116th Congress Pursues Climate Solutions for Agriculture

Climate change affects all sectors of the economy, and the agricultural sector is no exception. Agriculture is both impacted by and a contributor to climate change, so climate solutions must take agriculture and farmers into account. In the 116^th Congress, Members heard from farmers and researchers, and they have introduced multiple bills aimed at increasing the agricultural sector’s resilience and sustainability.

According to data from the Environmental Protection Agency, agriculture accounted for nine percent of total U.S. greenhouse gas emissions in 2017. Methane and nitrous oxide make up the majority of agricultural emissions, with carbon dioxide making up just over a tenth of them. However, farms also play a role in sequestering carbon from the atmosphere. In a hearing before the House Select Committee on the Climate Crisis, Dr. Jennifer Moore-Kucera of the American Farmland Trust testified on techniques that use agriculture as a tool to address climate change and described the current state of mitigation activities on farms. Environmentally-friendly farming practices include cover cropping, conservation tillage, crop rotation, and reducing the use of synthetic nitrogen fertilizer. According to Dr. Moore-Kucera, in 2017, there were 15.3 million acres of cover cropping nationwide, which had the potential to reduce emissions by between 4.2 and 6.3 million metric tons of CO₂ per year.

Climate change mitigation is in the interests of farmers because agriculture is vulnerable to many of the impacts of climate change. A House Agriculture Committee hearing, Increasing Resiliency, Mitigating Risk: Examining the Research and Extension Needs of Producers, included testimony from farmers nationwide, all of whom reported noticing the effects of climate change on their farms. Dr. David Wolfe of Cornell University testified on the vulnerabilities of agriculture to climate change, which causes flooding, increased precipitation, changing drought patterns, and increased pest and weed pressure. These impacts will shift the timing of precipitation as well as its intensity, making it difficult for farmers to plant crops at the proper times of the year.

The Department of Agriculture (USDA) has multiple programs aimed at promoting climate-friendly farming practices, many of which were strengthened by the 2018 Farm Bill. For example, the Regional Conservation Partnership Program (RCPP) promotes partnerships between farmers and public and private conservation groups. The Environmental Quality Incentives Program and Conservation Stewardship Program provide support for farmers to plant cover crops, reduce tillage, diversify crop rotations, and improve grazing management. The USDA generally uses incentives rather than mandates to promote conservation, and Matt Rezac, a Nebraskan farmer, praised this approach in his testimony stating that farmers are more likely to take conservation action if it is worth the economic risk.

The 116^th Congress has seen several bills introduced that seek to improve the agricultural sector’s ability to adapt to and mitigate climate change.

Farmer Driven Conservation Outcomes Act of 2020 (S.3429/H.R.6182)

The Farmer Driven Conservation Outcomes Act would amend the Soil and Water Resources Conservation Act of 1977. Through this law, the USDA was directed to assess soil, water, and related resources and their capability to meet demands, evaluate current and needed programs, and develop a national soil and water conservation program. This bill would require measurement, evaluation, and reporting on the outcomes of USDA conservation programs by authorizing the Conservation Effects Assessment Project and requiring it to publish a report on its findings. This evaluation would provide Congress, farmers, and the general public with information demonstrating the effects agriculture and climate change have on each other as well as the return on investment generated by the USDA’s conservation programs. The legislation was introduced by bipartisan sponsors in both chambers including Senators Robert Casey (D-Pa.) and Shelley Capito (R-W. Va.) and Representatives Marcia Fudge (D-Ohio) and Glenn Thompson (R-Pa.)

Cover Crop Flexibility Act of 2020 (S.3479)

This Act would remove existing time constraints on farmers planting cover crops, allow the USDA to include the cost of cover crop seed when setting insurance rates, and direct the USDA to study the effect of cover crops on crop insurance losses. According to Senate Agriculture Committee Ranking Member Debbie Stabenow (D-Mich.), planting cover crops is an effective way for farmers to improve their land and fight climate change. The Act would encourage the voluntary planting of cover crops, which prevent erosion and contribute to healthier soil and carbon sequestration. The Cover Crop Flexibility Act has seen support from both Democrats and Republicans on the Senate Agriculture Committee.

Agriculture Resilience Act (H.R.5861)

Introduced by Rep. Chellie Pingree (D-Maine), the Agriculture Resilience Act (ARA) sets a goal for the U.S. agricultural sector to reach net-zero emissions by 2040 and lays out six policy areas to achieve this goal. The first policy area is research; the bill would direct USDA to increase its research into the connections between agriculture and climate change. Improving soil health is the second policy area, and would be addressed through a grant program for state and tribal government and rewards for farmers. Third, the bill would protect existing farmland by increasing funding for the Local Agriculture Market Program, which would support pasture-based livestock systems and reduce food waste in schools. Finally, the ARA would increase investment in on-farm energy initiatives by increasing funding to the Rural Energy for America Program and directing the USDA to study dual-use renewable energy and cropping systems.

 

Author: Abby Neal