Under the research title of the Farm Bill, launch new initiatives to:  

1. Investigate methods for improving resilience and adaptation to the effects of climate change.
2. Explore emerging technologies in biofuels, including cellulosics, with an emphasis on lowest possible life-cycle greenhouse gas emissions.
3. Analyze the impacts of changes in domestic subsidies on world markets and the correlating environmental impacts.
4. Determine the maximum extent to which forests and agricultural land can sequester carbon and identify practices which optimize sequestration.

Government at all levels should seek to reduce the compounding and threatening effects of urban sprawl on prime farmland. States and localities can identify and take strategic measures to protect their prime farmland, including such policies as easements, zoning, taxation, financial incentives, and transportation.

Government should clarify and revise policies and programs in potential conflict with each other and with the objectives of sustainable agriculture and should closely coordinate and consolidate related programs. For example, this could include consolidating certain conservation programs under the U.S. Department of Agriculture's (USDA's) Natural Resources Conservation Service, integrating USDA technical and financial resources with natural resources objectives, and strengthening soil and wetlands conservation programs.

Agricultural producers can broadly implement integrated farming systems (whole-farm and whole-ranch planning) to ensure that agricultural activities maintain and enhance natural resources; protect human health and environmental quality, including the quality of water, air, and soil; and protect and enhance wildlife populations, habitat, and diversity.

Partnerships involving USDA agencies, other federal and state agencies, conservation districts, private agricultural consultants, environmental organizations, commodity groups, and other interested organizations and individuals should be strengthened to implement natural resource, agricultural conservation, and water quality programs.

The federal government should increase investment in sustainable agricultural research, technical support, and demonstrations of conservation techniques and sustainable farming systems.

The federal government should continue to move toward market pricing for the use of public natural resources, including timber, water, oil and gas, minerals, and grazing, recognizing that there may be circumstances in which subsidies are warranted for the public good.

The federal government should increase flexibility in farm commodity programs and improve access to capital to encourage farmers to respond to market signals, improve crop rotations, and diversify the mix of agricultural goods produced to enhance profitability and environmental quality.