Support Climate Action with Sustainable Farming

SB 5947 provides financial assistance to farmers and ranchers that volunteer to adopt changes in management practices that reduce fossil fuel inputs and increase the quantity of carbon stored on their land. These sustainable farming practices will reduce the quantities of fuel, pesticides, and fertilizers used, enrich soils, and reduce greenhouse gas emissions. The bill moved out of the House Rural Development, Agriculture & Natural Resources committee saddled with a last-minute amendment that subverted the stakeholder process behind Sustainable Farms and Fields in order to secure money for other programs. The amendment requires a $1.2 million appropriation for other conservation programs before Sustainable Farms and Fields can take effect. This large appropriation has nothing to do with our bill and threatens to stand in the way of farmers getting much needed support to tackle climate change.