Subprogram Goal
Within a thriving agriculture and food system that meets needs for nutrition, employment, and economic development, the goal of the Foundation's agriculture strategy is to achieve a 20 percent reduction by 2020 in projected net greenhouse gas emissions and nitrogen pollution caused by agriculture in the United States and biofuel production globally.

In focusing on nitrogen pollution and greenhouse gas emissions, our strategy aims to broadly strengthen the role of agriculture in society. The acute need over the coming decade to address greenhouse gas emissions and nitrogen pollution will provide a unique opportunity to transform agricultural systems in ways that address a range of social and environmental concerns.

While many policy and management reforms that improve environmental outcomes also yield social benefits, these win-win outcomes are not inevitable. We will only pursue strategies and outcomes that do not harm low-income communities and that complement or advance efforts to fight hunger, improve nutrition and reduce the prevalence of obesity.

What We Fund
The Agriculture subprogram supports three interrelated grant portfolios:  Food and Farm Policy and Practice, Climate Policy and Practice, and Biofuels Policy and Markets. For additional information on these strategies, please refer to our full strategy document .

Food and Farm Policy and Practice
We support initiatives designed to:

• Achieve full funding of agricultural conservation programs and better target existing ones
• Ensure that farm subsidies and crop insurance are tied to environmental performance
• Promote farmer and industry adoption of improved environmental practices

Climate Policy and Practice
We support initiatives designed to:

• Promote the inclusion of  high quality agricultural GHG reductions in climate policy
• Encourage farmer and industry adoption of practices that reduce GHG emissions

Biofuels Policy and Markets
We support initiatives designed to:

• Promote globally harmonized sustainability standards
• Strengthen the inclusion of sustainability criteria in government policies
• Promote Corporate adoption of sustainability criteria

Crosscutting
We support initiatives designed to:

• Strengthen nitrogen and agricultural GHG science and communications      
• Increase research and demonstration of policies, management practices & technologies

What We Do Not Fund

• Because of our strong focus on policy change, we generally do not fund resource management projects or place-based work. Potential exceptions include projects (particularly in California) that are replicable, scalable, and can leverage policy changes.
• We do not fund basic research or scientific research that would be eligible for support through NSF, USDA or agriculture research universities.
• We do not fund research or farm-level work designed to promote specific biofuel feedstocks (for example - corn or algae).

Timing
The Agriculture subprogram is not currently considering unsolicited requests for financial support. Please check back in December 2010 when we will open up the Letter of Inquiry process for 2011 funding.

Funding Priorities
We give priority to projects that clearly articulate a plan to accomplish significant, measurable results in support of the above program objectives. We seek to fund projects that can be replicated widely, leverage other funding, and/or be catalytic in stimulating policy changes that provide broader societal and environmental benefits.

Grant Seeker Frequently Asked Questions

In addition to providing grants, we will also make Program Related Investments (PRIs) in select projects designed to achieve the objectives outlined above.

Updates
If you would like to be notified when we make revisions to the strategy or guidelines or post information or products related to the implementation of this strategy, please send your name and email address to agric@packard.org.