The White House will honor 12 Champions of Change for Sustainable and Climate-Smart Agriculture who are implementing practices to reduce greenhouse gas emissions, improve environmental conditions and grow local economies. Such actions include promoting soil health, improving nutrient and manure management, protecting sensitive lands and encouraging renewable energy.

In recognition of the importance of sustainable practice, the White House is announcing that it will plant cover crops in the White House Kitchen Garden this week to improve soil quality, reduce erosion and increase soil carbon.

First Lady Michelle Obama planted a vegetable garden on the South Lawn in 2009 to initiate a national conversation around the health and well-being of our nation – a conversation that evolved into her Let’s Move! initiative.

Each year, a variety of fruits and vegetables are planted in the garden, and the White House kitchen uses the produce in meals for the first family and guests at the White House. In addition, winter cover crops have been planted every year, and they will soon be planted for this year.

Cultivating cover crops leads to healthy soil and healthy crops through protecting the soil, improving soil quality, reducing erosion and runoff, and building up soil carbon. Field studies indicate that increased biomass inputs to the soil can increase soil carbon up to 11 percent over 20 years.

These announcements underscore the crucial role that farmers and ranchers play in mitigating the impacts of climate change. The Obama administration recognizes the track record of leadership and stewardship the agricultural sector has already demonstrated through innovations that reduce greenhouse gas emissions, increase carbon storage and generate clean renewable energy.  FG

—From the White House Office of the Press Secretary news release