The U.S. House Committee on Agriculture held a hearing today to review the role USDA programs can play in addressing climate change.
Several coalitions that the National Corn Growers Association participates in were invited to provide testimony, including the AGree Economic and Environmental Risk Coalition, Bipartisan Policy Center’s Farm and Forest Carbon Solutions Task Force and the Food and Agriculture Climate Alliance.
“We believe that policies should be voluntary, and incentive-based; that they should advance science-based outcomes; and that they should promote resiliency and help rural economies better adapt to climate change,” said Charles F. Conner, president and CEO of the National Council of Farmer Cooperatives and co-chair of FACA.
The witnesses told committee members that there are several ways that the USDA could help address climate change, including by:
- Strengthening the agency’s commitment to agricultural and forestry research to help provide farmers, ranchers and forest owners with the tools they need to adapt, mitigate and become more resilient to climate change.
- Streamlining the Natural Resources Conservation Service conservation practice approval process.
- Expanding broadband access in rural America.
- Continuing to develop science-based, risk-benefit policies allowing farmers to more easily access risk management tools to meet sustainability goals.
The committee received the feedback as it continues to prepare for the reauthorization of the farm bill in 2023.
