President Joe Biden plans to USDA senior climate adviser Robert Bonnie to be undersecretary for farm production and conservation, putting him in a key role for guiding USDA's climate efforts relative to production agriculture.
USDA Secretary Tom Vilsack called Bonnie "one of the nation's foremost authorities and leaders on working lands approaches to conservation and incentive-based climate and conservation practices for farmers, ranchers, foresters and landowners." Vilsack said that under Bonnie, agriculture "will see renewed focus on building and maintaining markets at home and abroad and preparing our food and agricultural community to lead the world in climate-smart agricultural practices."
Bonnie was undersecretary for natural resources and environment and senior environment and climate at USDA during the Obama administration. He currently is deputy chief of staff for policy and senior climate adviser.
Bonnie has been a major advocate for creating a carbon bank at USDA funding to pay agricultural landowners a fixed price per ton of carbon emissions they reduce by using climate-smart practices.
If confirmed by the Senate to the role, that would put him over the Farm Service Agency and Natural Resources Conservation Service which serve as agencies that directly interact with farmers relative to U.S. farm program participation.