Articles Tagged with ''conservation programs''

The Democratic-controlled Senate on Sunday passed an historic package of financial incentives for cutting U.S. greenhouse gas emissions, including a dramatic increase in farm bill conservation programs aimed at spurring farmers to adopt climate-related farming practices.

The landmark climate deal Democrats hope will clear Congress in coming days would upend the coming debate over the next farm bill, satisfying demands for new conservation spending but leaving farm groups still scrambling to fund enhancements in commodity programs.

Senate Democrats don’t have a vote to spare this week as they try to pass their historic climate package, including more than $20 billion aimed at helping farmers adopt practices that reduce greenhouse emissions.

Lawmakers return to Capitol Hill this week as Democratic leaders are desperately trying to cobble together an agreement on a reconciliation bill that could fund President Joe Biden’s climate agenda.

A new report by the AGree initiative and The Data Foundation assesses several ways to protect the privacy of USDA data that’s used to assess the impact of farming practices.

The Biden administration is setting lofty goals for its $1 billion initiative to develop marketable climate-smart commodities, while establishing an aggressive timetable to get pilot projects underway before Congress writes the next farm bill.

The House Agriculture Committee launches an in-depth examination of farm bill programs this week, starting with a hearing on conservation spending, and the full House will debate a competitiveness bill that seeks to bolster trade remedies and address trade with developing countries.

Some $90 billion in agriculture and child nutrition spending that’s part of the stalled Build Back Better bill is in play as the White House and congressional Democrats disassemble the $1.7 trillion measure and possibly move some of the funding into other legislation.

Congress heads into an election year with clouds over two major pieces of legislation that are seen as critical to helping farmers benefit from efforts to cut greenhouse gas emissions. Lawmakers also are expected to begin farm bill hearings this year, and they will have to keep the government funded for the rest of the fiscal year.

In a victory for progressives, House Democrats delayed passage of a bipartisan infrastructure deal as President Joe Biden also insisted Friday on passage of a more ambitious package of social spending and climate priorities. He conceded privately that the latter plan would be cut significantly.