful or in some circumstances actively make the setting worse,” in accordance with a report by the Institute for Agriculture and Commerce Coverage printed in 2022.

Ten practices funded by EQIP have been “industrial” or “factory-farm pleasant,” in accordance with that report, which additionally cited waste storage amenities as an issue.

A spokesperson for USDA known as EWG’s analysis “essentially flawed.” 

“Sadly, EWG didn’t have in mind the rigorous, science-based methodology utilized by USDA to find out eligible practices, not the extent of specificity required in the course of the implementation course of to make sure the practices’ climate-smart advantages are being maximized,” USDA spokesperson Allan Rodriguez instructed GreenBiz.