USDA Conservation Stewardship Program could do more to tackle climate emergency

The Senate is considering a budget reconciliation bill this week to increase “climate-smart” spending on farm conservation efforts by $20 billion over five years, including over $4 billion in new funding for the Department of Agriculture’s Conservation Stewardship Program, or CSP.

But even with the extra spending, the CSP could do much more to tackle the climate crisis, as many conservation “enhancement” efforts it currently funds do little to reduce greenhouse gas emissions from agriculture, according to an EWG analysis of USDA data.

The USDA has been slow to identify which CSP enhancements are climate-smart, so EWG used a USDA ranking tool called the Conservation Practice Physical Effects, or CPPE, matrix. The CPPE provides a score between -5 and 5 for the impact of every CSP-funded conservation practice. A positive score means the practice has a positive impact. A negative score means it has a harmful impact.

Using the tool, EWG found 37 percent of CSP enhancements offered between 2017 and 2022 scored poorly for reducing greenhouse gases, receiving a 0 or 1 on the USDA ranking tool.

Examples of CSP practices that do not reduce greenhouse gas emissions include installing electrical fence offsets and wire for cross-fencing to improve grazing, close structures to capture and retain rainfall for waterfowl and wading bird winter habitat, and eliminating use of chemical treatments to control pests and to increase the presence of dung beetles.

Only 44 percent of enhancements offered between 2017 and 2022 scored well, meaning they received a 3 or 4 on the USDA’s ranking tool for greenhouse gas emissions reductions, or they appear on EWG’s list of climate- and nutrient-smart practices.

Although many individual practices scored well for reducing greenhouse gases, some “bundles,” or groups of practices, also scored well, such as bundles of buffer practices.

Greenhouse gas emissions are lowered more by CSP practices than by practices funded through the USDA’s other major farm stewardship program, the Environmental Quality Incentives Program, or EQIP, according to EWG’s analysis.

And no CSP practices are increasing greenhouse gas emissions – a notable contrast to certain greenhouse gas-increasing practices under EQIP, which provides $1.2 billion.

