FACTSHEET • SEPTEMBER 2023 FARMERS.GOV/CLIMATE-SMART

CLIMATE-SMART AGRICULTURE AND FORESTRY 1

CLIMATE-SMART AGRICULTURE 

AND FORESTRY

The global climate affects everyone and 

everything on the planet. As the climate 

changes, significant impacts will be felt by all 

Americans, including farmers, ranchers, private 

forest landowners, and their surrounding 

communities. Producers and land managers are 

experiencing these impacts firsthand on their 

operations through shifting weather patterns and 

increasingly frequent and severe storms, floods, 

drought, and wildfire. 

Farmers, ranchers and forest landowners have an important 

role to play in the nation’s climate solutions, regardless of 

the size, location, or type of their operation. Climate-smart 

agriculture and forestry is an integrated approach that 

enables farmers, ranchers, and forest landowners to respond 

to climate change by reducing or removing greenhouse gas 

emissions (mitigation) and adapting and building resilience 

(adaptation), while sustainably increasing agricultural 

productivity and incomes. With support from NRCS, 

producers and land managers can engage in climate-smart 

agriculture and forestry to adapt to the impacts of climate 

change and contribute to solutions that help to limit future 

climate change. 

USDA's Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS) 

offers a variety of programs, services, resources and tools 

to help farmers, ranchers, forest landowners and partners 

pursue voluntary conservation efforts that result in climate 

solutions. One-on-one technical and financial assistance 

through voluntary conservation programs directly support 

climate-smart agriculture and forestry, including: 

• Conservation Technical Assistance (CTA)

• Environmental Quality Incentives Program (EQIP)

• Conservation Stewardship Program (CSP)

• Agricultural Conservation Easement Program (ACEP)

• Regional Conservation Partnership Program (RCPP)

Additional opportunities to support climate-smart 

agriculture and forestry may also be available via 

partners through the Partnerships for Climate-Smart 

Commodities opportunity. 

Mitigation

Reducing or removing greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions 

that cause climate change

Voluntary conservation activities can support climate change 

mitigation by reducing greenhouse gas emissions or increasing 

carbon sequestration. Many can also help operations build 

climate change resilience while addressing other natural 

resource concerns such as soil health, water quality, pollinator 

and wildlife habitat and air quality. See the full list of practices 

in the Climate-Smart Agriculture and Forestry Mitigation

Activity List, including practices available through EQIP and 

enhancements available through CSP.

The Inflation Reduction Act provides additional funds to 

support climate change mitigation through conservation 

programs.

NRCS climate-smart agriculture and forestry mitigation 

activities can support mitigation in the following areas: 

• Soil Health – Reducing emissions and enhancing soil 

carbon sequestration.

• Improved Nitrogen Management – Implementing SMART 

nutrient management helps reduce nitrous oxide, a potent 

greenhouse gas. SMART Nutrient Management includes 

the 4Rs of nutrient stewardship – the right Source, right 

Method, right Rate, and right Timing – and emphasizes 

smart activities to reduce nutrient loss by Assessment of 

comprehensive, site-specific conditions.

• Improved Livestock Waste Management Systems – 

Reducing potent methane emissions from manure.
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FACTSHEET • SEPTEMBER 2023

CLIMATE-SMART AGRICULTURE AND FORESTRY 2

NRCS Can Help

Producers and landowners should contact the 

NRCS office at their local USDA Service Center 

for additional information and one-on-one 

technical support specific to their natural resource 

objectives. USDA Service Centers are in nearly 

every county across the United States.

If you’re new to working with NRCS, see this 

Guide to USDA Resources and the Conservation 

at Work Video Series at farmers.gov/conservation/

conservation-at-work that shows examples of 

conservation practices that may work well for your 

operation, including options that contribute to 

climate change mitigation and adaptation.

For additional information, visit farmers.gov/

climate-smart to learn how each NRCS program 

supports climate-smart agriculture and forestry. 

In addition, state-specific application ranking 

dates for NRCS programs are available on the 

NRCS Program Application Ranking Dates 

webpage at nrcs.usda.gov/ranking-dates.

NRCS can support producers who want to voluntarily 

implement climate-smart conservation activities to 

help adapt their operations and build resilience, while 

maintaining productivity and conserving and restoring 

the natural resources on their lands. 

Many conservation activities that help adapt agricultural 

operations to these changing conditions can also support 

climate change mitigation. Using cover crops, for example, 

increases soil cover and organic matter which can reduce 

water loss to lessen potential drought stress and decrease 

erosion associated with extreme weather. At the same 

time, cover crops can increase carbon sequestration in 

soils, providing climate change mitigation benefits as well. 

Similarly, establishing tree cover or silvopasture systems 

can provide shade for livestock to reduce heat stress, while 

also sequestering carbon in tree biomass. 

Urban agriculture and innovative production may also help 

communities and producers respond to climate change, 

including by supporting local, resilient food systems. 

• Enhanced Grazing Land Management – Reducing 

emissions and building soil carbon stocks in grazing 

systems.

• Improved Agroforestry, Forestry and Upland Wildlife 

Habitat – Building carbon stocks in perennial biomass 

and soils.

• Restored Disturbed Lands – Improving the quality of 

previously mined or degraded lands to increase soil and 

perennial biomass carbon stocks.

• Energy, Combustion and Electricity Efficiency – 

Reducing emissions from agricultural operations and 

infrastructure through energy and fuel efficiency and 

system and operational improvements.

• Precisely Managed Water on Rice Fields – Reducing 

methane emissions from rice fields by minimizing 

methane production during the growing season.

Adaptation

Adapting and building resilience to climate change and 

its impacts

Climate change poses environmental, social, and agricultural 

challenges that require adaptation measures to help adjust 

to new or changing climatic patterns. Adaptation actions can 

be taken in response to local climate change impacts and 

projections to reduce risks and vulnerabilities, build resilience 

and help to maintain productivity. 

Adaptation actions in agriculture may include changing or 

adjusting various management practices and inputs, including 

nutrient inputs, tillage practices, crop species, crop rotations, 

harvest strategies, livestock management, irrigation, and uses 

of natural resources like water and vegetation. 

Adaptation may also include integrating conservation 

practices that can help build resilience to climate change 

impacts over time. For example, improving or maintaining 

soil health may help buffer the effects of extreme weather, 

such as excessive precipitation and drought.