ACTION PLAN FOR CLIMATE ADAPTATION AND RESILIENCE

1 DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE. ACTION PLAN FOR CLIMATE . ADAPTATION AND RESILIENCE . In accordance with Federal civil rights law and Department of Agriculture (USDA) civil rights regulations and policies, the USDA, its Agencies, offices, and employees, and institutions participating in or administering USDA programs are prohibited from discriminating based on race, color, national origin, religion, sex, gender identity (including gender expression), sexual orientation, disability, age, marital status, family/parental status, income derived from a public assistance program, political beliefs, or reprisal or retaliation for prior civil rights activity, in any program or activity conducted or funded by USDA (not all bases apply to all programs).

2 Remedies and complaint filing deadlines vary by program or incident. Persons with disabilities who require alternative means of communication for program information ( , Braille, large print, audiotape, American Sign Language, etc.) should contact the responsible Agency or USDA's TARGET Center at (202) 720-2600 (voice and TTY) or contact USDA through the Federal Relay Service at (800) 877-8339. Additionally, program information may be made available in languages other than English. To file a program discrimination complaint, complete the USDA Program Discrimination Complaint Form, AD-3027, found online at How to File a Program Discrimination Complaint and at any USDA office or write a letter addressed to USDA and provide in the letter all of the information requested in the form.

3 To request a copy of the complaint form, call (866) 632-9992. Submit your completed form or letter to USDA by: (1) mail: Department of Agriculture, Office of the Assistant Secretary for Civil Rights, 1400 Independence Avenue, SW, Washington, 20250-9410; (2) fax: (202) 690-7442; or (3) email: USDA is an equal opportunity provider, employer, and lender. August 2021. Contents A Message from Secretary I. II. CLIMATE III. USDA's ADAPTATION Actions ..14. IV. Enhancing CLIMATE Literacy in USDA's V. USDA Actions for CLIMATE -Ready Sites and VI. USDA Actions to Ensure a CLIMATE -Ready Supply of Products and VII.

4 Next Appendix: USDA Departmental Regulation 1070-001: Policy Statement on CLIMATE 4 ACTION PLAN FOR CLIMATE ADAPTATION AND RESILIENCE . A Message from Secretary Vilsack Dear Reader, As evidenced by the historic drought in the and target ADAPTATION actions with co-benefits western United States, vast wildfires, and soaring for CLIMATE mitigation, conservation, and temperatures across the country, CLIMATE change is sustainability . already on our doorstep, and America's producers In addressing the CLIMATE crisis, the USDA. are on the front lines. We are operating in new research enterprise will develop innovative tools territory, and the changing CLIMATE creates and practices for farmers and land managers of the immense uncertainty and threatens the RESILIENCE future.

5 USDA will tailor its CLIMATE outreach and of the American agriculture and forestry sectors. assistance to be regionally specific through its vast Not only does CLIMATE change have a direct impact field operations and innovative partnerships and on a producer's ability to plan and manage risk, it enhance department-wide coordination through has wider impacts on the natural systems we rely its ten regional CLIMATE Hubs. Building CLIMATE on to support production of food and fiber, keep literacy across all levels will enable USDA staff to our waters clean, and maintain cultural resources. best serve its stakeholders in the decades ahead.

6 As the People's Department, USDA is preparing Our plan will serve as the foundation for iterative to help communities across the United States, CLIMATE ADAPTATION across the Department. both rural and urban, plan for and build RESILIENCE Taking these steps to prepare American farmers, to the impacts of CLIMATE change. Answering ranchers, forest landowners, resource managers, President Biden's call for a whole-of-government and communities for the effects of CLIMATE change approach to CLIMATE , USDA is taking a whole-of- will help ensure that our agriculture and forestry Department approach to address the challenges sectors continue to provide healthy food and fiber and opportunities posed by CLIMATE change.

7 In for America and the world, and that we conserve USDA's recent CLIMATE -Smart Agriculture and our soil, air, and water for generations to come. Forestry Strategy: 90-Day Progress Report, we laid out our mitigation strategy to ensure that farmers, ranchers, and landowners can seize on these Sincerely, opportunities and contribute to greenhouse gas emissions reductions and sequestration. Alongside those actions, we must make sure that we provide producers, landowners, and communities with the Secretary Tom Vilsack tools to manage risk and adapt to this changing reality. This ACTION Plan for CLIMATE ADAPTATION and RESILIENCE outlines how USDA will provide relevant information, tools, and resources to its stakeholders and target programs and activities to increase RESILIENCE to CLIMATE impacts.

8 USDA. will prioritize equity, promote environmental justice through a focus on healthy communities, ACTION PLAN FOR CLIMATE ADAPTATION AND RESILIENCE 1. Agricultural producers and forest landowners have extensive experience dealing with uncertain conditions, yet CLIMATE change is producing new challenges. ADAPTATION actions by USDA. and our stakeholders can reduce the impacts of CLIMATE change while creating opportunities or co-benefits for mitigation, sustainable production, and conservation. The co-benefits of ADAPTATION actions may also stretch as far as the social welfare of rural and urban communities by improving economic opportunities, infrastructure, and equity.

9 The research and development necessary to support agricultural and forestry CLIMATE ADAPTATION have the potential to spur new tools, practices, and technologies that may underpin the I. INTRODUCTION future of these sectors. On January 27, 2021, in Executive Order ( ) USDA last undertook extensive CLIMATE 14008 Tackling the CLIMATE Crisis at Home and ADAPTATION planning in 2014 in response to Abroad, President Biden laid out a vision for a 13653 Preparing the United States for the Impacts United States government-wide approach and a of CLIMATE Change. In that plan, USDA laid set of coordinated domestic actions to address the out a vision for how to integrate consideration risks and opportunities posed by CLIMATE change.

10 Of CLIMATE change into agency operations One of these actions directs the Department and overall mission objectives in the context of Agriculture (USDA) to submit an ACTION of USDA's strategic goals. USDA provided plan of steps to bolster ADAPTATION and increase progress and strategic updates to its CLIMATE RESILIENCE to the impacts of CLIMATE change across ADAPTATION planning via USDA's annual Strategic our mission and operations. sustainability Performance Plan, most recently in CLIMATE change poses a significant risk to 2017. agriculture, forests, and grasslands across the FY 2021 is a transition year for USDA as United States and the communities that its leadership develops a 2022-2026 USDA.