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Op Eds

In Support From
Around the Country

"The long-term investment in climate-smart agriculture and conservation programs will energize rural economies, improve resilience to natural disasters, and ensure that farmers, ranchers, foresters, and wildlife can thrive in a changing world. But the opportunity won’t last forever. If the new farm bill is delayed, the IRA funds won’t be there to invest for the long term."

"The potentially $1 trillion Farm Bill will cover everything from commodity pricing and nutrition programs for low-income Americans to federal loan programs for farmers. Unlike previous farm bills, however, the 2023 version has the potential to dramatically enhance how farmers, foresters, landowners, and ranchers practice conservation and empower American agriculture to adapt to a rapidly changing climate."

"Congress has a window of opportunity right now to further empower and support our nation’s hardworking farmers, ranchers, and private foresters — many of whom care deeply about wildlife conservation and are taking proactive steps to combat climate change — to conserve the invaluable habitats that support productive agriculture operations."

"This is where I need to give a lot of credit to the Natural Resources Conservation Service, part of the U.S. Department of Agriculture. Through a variety of programs they offer, I was able to receive technical assistance and cost sharing for delivering water directly to where it does the most good."

"He also said that nearly 1.3 million acres of land in Indiana was protected under the 2018 Farm Bill, which funded the U.S. Farm Service Agency’s Conservation Reserve Program. This program pays farmers to keep environmentally sensitive lands — like lands with riparian buffers, grassed waterways and trees — out of agricultural production. He said the farm bill is “truly a game changer.” 

"This RCPP project has brought together partners, such as Tall Timbers Land Conservancy, Defenders of Wildlife, and landowners like me to get more than $7 million in funding on the ground in Florida as part of a five-year effort to assist private landowners focused on bettering their landscapes and ultimately improving downstream health"

"These issues transcend politics; it’s a matter of survival. Farmers like us are on the front lines, and these threats endanger our livelihoods. The IRA provided a much-needed resource to fight back, in the form of financial support to regenerate our lands, not degrade them for profit."

"Ultimately, Congress has a simple choice to make: a Farm Bill that ignores the most grave threat to American farmers, and our nation’s ability to feed itself, or a Farm Bill that attempts to fix our very present climate crisis."

"The stakes could not be higher. Without sustainable practices and up-to-date information, farmers like me won’t be able to navigate a changing climate. If we don’t find smart solutions, the entire county will ultimately pay the price in the form of higher grocery bills and shortages."

"Whether it’s grant money from programs like the Environmental Quality Incentives Program, which supports farmers who want to make their operations more sustainable, or Regional Climate Hubs that provide us with high-quality environmental research, small farmers rely on these resources to keep our businesses up and running. Without them, it won’t just be farmers that suffer. It will be everyone who counts on healthy food on their grocery shelves and a healthy planet to grow it on."

"The 2023 Farm Bill is an immense opportunity for Florida. The $20 billion for conservation is the largest investment in working lands conservation since the Dust Bowl. Delivering necessary funding to these programs is crucial to conserving lands so our children and their children have a chance to enjoy them."

"Indiana is known for our farming, and many farmers throughout the state already embrace wildlife friendly techniques in their operations. The farm bill can be used to help further enshrine these practices that have been shown to increase yields while helping to reduce pollution and increase wildlife habitat, a win-win for Hoosier farmers and wildlife."

"Congress often has to make difficult decisions about what to fund, but this is not one of them. This is a once-in-a-generation opportunity to fundamentally improve conservation practices around the country."

"If we want to ensure that farmers, ranchers and foresters of the future can meet the needs of the moment, we need to engage now to ensure the resources that make our way of life possible can endure."

"North Dakotans of the future deserve to share our time-honored traditions. Family farmers should be able to pass along the fruits of their labors to future generations. Hunters and anglers should be able to take their children and grandchildren out and see abundant fish and game. The federal government has an opportunity and an obligation to make it all possible. They should act."

"Within the upcoming Farm Bill is some funding for vital conservation programs that provide incentives for farmers and landowners to protect high-priority farm lands, improve water quality, enhance wildlife habitat, and much more. As environmental challenges increase, it is more important than ever that conservation funding is maintained or increased in the next Farm Bill, so that farmers can get the support they want and need."

"Ample investment in these programs is crucial to protecting lands, waters and wildlife for sportsmen, while fighting climate change, supporting rural communities, and ensuring a sustainable environment."

"Good land stewardship can make a real difference when it comes to protecting water resources. And it’s increasingly clear that we are going to have to change the ways that we conserve our lands. Thankfully, we already have programs in place to do that."

"Congress has an opportunity to make the largest investment in conservation since the Dust Bowl. Delivering necessary funding to these conservation programs is a viable pathway to addressing climate change while supporting farmers, landowners, and rural communities."

"Programs dedicated to habitat, soil and water help resolve resource concerns and enable sustainable practices that aren’t only beneficial for landowners, but for hunters and anglers, hikers, and everyone else who enjoys North Dakota’s natural beauty."

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