Portland Maine News

Congresswoman Chellie Pingree (D-Maine) is applauding the Biden Administration for its $300 million investment to improve measurement, monitoring, reporting and verification of greenhouse gas emissions and carbon sequestration in climate-smart agriculture and forestry. The new investments, made possible by the Inflation Reduction Act, will advance priorities set by the broader Federal Strategy to Advance Greenhouse Gas Measurement and Monitoring for the Agriculture and Forest Sectors that outlines a strategic framework and priority actions for improving accuracy and reducing uncertainty in greenhouse gas estimates. The strategy is now open for public comment.

“With agriculture accounting for around 11% of U.S. greenhouse gas emissions, it’s critical that farmers are part of the climate solution. Unlike other industries, agriculture is unique in that crops can draw down carbon from the atmosphere and store it in the soil. This significant investment in climate-smart agriculture will help us harness the full potential of agriculture to mitigate climate change and is a testament to the Biden Administration’s commitment to supporting farmers and fighting climate change,” said Pingree. “Coupled with provisions in my landmark Agriculture Resilience Act we can reach our ambitious but achievable goal to reduce agricultural emissions 50% by 2030 and to reach net-zero by 2040.”

The Inflation Reduction Act provided nearly $20 billion in overall investments to advance climate-smart agriculture and forestry practices. Today’s announcement and the broader federal strategy will support the effective implementation of these climate and conservation investments and help further President Biden’s bold goal of achieving a 50-52 percent reduction in greenhouse gas emissions by 2030, compared to 2005 levels. 

“Since day one, the Biden-Harris Administration has taken bold steps in climate-smart agriculture by making programs as strong and effective as possible,” U.S. Department of Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack said. “To do this, we have to improve the scientific backbone of our programs. This new investment by USDA in improving data and measurement of greenhouse gas emissions – made possible through President Biden’s Investing in America agenda – is unmatched in its scope and potential to increase accuracy, reduce uncertainty and enhance overall confidence in these estimates. We’re data driven, and we seek continuous improvement in our climate-smart agriculture and forestry efforts.”

Pingree, who is a member of the House Agriculture Committee, House Appropriations Subcommittee on Agriculture, and is ranking member of the House Appropriations Interior, Environment, and Related Agencies Subcommittee, is a leader in the effort in Congress to reach net-zero agriculture emissions in agriculture through her landmark Agriculture Resilience Act.

To reach net-zero agricultural emissions within the next 20 years, the ARA focuses on six concrete policy areas and offers solutions rooted in science that are farmer-driven. These goals, which Pingree is working to integrate into the next farm bill, include:

1. Increasing Research: The ARA would ensure existing agriculture research programs prioritize climate change research, increase funding for USDA’s Regional Climate Hubs, support public breed and cultivar research, and create a new SARE Agricultural and Food System Resilience Initiative for farmer and rancher research and demonstration grants.
2. Improving Soil Health: The ARA would create a new soil health grant program for state and tribal governments, authorize USDA to offer performance-based crop insurance discounts for practices that reduce climate risk, expand the National Agroforestry Center by authorizing three additional regional centers, and provide more technical assistance and flexibility in USDA conservation programs to support climate-smart practices.
3. Protecting existing farmland and supporting farm viability: ARA would increase funding for the Local Agriculture Market Program to help keep local farms profitable and create a new subprogram for farm viability and local climate resilience centers to help farmers reach new markets. The bill would also increase funding for the Agriculture Conservation Easement Program to make farmland affordable for the next generation. 
4. Supporting pasture-based livestock systems: The ARA would create a new alternative manure management program to support an array of livestock methane management strategies and establish a new grant program to help small meat processors cover the costs associated with meeting federal inspection guidelines.
5. Boosting investments in on-farm energy initiatives: The ARA would increase funding for the Rural Energy for America Program to prioritize low-emissions electrification projects and direct USDA to study dual-use renewable energy and cropping or livestock systems.
6. Reducing food waste: The ARA would standardize food date labels to reduce consumer confusion about the shelf life of foods, create a new USDA program to reduce food waste in schools, and increase federal support for food waste research and outreach, composting, and anaerobic digestion food waste-to-energy projects.

Pingree has been an organic farmer since the 1970s and is a recognized national policy leader on sustainable food and farming. She was the 2017 recipient of the James Beard Leadership Award for her advocacy to make sustainable food more accessible to all Americans. In the spring of 2018, Pingree launched Congress’s first-ever Bipartisan Food Recovery Caucus and co-chairs the House Sustainable Energy and Environment Coalition Climate and Agriculture Task Force. 

Learn more about Pingree’s Farm Bill goals here.

READ WHAT ORGANIZATIONS ARE SAYING ABOUT THE ARA.

Original source can be found here