President Joe Biden signed the Inflation Adjustment Act, a bill that includes billions for USDA conservation programs. Brooke S. Appleton, National Corn Growers Association vice president of public policy, says, “Through this legislation, Congress and the administration recognize that farmers’ voluntary climate-smart agricultural practices are an important part of addressing climate change.”

The law allocates $19.9 billion in funding for USDA’s conservation programs and $1 billion for additional conservation technical assistance. To advance biofuels, the legislation includes $500 million for infrastructure for greater market deployment of higher blends of biofuels, and new tax credits based on carbon reduction to incentivize clean fuels such as biofuels like ethanol and new sustainable aviation fuel.

Senate Agriculture Committee Chair Debbie Stabenow, a Michigan Democrat, welcomed the president’s signature on the bill. Stabenow says, “we are equipping farmers, foresters, and rural communities with the tools they need to be a part of the climate solution, while boosting their economic success at the same time.”