Since its establishment in the 2008 Farm Bill, the National Institute of Food and Agriculture (NIFA) has advanced research that helps American farmers and ranchers stay at the cutting edge of innovation and adapt to challenges such as natural disasters. Farmers and ranchers depend upon NIFA-supported research that invests in developing resilient crops, innovative soil practices, and other science that serves producers at all scales. But this critical work is now under threat. 

A series of recent Executive Orders has placed NIFA’s research portfolio, particularly research related to agricultural climate resilience and adaptation, at risk. American farmers and ranchers are already on the front lines of the climate crisis, facing increasingly extreme droughts and floods. Terminating NIFA’s climate research would undermine its future resilience. In addition, the recently released FY26 Presidential Budget Report suggests reducing NIFA’s budget by over $600 million. It specifically calls to eliminate what the President’s office says is wasteful programming in NIFA, such as activities related to climate change, renewable energy, and more.

Research underpins every aspect of successful and viable farming, whether it’s a fifth-generation commodity producer looking to diversify their crop rotation, or a beginning farmer interested in tapping into the huge unmet demand for grass fed beef. NIFA programs, like Agriculture and Food Research Initiative (AFRI) and Sustainable Agriculture Research and Education (SARE), remain widely popular with farmers, farmer-serving organizations, and research institutions alike. The targeting of “climate related” research, as well as the continued attempts to cut public funding that supports agricultural research at the US Department of Agriculture (USDA), puts American farmers at a disadvantage as agricultural research tries to keep pace with the growing challenges related to the state of the rural economy, soil health, and competitiveness of producers.

This blog post examines the scope of climate change research at NIFA, and the potential loss posed by deprioritizing climate change research.

Driving Climate Resilience in Agriculture: Insights from NIFA’s Climate Action Agenda

NIFA is the primary extramural science funding agency of USDA and plays a vital role in advancing agricultural research, education, and outreach to address pressing societal challenges. In May 2022, NIFA published its Climate Adaptation and Resilience Plan, outlining an ambitious set of goals for NIFA to advance science and technology to tackle the climate crisis and its impact on the nation’s farming, ranching, forestry, fishery, and rural communities. 

Then, in November 2024, NIFA released the NIFA Climate Change Priority Team: Accomplishments and Action Agenda Report, highlighting their ongoing efforts to invest in research that tackles the impacts of climate change on agriculture and food systems. This recent report outlines major accomplishments in achieving those goals, such as integrating climate change into competitive funding opportunities and fostering innovation in climate-smart practices.

Broadening the Scope of Climate-Focused Investments

One of NIFA’s most significant achievements is incorporating climate change into its major funding opportunities, such as those within the Agriculture and Food Research Initiative (AFRI). These investments span research, education, and extension activities and support groundbreaking solutions like climate-smart perennial crops and methane-reducing feed additives for livestock.

Several key programs, such as the Foundational and Applied Sciences (FAS) and Sustainable Agricultural Systems (SAS) initiatives, have become hubs for multidisciplinary efforts, funding projects that integrate cutting-edge technology with practical farming applications. For instance, the FAS program Rapid Response to Extreme Weather Events Across Food and Agricultural Systems supports “critical and urgent solutions in rapid response to extreme weather and disaster impacts on the nation’s food and agricultural systems.” 

The SAS initiative supports transdisciplinary projects that focus on “mitigating, adapting, and increasing the resilience of agricultural and forestry production systems to climate change.” For example, the University of Minnesota’s Kernza® initiative is revolutionizing sustainable grain production by developing perennial crop systems that enhance soil and water health while supporting rural economies. NIFA has awarded approximately $36.5 million in awards through FAS and $525 million through SAS. 

Unfortunately, the SAS Request for Applications (RFA) is currently not posted and listed as “under review.” The termination or major transformation of this initiative would be a serious loss to developing a resilient agricultural and food system that serves American farmers and ranchers.

Figure 1: SAS Funding Awarded

Integrating Climate into Long-standing Programs

In addition to new initiatives such as FAS and SAS, NIFA has invested in climate change science through established programs. In 2022, approximately 15% of NIFA’s total competitive funding supported research, education, and extension related to climate change. Climate research continues to play an important role in established programs such as the Organic Agriculture Research and Extension Initiative (OREI), Organic Transitions Program (ORG), and Sustainable Agriculture Research and Education (SARE). Unfortunately, OREI and ORG also do not have a current Request for Applications (RFA) and are currently “under review.”

SARE has awarded approximately $176 million in funding since 2019. While SARE is not solely focused on climate related research, education, and extension, it has a systemic focus on resilience and sustainability. 

Figure 2: SARE Funding Awarded

Established in 1988, SARE is unique in its emphasis on farmer-driven research and its regional approach to addressing agricultural challenges. For example, The Hawaii Good Food Alliance and partners are driving a project to address regional challenges like geographic isolation, climate change, and limited infrastructure in Hawaii, Alaska, Guam, American Samoa, and CNMI. They are doing this by delivering tailored workshops, training, and technical assistance focused on sustainable practices, such as soil health, agroforestry, and ecological farming, empowering communities to build resilient and self-reliant food systems.

Collaborating with Other Agencies for Climate 

NIFA has actively collaborated with other federal agencies to advance climate change science and solutions, leveraging partnerships to maximize impact. For instance, NIFA worked with the National Science Foundation (NSF) to develop programs like “Signals in the Soil,” which focuses on innovative sensors and soil-ecosystem modeling, and Future-Proofing Plants to a Changing Climate, which supports multidisciplinary research to connect plant sciences with field performance. Additionally, NIFA has partnered with the US Department of Energy (DOE) and DOE Regional Resource Hubs to support the development of low-carbon bioenergy and biobased products, aligning agricultural innovations with energy sustainability. These interagency efforts demonstrate NIFA’s commitment to integrating resources and expertise to tackle climate challenges comprehensively. The recent Executive Orders place not just NIFA-funded RFAs at risk but also these innovative inter-agency collaborations. 

Looking Ahead: Continue to Invest in NIFA Climate Research

The 2024 NIFA Climate Change Priority Team Report is a testament to how NIFA has invested in innovation, empowering vulnerable communities, and fostering cross-sector collaboration to lay the groundwork for a sustainable agricultural future. The research supported by NIFA helps producers adapt and innovate in the face of increasing natural disasters. Gutting this research would undermine decades of scientific innovation and threaten the future of American agriculture.