US NFU welcomes the newly-introduced Agriculture Resilience Act
The Agriculture Resilience Act is a thoughtful, nuanced approach to climate action, says the National Farmers Union.
26 April 2021
2 minute read
On Earth Day, 22 April, Representative Chellie Pingree and Senator Martin Heinrich introduced the Agriculture Resilience Act (ARA), which sets a number of environmental targets for the agriculture sector to reach by 2040, including net zero greenhouse gas emissions. In order to reach those goals, the legislation would bolster climate research and outreach, increase investments in on-farm energy production, reduce food waste, and support farming practices that build soil health and sequester carbon.
Climate change continues to be a top concern for National Farmers Union (NFU) members, who last month urged legislators “to take immediate and concrete steps aimed at curbing greenhouse gas emissions, increasing the resilience of the land and its people, facilitating ecosystems services market development, and holistically addressing climate change.” Because the ARA would make progress on many of those points, the organization endorsed the bill when it was first released last year and maintains support upon its reintroduction, as NFU President Rob Larew stated:
“The urgency of the climate crisis cannot be overstated. We have a very small window to rein in this threat and ensure a bright future for our planet and everything that calls it home.
“While the window is still open, we must take every possible opportunity to adapt to our changing climate and limit its impact. One key piece of the puzzle is the agriculture sector, which can not only work to reduce its own greenhouse gas emissions, but it can also offset other sectors’ emissions by sequestering carbon in the soil – a fact that the Agriculture Resilience Act recognizes and seeks to put into action. This thoughtful and nuanced bill would strategically further climate initiatives across USDA programs in an effort to provide farmers with the tools, resources, and assistance they need to implement climate-smart practices. We thank Representative Pingree and Senator Heinrich for their leadership on this issue and look forward to continued collaboration on the development and implementation of solutions.”
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