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Shining Light on Farm & Food Policy for 20 Years.
Saturday, December 21, 2024
The last time a Democratic administration tried to pass climate legislation, in 2009, the bill died in the Senate partly because of resistance from farm groups. This year, one of the first significant climate bills a congressional committee is going to vote on is a measure backed by farm groups – the Growing Climate Solutions Act, which is aimed at facilitating the development of ag carbon markets.
President Joe Biden’s $2.25 trillion infrastructure plan offers many provisions that have long been priorities with farm groups, including a $100 billion plan to connect the entire U.S. to high-speed internet.
With the economic stimulus bill now signed into law, lawmakers are quickly turning their attention to what could be a much heavier lift: climate and infrastructure legislation.
Ag Secretary Tom Vilsack is meeting with climate advisers today as he moves ahead on what will be a top priority for his tenure. So far, he’s divulging little about the department’s plans or timetable for addressing the issue. But he does say USDA will be heavily focused on building a case for programs Congress could implement in the next farm bill, due in 2023.
The Senate is finally set to vote today on sending Tom Vilsack back to USDA for a new stint as agriculture secretary, more than a month after Joe Biden became president.
USDA has tapped Monica Rainge to serve as the deputy assistant secretary for civil rights, and Sen. Tammy Baldwin, D-Wis., has been named the new Chair of the Senate Ag Appropriations Subcommittee.
Tom Vilsack’s return to USDA has been on hold for reasons because of delays in getting the 50-50 Senate organized. But incoming Senate Agriculture Chairwoman Debbie Stabenow tells Agri-Pulse she hopes to get Vilsack’s nomination for agriculture secretary approved “as soon as possible” once she takes over the committee.
