Grasslands hold approximately one-third of global terrestrial carbon stocks and provide critical resilience in the face of climate change. They are also home to a variety of wildlife species and are essential to livelihoods and food security. And yet, each year millions of acres of grasslands are being plowed up to the point where more than 70 percent of America’s prairies have been destroyed.

This executive summary brief explains how federal subsidies for crop insurance and the Renewable Fuel Standard have inadvertently incentivized the conversion of grasslands. It also discusses how grasslands can be prioritized through programs and legislation.

Specific policy actions detailed in the brief include:

• Amending the Renewable Fuel Standard
• Addressing crop insurance subsidies
• Advancing key opportunities in the 2023 Farm Bill conservation programs
• Protecting and building upon Inflation Reduction Act (IRA) funding for grasslands, conservation, and climate-smart agriculture
• Reducing food loss and waste
• Passing the North American Grasslands Conservation Act

Read the full policy brief WWF's Saving Our Grasslands: Why They Matter, Why We Are Losing Them, and How We Can Save Them