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The time is now for Congress to finalize a new farm bill that strengthens important risk management tools for producers, makes a historic investment in climate-smart conservation, and revitalizes rural communities.
The breadth and importance of the farm bill is hard to overstate. Over three-fourths of the bill’s funding is working to combat hunger and food insecurity for millions of Americans, mostly through the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program. The rest of the bill tackles risk management tools for farmers, rural economic growth, sustainable agriculture research, and much more.
This farm bill also presents a once-in-a-generation opportunity to invest in conservation across the United States to help ensure farmers and ranchers thrive while also conserving soil, water resources, and wildlife, all while fighting climate change.
The farm bill provides a host of voluntary, incentive-based conservation programs in high demand from farmers and ranchers. Through education, advice, and financial assistance, these programs assist producers across the country who want to adopt conservation practices that provide benefits for soil, water, wildlife, climate, and communities, while improving their bottom lines. These farm bill-funded conservation programs are so popular that as many as 75% of qualified applicants are denied each year due to lack of funding.
As producers continue to adapt to more extreme weather conditions, these programs take on even greater importance. That is why lawmakers included an additional $20 billion in the Inflation Reduction Act for climate-smart agriculture through farm bill conservation programs – and to help meet demand for climate-smart practices. Not only does this funding expand the availability of in-demand tools for producers to combat climate change and bolster resilience to drought or flooding, but it also helps farmers meet market demand from the 65% of consumers looking for sustainable products.
Over the past year, the climate-smart agriculture investments from the IRA have had a major impact — helping over 5,000 farmers and ranchers invest $850 million in climate-smart conservation in 2023 alone. However, these practices are so popular that, despite the funding increase, it couldn’t fund the total $2.8 billion in valid applications. Even after the historic IRA investment passed, 74% of farmers support further increasing voluntary USDA conservation program funding.
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A bipartisan coalition of lawmakers has affirmed the importance of these programs and the climate-smart agriculture funding: House Agriculture Committee Chair G.T. Thompson, R-Pa.,, just passed his version of the farm bill through committee, permanently investing all of the IRA money into the farm bill conservation title. House Agriculture Committee ranking member David Scott, D-Ga., has also been an outspoken proponent of protecting this funding. Similarly, Senate Agriculture Committee Chair Debbie Stabenow, D-Mich., and ranking member John Boozman, R-Ark. have recognized the importance of conservation programs and included the full remaining funding, estimated to be around $14 billion, in their respective farm bill frameworks.
Making the $14 billion of additional climate-smart conservation funding permanent would represent the largest investment in conservation since the Dust Bowl. 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.
As we approach the August recess, it is more important than ever that leadership in the House and Senate come together to negotiate a 2024 farm bill that benefits farmers, communities, climate, and wildlife. Congress must follow through for farmers and pass a bipartisan, pro-conservation, pro-farmer farm bill this year that protects climate-smart agriculture funding and invests it in climate-focused conservation for years to come. Farmers, ranchers, foresters, and wildlife can’t wait another year.
Collin O’Mara is president and CEO of the National Wildlife Federation, America’s largest grassroots wildlife conservation organization.
