3 months ago in Agriculture Photo: WNAX
Democrats have gained control of the Senate with a new Biden Administration coming in there will be more of a focus to addressing climate change. In relation to that, Senator Debbie Stabenow is set to become Senate Ag Committee Chair again and her top priority is establishing an agriculture carbon market. Center for Rural Affairs Policy Director Johnathan Hladik says that presents great opportunities for farmers.
Stabenow is also co-sponsoring a bill called the Growing Climate Solutions Act aimed at accelerating carbon credit trading and Hladik says CFRA supports that measure.
Hladik says farmers are already implementing environmentally friendly practices that enhance soil health and having a positive impact on the climate. He says they’ll follow whatever farm policy is established in that direction.
3 months ago in Agriculture tomr Photo: WNAX
South Dakota Senator John Thune along with a bi-partisan group of Senators have introduced the Strengthening Local Processing legislation. The measure is a companion bill to one introduced earlier in the House by Nebraska Congressman Jeff Fortenberry. Center for Rural Affairs Policy Director Johnathan Hladik says his group backs the legislation and partially what brought it about was the pandemic which caused the backlog of animals needing processing.
He says the backlog has made it necessary for smaller meatpackers to expand and this legislation calls for grants to help those smaller processors.
Hladik says his group will be asking State lawmakers to piggyback on this federal legislation and provide grants at the state level to help small meat processors expand.