Partnerships for Agricultural Climate Action Act

Support for Historically Underserved Producers: The bill gives priority to entities that include dedicated resources for beginning farmers or ranchers, socially disadvantaged farmers or ranchers, veteran farmers and ranchers, and small or mid-sized family farms. (Section 2, paragraph (4)(D)(i))

Tribal Government Support: The Secretary must give priority to Tribal Government authorities that include the use of traditional ecological knowledge or indigenous agricultural knowledge practices. Additionally, 33 percent of the funds are reserved specifically for grants provided to Tribal Government authorities. (Section 2, paragraph (4)(D)(ii) and (13)(B)(iii))

Agricultural Resilience and Soil Health: The bill supports proposals that build agricultural resilience through actions like improved nutrient management and enhancing soil health to help systems thrive against severe weather. (Section 2, paragraph (d)(1)(A))

Implementation Assistance for Producers: Implementation grants can be used for practical benefits such as providing technical assistance, financial assistance, on-farm research, and producer-to-producer mentoring. (Section 2, paragraph (6))

Restrictions on Administrative Spending: Entities that are not Tribal Governments are prohibited from using more than 10 percent of their granted funds for administrative expenses, which could limit their operational flexibility. (Section 2, paragraph (12)(B))

Risk of Disqualification: If a covered entity fails to comply with the terms of a grant, the Secretary has the authority to disqualify that entity from receiving future grants for one or more years. (Section 2, paragraph (10))

Strict Financial Requirements: Grant recipients are required to conduct annual audits of their expenditures and submit them to the Secretary, which places an administrative burden on the entities. (Section 2, paragraph (11))