USDA highlights climate change challenges in NCA5 report

Nov 20, 2023

The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) has played a pivotal role in the Fifth U.S. National Climate Assessment (NCA5), emphasizing its commitment to understanding and addressing climate change effects. Tom Vilsack highlighted the frontline challenges faced by farmers, ranchers, and forest landowners, underscoring USDA’s role in supporting these key stakeholders.

The NCA5, a report mandated by Congress and released on November 14, 2023, provides a thorough analysis of climate change effects on different sectors and regions within the U.S. economy. Developed through a partnership among 14 federal agencies, including significant contributions from 58 USDA scientists, the report serves as an informative tool for decision-making but does not dictate specific policy measures.

The contributions from the USDA in the NCA5 reveal the profound effects of climate change on agriculture, forests, food systems, and natural resources, particularly impacting historically underserved communities. The report emphasizes the necessity of adaptation for building resilience and the vital role of the land sector in reducing greenhouse gas emissions.

This assessment illustrates how climate change is not just a regional issue but a national concern, impacting every aspect of the U.S. from food productivity and trade infrastructure to the livelihoods of both domestic and international consumers and producers.

Through its involvement in the NCA5, the USDA acknowledges the essential roles that agriculture and forestry play in combating climate change. The report serves as a timely and comprehensive evaluation of how climate change interacts with the land sector, encouraging land managers to embrace innovation and adaptability. This approach aims to ensure that agricultural practices and forest management can effectively counteract the impacts of climate change.

Source : wisconsinagconnection

Video: Evolution of Beef Cattle Farming

The Clear Conversations podcast took to the road for a special episode recorded in Nashville during CattleCon, bringing listeners straight into the heart of the cattle industry. Host Tracy Sellers welcomed rancher Steve Wooten of Beatty Canyon Ranch in Colorado for a wide-ranging discussion that blended family history and sustainability, particularly as it relates to the future of beef production.

Sustainability emerged as a central theme of the conversation, a word that Wooten acknowledges can mean very different things depending on who you ask. For him, sustainability starts with the soil. Healthy soil produces healthy grass, which supports efficient cattle capable of producing year after year with minimal external inputs. It’s an approach that equally considers vegetation, animal efficiency, and long-term profitability.

That philosophy aligned naturally with Wooten’s involvement in the U.S. Roundtable for Sustainable Beef, where he served as a representative for the Colorado Cattlemen’s Association. The roundtable brings together the entire beef supply chain—from producers to retailers—along with universities, NGOs, and allied industries. Its goal is not regulation, Wooten emphasized, but collaboration, shared learning, and continuous improvement.