Factory farms slip environmental review for USDA loans

In August 2016, the Department of Agriculture’s Farm Service Agency quietly announced a major change regarding its loan program for medium-sized Confined Animal Feeding Operations (CAFOs). The agency would no longer require an environmental review under the National Environmental Protection Act (NEPA) prior to the approval of such loans.

COP 24: Where are countries with dairy emissions?

In the last ten years, dairy emissions have risen by 18 percent, according to a new study about to be released by the UN Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO)’s Climate and Environment Division.

Major changes coming for farmers: National Climate Assessment

Climate-driven disruptions for U.S. farmers will accelerate in severity and cost in the coming decades, the National Climate Assessment, authored by 13 federal agencies, concluded.

A letter from COP 24

Sunday was the first day of the UN climate talks (COP 24) being held in the coal region of Poland. While the energy sector will get the headlines, many countries are grappling with how best to deal with climate impacts to agriculture, as agricultural emissions are nearly a third of all global emissions. IATP is in Katowice and will be following how parties deal with agriculture in this COP.