Tag: growing climate solutions act

NMPF Lauds Bipartisan Ag Climate Measures in Appropriations Package

Posted on by Theresa Sweeney

NMPF members gained support for their agriculture-leading sustainability efforts in the massive spending bill signed into law Dec. 29, as lawmakers included the Growing Climate Solutions Act and the SUSTAINS Act in its final fiscal year 2023 budget package.

The measures will help dairy farmers seek additional sustainability opportunities as they work to fulfill the dairy sector’s voluntary, producer-led goal of becoming greenhouse gas neutral or better by 2050.

“Environmental markets and conservation programs have the potential to meaningfully assist dairy producers as they work to meet their 2050 environmental stewardship goals,” said NMPF president and CEO Jim Mulhern in a statement. “The Growing Climate Solutions Act and the SUSTAINS Act will strengthen these important tools.”

The Growing Climate Solutions Act, authored by Senate Agriculture Committee Chairwoman Debbie Stabenow, D-MI, and Senator Mike Braun, R-IN, passed the Senate last June on a bipartisan vote of 92-8. The legislation enables USDA to register technical service providers that help farmers implement stewardship practices that can generate credits on environmental markets. Producers then will be better positioned to participate in these important markets. Reps. Abigail Spanberger, D-VA, and Don Bacon, R-NE, introduced companion legislation in the House.

The SUSTAINS Act, led by House Agriculture Committee Chairman-elect Glenn ‘GT’ Thompson, R-PA, passed the House Agriculture Committee in May on a bipartisan voice vote. The measure would allow private sector funds to supplement existing funding for farm bill conservation programs, which are continuously oversubscribed. The bill is an innovative approach to boosting funding for USDA conservation programs, which provide important technical assistance to dairy farmers for a variety of stewardship practices.

In addition to the sponsors of both bills, committee leaders Rep. David Scott, D-GA, and Sen. John Boozman, R-AR, also played important roles in finalizing the bipartisan package.

“We commend the leaders of the Agriculture Committees – Senators Debbie Stabenow and John Boozman and Reps. David Scott and GT Thompson – for working together to fashion this bipartisan agreement on agricultural climate legislation,” Mulhern said. “We look forward to working with them and their colleagues to build on this progress in the new year.”

Growing Climate Solutions Act Clears Senate With NMPF Support

Posted on by Theresa Sweeney

NMPF applauded the Senate passage of legislation that aims to bolster the conservation and environmental efforts dairy producers are leading as they continue their everyday stewardship of air, land, and water resources.

The bipartisan Growing Climate Solutions Act, led by Senator Mike Braun (R-IN) and Senate Agriculture Committee Chairwoman Debbie Stabenow (D-MI), passed with overwhelming bipartisan support on June 24 by a vote of 92-8.

If passed, this legislation would create a USDA certification program that would permit the department to informally endorse technical service providers that can help farmers implement environmental stewardship practices that may generate carbon credits. The legislation would be invaluable for dairy farmers seeking to achieve the sector’s goal to achieve carbon neutrality or better by 2050 through dairy’s Net Zero Initiative.

“NMPF commends the United States Senate for passing the bipartisan Growing Climate Solutions Act by an overwhelming margin,” NMPF President and CEO Jim Mulhern said in a statement. “This important legislation will enable USDA to informally endorse technical service providers that help farmers implement stewardship practices that can generate carbon and other environmental credits.”