Skip to main content

USDA Northeast Climate Hub brings NRCS Hub Co-Leads Together

On May 9th, for the first time, ten NRCS Hub Co-leads for the USDA Climate Hubs, and other USDA leadership from across the country gathered in Burlington, Vermont. 

Organized and invited by the USDA Northeast Climate Hub, the purpose of the meeting was to discuss how the newly establish NRCS Co-leads could best serve their regional hubs and effectively communicate USDA Climate Hub materials, connections, and opportunities for collaboration back to USDA NRCS leadership and staff. This type of interagency connection will be vital for USDA’s capability to help producers address climate challenges.

The USDA Climate Hubs provide a means to effectively communicate climate science to USDA partners, agencies, and through them, producers. Last year, USDA NRCS ensured that each Climate Hub had a NRCS Co-Lead to facilitate communications between organizations. Together, the NRCS and Climate Hub partnership supports USDA customers by providing necessary facts and resources to help them take action to adapt and mitigate climate impacts.
The cohort discussed effective ways to 1) interact within a regional hub, 2) between regional hubs, and 3) with NRCS and USDA leadership. After two days of strategizing and team building, attendees spent the third and final day touring farms using climate change adaptation and mitigation strategies. The first stop was Meach Cove Farm, where a plan implementing various climate change adaptation and mitigation strategies on forest land, field crops, and animal agriculture is underway. The second stop was Georgia Mountain Maples, a state-of-the-art maple sugaring operation that uses energy efficiency and water conservation strategies to create additional revenue streams. The last stop of the day was at Green Mountain Dairy & NutriHarvest Organic Fertilizer. Here, attendees toured the farm’s biodigester, which produces animal bedding, electricity, and building heat, and supports the farm’s commercial organic fertilizer operation.

The USDA Climate Hubs provide a means to effectively communicate climate science to USDA partners, agencies, and through them, producers. Last year, USDA NRCS ensured that each Climate Hub had a NRCS Co-Lead to facilitate communications between organizations. Together, the NRCS and Climate Hub partnership supports USDA customers by providing necessary facts and resources to help them take action to adapt and mitigate climate impacts.

The group would like to extend thanks to Vermont NRCS State Office and Vermont Agency of Agriculture for their aid in a productive and informative meeting.