CSP practices ranked highest for greenhouse gas emission reduction

Practice code	Conservation practice	CPPE score	GHG score
E612101Z	Cropland conversion to trees or shrubs for long-term water erosion control	97	4
E612102Z	Cropland conversion to trees or shrubs for long-term wind erosion control	97	4
E612126Z	Cropland conversion to trees or shrubs for long-term improvement of water quality	97	4
E612130Z	Planting for high carbon sequestration rate	97	4
E612132Z	Establishing tree/shrub species to restore native plant communities	97	4
E612133X1	Adding food-producing trees and shrubs to existing plantings	97	4
E612133X2	Cultural plantings	97	4
E612133X3	Sugarbush management	97	4
E612136Z	Tree/shrub planting for wildlife food	97	4
E612137Z	Tree/shrub planting for wildlife cover	97	4
E612A	Cropland conversion to trees or shrubs for long-term improvement of water quality	97	4
E612B	Planting for high carbon sequestration rate	97	4
E612C	Establishing tree/shrub species to restore native plant communities	97	4
E612D	Adding food-producing trees and shrubs to existing plantings	97	4
E612G	Tree/shrub planting for wildlife food	97	4
E327136Z1	Conservation cover to provide food habitat for pollinators and beneficial insects	79	4
E327136Z2	Establish monarch butterfly habitat	79	4
E327137Z	Conservation cover to provide cover and shelter habitat for pollinators and beneficial insects	79	4
E327139Z	Conservation cover to provide habitat continuity for pollinators and beneficial insects	79	4
E327A	Conservation cover for pollinators and beneficial insects	79	4
E327B	Establish monarch butterfly habitat	79	4
E329101Z	No till to reduce water erosion	57	4
E329102Z	No till system to reduce wind erosion	57	4
E329106Z	No till system to increase soil health and soil organic matter content	57	4
E329114Z	No till to increase plant-available moisture: irrigation water	57	4
E329115Z	No till to increase plant-available moisture: moisture management	57	4
E329128Z	No till to reduce tillage induced particulate matter	57	4
E329144Z	No till to reduce energy	57	4
E329A	No till to reduce soil erosion	57	4
E329D	No till system to increase soil health and soil organic matter content	57	4
E590118X	Reduce risks of nutrient losses to surface water by utilizing precision ag technologies	57	4
E590118Z	Improving nutrient uptake efficiency and reducing risk of nutrient losses to surface water	57	4
E590119X	Reduce risks of nutrient losses to ground water by utilizing precision agriculture technologies to precision agriculture technologies to plan and apply nutrients	57	4
E590119Z	Improving nutrient uptake efficiency and reducing risk of nutrient losses to groundwater	57	4
E590130Z	Improving nutrient uptake efficiency and reducing risks to air quality – emissions of GHGs	57	4
E590A	Improving nutrient uptake efficiency and reducing risk of nutrient losses	57	4
E590B	Reduce risks of nutrient loss to surface water by utilizing precision agriculture technologies	57	4
E590C	Improving nutrient uptake efficiency and reducing risk of nutrient losses on pasture	57	4
E512101Z1	Cropland conversion to grass-based agriculture to reduce water erosion	41	4
E512101Z2	Forage and biomass planting for water erosion to improve soil health	41	4
E512102Z	Cropland conversion to grass-based agriculture to reduce wind erosion	41	4
E512106Z1	Cropland conversion to grass-based agriculture for soil organic matter improvement	41	4
E512106Z2	Forage plantings that can help increase organic matter in depleted soils	41	4
E512126Z	Cropland conversion to grass-based agriculture to reduce sediment loading	41	4
E512132Z1	Forage and biomass planting that produces feedstock for biofuels or energy production	41	4
E512132Z2	Native grasses or legumes in forage base to improve plant productivity and health	41	4
E512133Z1	Native grasses or legumes in forage base to improve plant community structure and composition	41	4
E512133Z2	Forage plantings that enhance bird habitat (structure and composition)	41	4
E512136Z1	Establish pollinator and/or beneficial insect food habitat	41	4
E512136Z2	Native grass or legumes in forage base to provide wildlife food	41	4
E512137Z	Forage plantings that enhance bird habitat (cover and shelter)	41	4
E512138Z	Establish wildlife corridors to enhance access to water	41	4
E512139Z1	Establish wildlife corridors to provide habitat continuity	41	4
E512139Z2	Establish pollinator and/or beneficial insect habitat continuity (space)	41	4
E512139Z3	Establish monarch butterfly habitat in pastures	41	4
E512140Z	Native grasses or legumes in forage base	41	4
E512A	Cropland conversion to grass-based agriculture to reduce soil erosion	41	4
E512B	Forage and biomass planting to reduce soil erosion or increase organic matter to build soil health	41	4
E512C	Cropland conversion to grass for soil organic matter improvement	41	4
E512D	Forage plantings that help increase organic matter in depleted soils	41	4
E512F	Establishing native grass or legumes in forage base to improve the plant community	41	4
E512G	Native grasses or legumes in forage base	41	4
E512H	Forage plantings that enhance bird habitat cover and shelter or structure and composition	41	4
E512I	Establish pollinator and/or beneficial insect and/or monarch habitat	41	4
E391118Z	Increase riparian forest buffer width for nutrient reduction	98	3
E391126Z	Increase riparian forest buffer width to reduce sediment loading	98	3
E391127Z	Increase stream shading for stream temperature reduction	98	3
E391136Z	Increase riparian forest buffer width to enhance wildlife habitat	98	3
E391A	Increase riparian forest buffer width for sediment and nutrient reduction	98	3
