For Immediate Release
Contact: Laura Zaks
National Sustainable Agriculture Coalition
lzaks@sustainableagriculture.net
Release: Broad Coalition Calls on Congress to Defend Climate Spending in Conservation Programs
Washington, DC, February 27, 2023 – Today, advocates of conservation programs delivered a letter to House and Senate Agriculture Committee leadership calling for the defense of climate focused conservation spending in the Farm Bill. The letter, signed by 644 organizations, businesses, and farmers, makes clear to Congress that the historic investment in conservation programs made possible by the Inflation Reduction Act (IRA) of 2022 must be preserved in the 2023 Farm Bill. The IRA provided sweeping greenhouse gas reductions across sectors including farming. The National Sustainable Agriculture Coalition (NSAC) helped lead, alongside conservation partners, this latest effort calling for durable, increased spending on climate change through conservation programs in the next Farm Bill.
“NSAC is pleased to see the letter reflect the overwhelming support for climate focused spending in conservation programs. By highlighting the simultaneous benefits possible through climate focused conservation, USDA can ensure that climate benefits are also benefits for biodiversity as well as water, soil, and air quality. Climate solutions must build farm resilience, and that requires holistic, systems-based farm support. Along with an agroecological focus, we look forward to seeing USDA prioritize spending conservation funds on farmers of color as IRA funds are rolled out. Protecting USDA’s ability to do that work in the next Farm Bill is one of our top priorities.” said Cathy Day, PhD, NSAC climate policy coordinator.
The IRA allocated $20 billion for the US Department of Agriculture (USDA) to address climate change through working lands conservation programs. These programs are historically over-subscribed and underfunded, especially the Conservation Stewardship Program (CSP), the program with the strongest suite of tools to support farmers as they mitigate and adapt to a changing climate. The letter delivered today makes clear that IRA funding is essential to addressing both these backlogs and climate change on farms, and must be defended.
“NSAC is excited to see such strong support for climate-focused conservation funding from so many different organizations. Through the next farm bill, we have a real opportunity to create lasting improvements in working lands conservation programs, to start supporting thousands of farmers across the country choosing to do more climate-focused conservation on their farms. It’s heartening to see so many united in pushing for that worthy goal,” Jesse Womack, NSAC Policy Specialist commented.
###
About the National Sustainable Agriculture Coalition (NSAC)
The National Sustainable Agriculture Coalition is a grassroots alliance that advocates for federal policy reform supporting the long-term social, economic, and environmental sustainability of agriculture, natural resources, and rural communities. Learn more and get involved at: https://sustainableagriculture.net
The post Release: Broad Coalition Calls on Congress to Defend Climate Spending in Conservation Programs appeared first on National Sustainable Agriculture Coalition.