The transition team for the Biden Administration introduced the Climate 21 Project as the blueprint for how the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) can help advance the role of agriculture and forestry to mitigate and adapt to climate change pressures. This report will summarize for each of the key recommendations and priorities where current agricultural science and technology for plant and animal production can be applied and where new investments will be critical to meeting the goals of the administration.

Since the end of the Second World War, the United States has pursued a national policy of an abundant and inexpensive food supply. Increased animal productivity has improved efficiencies of animal production and reduced the carbon footprint for production of meat, milk, and eggs. Some components of the technologies employed by animal producers to improve efficiency of animal production include improved nutrition and reproduction; advances in genetics; and health and management practices; as well as feed additives, hormonal treatments, and growth enhancing technologies (GETs).