E391B	Increase stream shading for stream temperature reduction	98	3
E550106Z	Range planting for increasing/maintaining organic matter	80	3
E550136Z	Range planting for improving forage- browse- or cover for wildlife	80	3
E550B	Range planting for improving forage- browse- or cover for wildlife	80	3
E340101Z	Cover crop to reduce water erosion	61	3
E340102Z	Cover crop to reduce wind erosion	61	3
E340106Z1	Intensive cover cropping to increase soil health and soil organic matter content	61	3
E340106Z2	Use of multi-species cover crops to improve soil health and increase soil organic matter	61	3
E340106Z3	Intensive cover cropping (orchard/vineyard floor) to increase soil health and SOM content	61	3
E340106Z4	Use of SHA to assist with development of cover crop mix to improve soil health and increase SOM	61	3
E340107Z	Cover crop to minimize soil compaction	61	3
E340118Z	Cover crop to reduce water quality degradation by utilizing excess soil nutrients – surface water	61	3
E340119Z	Cover crop to reduce water quality degradation by utilizing excess soil nutrients – ground water	61	3
E340134Z	Cover crop to suppress excessive weed pressures and break pest cycles	61	3
E340A	Cover crop to reduce soil erosion	61	3
E340B	Intensive cover cropping to increase soil health and soil organic matter content	61	3
E340C	Use of multi-species cover crops to improve soil health and increase soil organic matter	61	3
E340E	Use of soil health assessment to assist with development of cover crop mix to improve soil health	61	3
E340F	Cover crop to minimize soil compaction	61	3
E340G	Cover crop to reduce water quality degradation by utilizing excess soil nutrients	61	3
E340H	Cover crop to suppress excessive weed pressures and break pest cycles	61	3
E340I	Using cover crops for biological strip till	61	3
E666106Z1	Implementing sustainable practices for pine straw raking	58	3
E666106Z2	Maintaining and improving forest soil quality	58	3
E666107Z	Maintaining and improving forest soil quality by limiting compaction	58	3
E666115Z1	Converting loblolly and slash pine plantations to longleaf pine to retain soil moisture	58	3
E666115Z2	Enhance development of the forest understory to improve site moisture	58	3
E666118Z	Enhance development of the forest understory to capture nutrients in surface water	58	3
E666119Z	Enhance development of the forest understory to capture nutrients in ground water	58	3
E666130Z	Increase on-site carbon storage	58	3
E666132Z1	Crop tree management for mast production	58	3
E666132Z2	Reduce forest stand density to improve a degraded plant community	58	3
E666132Z3	Facilitating oak forest regeneration	58	3
E666133X	Forest Stand Improvement to rehabilitate degraded hardwood stands	58	3
E666133Z1	Creating structural diversity with patch openings	58	3
E666133Z2	Converting loblolly and slash pine plantations to longleaf pine with FSI and prescribed burning	58	3
E666134Z	Enhance development of the forest understory to create conditions resistant to pests	58	3
E666135Z1	Reduce height of the forest understory to limit wildfire risk	58	3
E666135Z2	Reduce forest density and manage understory along roads to limit wildfire risk	58	3
E666136Z1	Reduce forest density and manage understory along roads to improve wildlife food sources	58	3
E666136Z2	Reduce forest stand density to improve wildlife food sources	58	3
E666136Z3	Create patch openings to enhance wildlife food sources and availability	58	3
E666137Z1	Snags- den trees- and coarse woody debris for wildlife habitat	58	3
E666137Z2	Summer roosting habitat for native forest-dwelling bat species	58	3
E666137Z3	Increase diversity in pine plantation monocultures	58	3
E666137Z6	Create patch openings to enhance wildlife cover and shelter	58	3
E666137Z7	Enhance development of the forest understory to provide wildlife cover and shelter	58	3
E666137Z8	Forest songbird habitat maintenance	58	3
E666A	Maintaining and improving forest soil quality	58	3
E666D	Forest management to enhance understory vegetation	58	3
E666E	Reduce height of the forest understory to limit wildfire risk	58	3
E666F	Reduce forest stand density to create open stand structure	58	3
E666G	Reduce forest density and manage understory along roads to limit wildfire risk and improve habitat	58	3
E666H	Increase on-site carbon storage	58	3
E666I	Crop tree management for mast production	58	3
E666J	Facilitating oak forest regeneration	58	3
E666K	Creating structural diversity with patch openings	58	3
E666L	Forest Stand Improvement to rehabilitate degraded hardwood stands	58	3
E666O	Snags- den trees- and coarse woody debris for wildlife habitat	58	3
E666P	Summer roosting habitat for native forest-dwelling bat species	58	3
E666Q	Increase diversity in pine plantation monocultures	58	3
E666R	Forest songbird habitat maintenance	58	3
E345101Z	Reduced tillage to reduce water erosion	46	3
E345102Z	Reduced tillage to reduce wind erosion	46	3
E345106Z	Reduced tillage to increase soil health and soil organic matter content	46	3
E345114Z	Reduced tillage to increase plant-available moisture: irrigation water	46	3
E345115Z	Reduced tillage to increase plant-available moisture: moisture management	46	3
E345128Z	Reduced tillage to reduce tillage induced particulate matter	46	3
E345144Z	Reduced tillage to reduce energy use	46	3
E345A	Reduced tillage to reduce soil erosion	46	3
E345B	Reduced tillage to reduce tillage-induced particulate matter	46	3
E345C	Reduced tillage to increase plant-available moisture	46	3
E345D	Reduced tillage to increase soil health and soil organic matter content	46	3
E345E	Reduced tillage to reduce energy use	46	3