# Agriculture Resilience Act of 2025 - Plain Language Summary

## What This Bill Does

The Agriculture Resilience Act of 2025 is a comprehensive climate action plan focused on making American agriculture more sustainable and environmentally friendly. The bill sets ambitious national goals for reducing greenhouse gas emissions from farming and food production, aiming for a 50% reduction by 2030 and complete net-zero emissions by 2040. To achieve these goals, the legislation proposes significant investments in research, soil health improvements, renewable energy on farms, food waste reduction, and support for sustainable farming practices.

## Who Benefits and Who Is Affected

**Farmers** would be the primary beneficiaries, gaining access to grants, cost-sharing programs, and technical assistance to transition to climate-friendly practices like cover cropping, rotational grazing, and renewable energy systems. **Researchers and agricultural scientists** would benefit from tripled to quadrupled federal funding for climate-focused research. **Rural communities** would gain support through local agriculture markets and renewable energy programs. **Consumers** could benefit from reduced food waste and more sustainable food production. The bill would also affect **food processors, schools, and waste management sectors** through composting and food waste reduction initiatives.

## Key Provisions

The bill establishes seven major focus areas: (1) **Research funding** - dramatically increasing federal investment in climate-adapted agriculture; (2) **Soil health** - promoting practices that increase carbon in soil and reduce harmful emissions; (3) **Farmland preservation** - protecting agricultural land and supporting farm viability; (4) **Livestock management** - improving grazing practices and manure management; (5) **On-farm renewable energy** - supporting solar and other clean energy systems; (6) **Food waste reduction** - standardizing date labeling and funding composting programs; and (7) **Specialty crops and pest management** - supporting sustainable production methods.

Agriculture Resilience Act of 2025

Heinrich, Martin

Agriculture Resilience Act of 2025 This bill establishes, expands, and revises multiple programs and activities of the Department of Agriculture (USDA) primarily to reduce carbon emissions from the agricultural&nbsp;sector.Specifically, USDA must finalize and implement a plan to achieve net-zero emissions from the sector by 2040. USDA must periodically review and revise the plan, as necessary, and annually report on its implementation.Additionally, the bill expands the scope of various USDA research, extension, and education programs; conservation programs; and livestock programs to incorporate climate change mitigation and adaptation. Expanded activities include efforts to improve soil health and preserve farmland and grassland.Further, the bill changes programs that support renewable energy in rural areas to address carbon emissions in the agricultural&nbsp;sector. Among these changes, the bill provides statutory authority for the AgSTAR program for reducing methane emissions from livestock waste and requires the program to be moved from the Environmental Protection Agency to USDA.The bill also addresses food waste, for example, by (1) standardizing the voluntary labels used by food producers to indicate the date by which food should be used or discarded, and (2) making composting activities eligible for support through USDA conservation programs. Moreover, the bill establishes grants to reduce and prevent food waste in landfills and in schools.