Secretary of Agriculture Tom Vilsack Visits Frankenmuth

Congressman Kildee and Senator Stabenow welcomed Secretary of Agriculture Tom Vilsack to the MSU Saginaw Valley Research and Outreach Center in Frankenmuth Tuesday to discuss the Inflation Reduction Act.

Vilsack announced $40 billion in funding made available by the Inflation Reduction Act for the USDA’s efforts to reduce the environmental impact of agriculture, stating, “Agriculture has long been at the forefront of our fight against climate change. From climate-smart agriculture, to supporting healthy forests and conservation, to tax credits, to biofuels, to infrastructure and beyond. The Inflation Reduction Act provides the USDA with significant additional resources to lead the charge.”

$19.5 billion will go to the USDA’s Natural Resources Conservation Service for improving nutrient management across the country. An estimated 28% of US cropland is over-fertilized, and the USDA estimates that implementation of nutrient management plans on those acres would save farmers $2.6 billion. Additionally, approximately $20 billion will go to conservation programs that are oversubscribed, giving more producers access to conservation assistance.