ASPCA Welcomes USDA’s New Regenerative Agriculture Initiative

WASHINGTON, DC – The ASPCA^® (The American Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals^®) released the below statement following an announcement from the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) about a new pilot program – the Regenerative Agriculture Initiative (RAI) – that will offer financial and technical assistance through the Environmental Quality Incentives Program (EQIP) and the Conservation Stewardship Program (CSP) to promote whole-farm planning and the voluntary development of regenerative agriculture conservation plans that are designed to address natural resource concerns.

“The ASPCA is encouraged by the USDA’s announcement of the Regenerative Agriculture Initiative pilot program, which is urgently needed following the recent elimination of climate-smart and sustainable agriculture funding. We, along with the majority of Americans, want to see the government invest more in the transition to a healthier, more humane food system,” said Kara Shannon, director of farm animal welfare policy for the ASPCA. “This initiative has the potential to advance farm animal welfare and support higher-welfare farmers by incentivizing pasture access, grazing, and other meaningful conservation practices. We hope the Regenerative Agriculture Initiative is the first step in securing the significant, sustained support that independent farmers and ranchers need to meet the growing demand for higher-welfare, regenerative food, as well as providing a critical off-ramp for farmers trapped in the industrial factory farming model to transition to more humane, pasture-based practices.”

For more information about the ASPCA or to join the Advocacy Brigade, please visit www.aspca.org.