USDA invests up to $2.8B in 70 climate-smart projects

September 14, 2022

BY Erin Krueger

The USDA on Sept. 14 announced it is investing up to $2.8 billion in 70 selected projects under the first pool of the agency’s Partnerships for Climate-Smart Communities funding opportunity. Projects selected from the second funding pool will be announced later this year.

The USDA launched the program in February, announcing that the new program will finance pilot projects that create market opportunities for U.S. agricultural and forestry products that use climate-smart practices and include innovative, cost-effective ways to measure and verify greenhouse gas (GHG) benefits.

Advertisement

For the purposes of the funding opportunity, a climate-smart commodity is defined as an agricultural commodity that is produced using agricultural (farming, ranching or forestry) practices that reduce GHG emissions or sequester carbon.

Applications for the the first funding pool, which covers proposals from $5 million to $100 million, were accepted through May 6. Applications for the second funding pool, which includes proposals from $250,000 to $4.99 million, were due June 10.

The 70 selected projects selected for funding under the first pool of the program include partners representing a wide range of bioenergy interests, including the Renewable Energy Group, Archer Daniels Midland Co., Mid-America Biofuels, Roeslein Alternative Energy LLC, Biostar Renewables, National Sorghum Producers Association, the American Coalition for Ethanol, K-Coe Isom, Conestoga Energy, Kansas Ethanol, CoBank, Marquis Energy, Western New York Energy, High Plains Biochar, Biochar Co-Op, Global Clean Energy Holdings Inc., Sustainable Oils, Bakersfield Renewable Fuels, U.S. Biochar Initiative, Gevo Inc., Southwest Iowa Renewable Energy LLC, Show-Me Energy, various state corn and soybean groups, and others.

Advertisement

One of the 70 projects, led by Roeslein Alternative Energy, focuses in part on renewable natural gas (RNG) production. Another project, led by Gevo, aims to create critical structural climate-smart market incentives for low-intensity corn, as well as accelerate the production of sustainable aviation fuel (SAF). Several projects also focus on crops that can be used as biofuel feedstocks, including those focused on sorghum, hemp, camelina, as well as more traditional crops like corn and soybeans.

A full list of funded projects is available on the USDA website

 

Related Stories

President Trump on July 4 signed the “One Big Beautiful Bill Act.” The legislation extends and updates the 45Z credit and revives a tax credit benefiting small biodiesel producers but repeals several other bioenergy-related tax incentives.

Read More

CARB on June 27 announced amendments to the state’s LCFS regulations will take effect beginning on July 1. The amended regulations were approved by the agency in November 2024, but implementation was delayed due to regulatory clarity issues.

Read More

The USDA’s National Agricultural Statistics Service on June 30 released its annual Acreage report, estimating that 83.4 million acres of soybeans have been planted in the U.S. this year, down 4% when compared to 2024.

Read More

SAF Magazine and the Commercial Aviation Alternative Fuels Initiative announced the preliminary agenda for the North American SAF Conference and Expo, being held Sept. 22-24 at the Minneapolis Convention Center in Minneapolis, Minnesota.

Read More

Saipem has been awarded an EPC contract by Enilive for the expansion of the company’s biorefinery in Porto Marghera, near Venice. The project will boost total nameplate capacity and enable the production of SAF.

Read More

Upcoming Events

Sign up for our e-newsletter!

Advertisement

Advertisement