As Congress deliberates on the Farm Bill, it's essential that we advocate for conservation measures and climate-smart policies that align with our faith values and address the urgent challenges of our time. We can proudly say that many of us who are farmers are adopting sustainable practices and embodying the value of “justice through sufficiency” (ELCA’s social statement Caring for Creation: Vision, Hope, and Justice, p. 7), but many of us need help to do it. By incentivizing sustainable and climate-smart agriculture practices, we can care for the arable land and honor the people responsible for feeding us.
The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) reports that more than 10% of total U.S. greenhouse gas emissions can be attributed to crop cultivation and animal husbandry, making it imperative that we prioritize sustainable practices to mitigate climate change. Conservation programs in the Farm Bill, such as the Environmental Quality Incentives Program (EQIP), Conservation Stewardship Program (CSP), Agricultural Conservation Easement Program (ACEP), and Regional Conservation Partnership Program (RCPP) are widely popular and underfunded. Even with these successful programs, there is room for improvement in their ability to address greenhouse gas emissions. The U.S. Department of Agriculture defines practices as “climate-smart” and only 23.3% of funding from both the EQIP and CSP programs supported climate-smart practices between 2017 and 2020. For popular programs that cannot accept every funding request, they should at least prioritize those proposals that intend to reduce emissions.
The ELCA has a long history of supporting the work of farmers as they not only feed us but steward our lands for future generations. We hope to continue this effort to lift up the climate-smart practices, such as sustainable agriculture, agroforestry, silvopasture, managed grazing, etc., that many farmers are already doing. As mentioned in Caring for Creation, “Sufficiency charges us to work with each other and the environment to meet needs without causing undue burdens elsewhere" (p. 7).
We are advocating that the next Farm Bill includes several key priorities. These include:
- Increased funding for the Environmental Quality Incentives Program (EQIP), Conservation Stewardship Program (CSP), Agricultural Conservation Easement Program (ACEP), and Regional Conservation Partnership Program (RCPP) and ensure that these programs are incentivizing climate-friendly agriculture practices.
- Protects the additional $20 billion in funding allocated, specifically, for climate-friendly agriculture within the aforementioned conservation programs through the Inflation Reduction Act (IRA).
- Reduces food waste by promoting and coordinating food recovery and donation at the farm level.
Your voice is crucial in urging lawmakers to support these measures.
Customize this letter with your own words and local facts and experiences to make a meaningful impact on your national lawmakers. Thank you for adding your voice to this important advocacy effort!
ACTION ALERT INTRODUCED: 4/17/24
