USDA Ends Climate-Smart Program, Launches Farmer-First Alternative
- Shift to farmer-focused funding: At least 65% of federal funds must go directly to producers under the new program.
- Elimination of bureaucratic waste: USDA halts high-administration-cost projects and cuts red tape.
- No new funding allocated: AMP will use existing PCSC funds; all eligible costs before April 13, 2025, will be honored.
The U.S. Department of Agriculture has scrapped the Biden-era Partnerships for Climate-Smart Commodities (PCSC) program, citing inefficiencies and disproportionate administrative costs.
“Many of these projects had sky-high administration fees,” said Agriculture Secretary Brooke Rollins, announcing the termination. “We are cutting bureaucratic red tape, streamlining reporting, lowering the paperwork burden on producers and putting farmers first.”
Under the replacement initiative—Advancing Markets for Producers (AMP)—the USDA will redirect existing PCSC funds with a focus on direct impact. To qualify, projects must meet three criteria by the end of 2024:
- A minimum of 65% of funds must benefit producers directly.
- At least one producer must be enrolled.
- Payments must be made to at least one producer.
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Rollins criticized the former program for prioritizing non-governmental organizations over agricultural stakeholders.
“The Partnerships for Climate-Smart Commodities initiative was largely built to advance the green new scam at the benefit of NGOs, not American farmers,” she said. “We are correcting these mistakes and redirecting our efforts to set our farmers up for an unprecedented era of prosperity.”
Existing project partners will be contacted individually, and costs incurred before April 13, 2025, will be honored. However, no new funding will be issued under the restructured framework.
The USDA confirmed that AMP will operate within current budget limits, requiring no new federal allocations.
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