EDF + Business’ Post

⚡ Protecting the IRA climate guardrails for USDA conservation programs is critical to maintain momentum in supporting farmers build resilience to a changing climate. Recent research from our team found that for every 1C of warming, Kansas farmers net income dropped by 66% in the last four decades. Funding climate resilience in the Farm Bill will keep farmers farming by adapting to a changing climate.

Advocating for Western agriculture is crucial for food security and our local economy. During my recent trip to Washington, D.C., I highlighted the need for reliable water supplies, infrastructure investment, and balanced regulations to sustain American food production. Let’s ensure our voices are heard and protect the future of farming in the West!

I am trying to break through the noise to unpack the real impact on our farms and future. This isn't just about water; it's about survival, strategy, and securing our agricultural legacy. We're on the front lines, ready to lead the charge in adapting and overcoming. Read the full analysis and let’s get to work! #Agriculture #CaliforniaWater #BourdeauFarms https://lnkd.in/gewX-ZtM

The next U.S. farm bill can unlock billions of dollars in funding for climate-smart agriculture and help protect our food supply chains. 💸 But first, we need it to pass. ✅ Food companies can leverage their influence to secure the bill’s funding, and my expert Food & Forests colleague Katie Anderson explains how your company can champion it in a new blog. https://www.edf.org/Z6u8  

Farmers across the nation are facing more challenges due to climate change like extreme weather events, pests, and hotter, drier conditions. These challenges impact farmers’ productivity and take a toll on natural resources, which is why lawmakers need to hear their story and craft a Farm Bill that empowers our agribusinesses to keep America healthy for generations to come. This is exactly why our Co-Founder, jøn kent, visited Washington, DC to speak up and urge lawmakers to support urban farmers in last year's Farm Bill. 🗣 “It was an honor to speak with legislators about the vital issue of providing more resources to urban farmers, particularly those of color and marginalized backgrounds,” said jøn. “Cities play a vital role in securing healthy soils and food to ensure we are providing a sustainable future for all citizens. This issue is not just one of food security but one of national security. We have to work together to ensure all are equitably provided for, and this requires advocacy.” ⚖ It’s not just the work on the ground that matters -- to make a difference on a national scale, we need to push for legislation that supports sustainable agriculture and addresses climate change. Special thanks to Michigan Food & Farming Systems (MIFFS) for the invite and National Sustainable Agriculture Coalition (NSAC) along with many other organizations committed to sustainable agriculture for organizing the Rally for Resilience on March 7th 2023! Folks please keep an eye out for that Farm Bill! Read the full-featured article: https://lnkd.in/ddn-mEKZ #sustainability #community #climatechange #urbanfarming #detroit #farmadvocacy #reparations

The fact that both snow pack and reservoir levels are well above normal for April 1 and on track to approach last year‘s levels, and there is not 100% allocation, encouraging aggressive groundwater recharge is proof positive water regulatory authorities DO NOT CARE about that which they preach nonstop. If sustainable water and reviving peoples depleted or dry wells is key, allocations should reflect this. They don’t. On a related note, water regulatory authorities, conservation districts, and especially the Army Corps of Engineers need to get their butts in gear proactively re-checking levees, patching squirrel holes, and having a level of urgency and action similar to last year or we will have problems if the snow melts too quickly. There appears to be too much complacency out there for the level of snow and water we have today.

It's a challenging time to find affordable food in the U.S. today, the ag sector is increasingly consolidated, and climate change is continuing to shock our food and farming systems. On these three important issues, the Farm Bill released by the House of Representatives falls short. Take a look at our latest article from the Institute for Agriculture and Trade Policy that explores the proposed Farm Bill and what changes are needed to create fair policy. https://lnkd.in/gEF4NMW5 #FarmBill #ClimateChange #CommunityFoodSystems #Nutrition #Competition #Consolidation #Conservation #Agriculture #Congress

You can’t address food security, soil carbon sequestration or climate change without first tackling the crisis of land access according to Ian McSweeney and Kristina Villa, cofounders of The Farmers Land Trust. In the conversation with them we talked about: 🔑 why land tenure and land security is key to the future of food 👩🏻🌾 how do pioneering #biodynamic and #organic #farmers river and transition their land to the next generation? 💵 how many farmers are willing to sell and let go of their land for way less than the crazy speculative ‘market prices’ 💡 why holding land in community makes a lot of sense and it is the logical next step of community supported agriculture #CSA farming, but it shouldn’t be done in community, not alone https://lnkd.in/d6qDC4Ei

"Farming practices supported by conservation cost-share programs, like streamside forest buffers, planting cover crops, minimizing land tillage, and rotating where livestock graze, improve soil health by building organic matter and strengthening the structure and stability of the soil. Healthy soil is better able to hold onto precious water and nutrients and store more carbon, too. These practices reduce polluted runoff and soil erosion, boost water quality, provide pollinator habitat, and reduce on-farm greenhouse gases. It’s not just the individual farmer who benefits either. Anyone who eats or wears what the farmer grows or relies on clean water for their livelihood, drinking, or recreation reaps the rewards. Voluntary, incentive-based programs such as the Conservation Reserve Program (CRP) and Environmental Quality Incentives Program (EQIP) are so popular that nationally, only a fraction of farmers who apply get contracts. Just 31 percent of CRP applications and 25 percent of EQIP applications nationwide were awarded contracts, according to the Institute for Agriculture & Trade Policy, in a study that Agri-Pulse just covered." Jared Planz

The Farm Bill is messy and exhausting and SO important.