Climate Resilience Grant: A Closer Look at Building a Strong Farm Future in Our State!

The mission of the NH Conservation Districts Climate Resilience Grant is to support and empower local farmers to build climate resilience throughout the Granite State. This will be done through reducing the impact of agriculture on climate change (mitigation) through greenhouse gas emissions reduction and carbon sequestration, and to increasing the resiliency of New Hampshire Farms in a changing climate (adaptation), while meeting farm’s conservation goals and needs. Extreme weather events, frequent and prolonged droughts, and increased pest pressures are increasing challenges for NH farms.

While neighboring states offered climate resilience funds to farms on the state level, no funding source of this kind was available to NH farmers. Seeing a need for a climate resilience grant program, the 10 NH Conservation Districts initiated the first of its kind grant program in the Granite State in 2022.

This grant though the NH County Conservation Districts seeks to support farmers in meeting those challenges.

Since 2022, the grant has awarded $714,000 to farms across the Granite State, with 95 grant awards distributed! Farms in all 10 counties and 25% of NH municipalities have received support to date.

How is climate change impacting farms in our state?

The 2023 UNH NH Field Crop and Forage Loss Report reported a total loss of $2,140,481 on farms statewide due to extreme weather events! Disaster relief is only made available by the USDA NRCS and FEMA disaster declaration zones

More frequent extreme weather events are on the horizon: The state can expect a new normal with concerningly high temperatures and more extreme precipitation events and periods of drought (2021 New Hampshire Climate Assessment).

Why does supporting a strong farm future matter?!

There are currently 417,187 acres of farmland in NH production, with a 13% decrease in farmland over the last decade and a total loss of 56,878 acres!

That amount of land is roughly equivalent in size to Manchester, Nashua, and Portsmouth, NH combined!  (2022 & 2012 USDA Census of Agriculture)

While farms are private businesses and often operate on privately owned land, they provide a critical service to our state: growing nutrient dense food and ensuring local food security!

Additionally, farmers are critical in conserving soil and habitat on working lands throughout our state! Soil conservation is essential for climate mitigation!

With a decrease in farmland acreage due to development, farmers are essential in preserving the agricultural heritage of our state!

Farmers are also critical to our local and regional economies and businesses and employers!

NH agriculture generated a total of $67.8 million in tax revenue, including $19 million in local taxes, $11.5 million in state revenue, and $37.3 million in federal taxes (Source: NH DAMF The Economic Impact of Agriculture in New Hampshire, 2019)

What we've shared only scratches the surface of why supporting farms through this grant program is important! Farms do so much for the health of our communities, soil, and economies! What this program supports today is an investment in our collective future!

The 10 New Hampshire Conservation Districts are thrilled to share an exciting new interactive resource which highlights projects funded by the NH Conservation Districts Climate Resilience Grant!

View the 10 New Hampshire Conservation Districts story map to learn more about awarded projects throughout the state, video case studies, and next steps for the future of this critical grant program. Learn more here or below!

Funds are available for projects that mitigate the impact of agriculture on

climate change and enhance the on-farm adaptations to projected climate conditions. Preference will be given to projects that can demonstrate strong potential in mitigation and adaptation.

This year's applications have closed, but next year's applications will be announced in Fall 2025!

As climate related challenges grow, additional financial support is needed for NH farmers! HB. 246 seeks to support the NH Conservation Districts Climate Resilience Grant Program!

This legislation is currently in the house finance committee. Explore opportunities to shape a strong farm future for Granite State farmers, here!

Learn more and track the progress of legislation to support Granite State farmers, here!

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This grant program is made possible through the generous contributions of private donors. If you would like to make a donation to support future funding of the program, please do so on Cheshire County Conservation District's website: www.cheshireconservation.org/donate

Donations to the fund may also be made by mail, checks can be made payable to "CCCD" and addressed to 11 Industrial Park Dr., Walpole, NH 03608. Please include “Climate” in the memo line. Contributions of any amount are greatly appreciated and make a difference!

Since 1945 and 1946, the ten NH Conservation Districts have promoted the conservation and responsible use of the Granite State's natural and agricultural resources. For more information about the programs offered in your county, contact your local conservation district.