This week marks ten years since the Department of Agriculture created regional Climate Hubs. The hubs were established to help agricultural producers and rural communities make climate-informed decisions.
Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack says, “Today, as those risks are increasingly prevalent across the nation and the globe, the need for science-based climate information and assistance is more important than ever.” The Climate Hubs are an important piece of USDA’s agenda to address climate change, complementing investments of $19.5 billion through the Inflation Reduction Act, the largest-ever climate investment, to help producers adopt climate-smart practices. Originally, ten regional locations were established across the United States.
In May 2023, an International Climate Hub was added to share best practices, collaborate with international partners and improve the world’s ability to mitigate and adapt to climate. Today, the Climate Hubs form a network of more than 120 climate researchers and communicators who work across the USDA and with partners to support climate-informed decisions.