Farm groups wait for details of Biden climate plan ByChristine Souza
nounced the “America the Beautiful” initiative last week, describing it as a 10- year, nationwide effort to conserve, con- nect and restore 30%of the nation’s lands and waters by 2030. Speaking to reporters during a media call, the agency leaders said the plan came in response to an executive order on climate change by President Biden. The order, the officials said, addresses how a national conservation goal can
help strengthen the economy, combat the climate crisis, improve biodiversity andwildlife habitat, and address inequi- ties in access to nature. NationalClimateAdvisorGinaMcCarthy said the administration emphasized that the effort be “collaborative, voluntary and locally led.” The administration said its principles to guide the effort include the pursuit of collaborative approaches and “a commit-
ment to supporting the voluntary conser- vation efforts of farmers, ranchers, and fishers.” Priority areas, the report said, include “incentivizing and rewarding” voluntary conservation work on farms, ranches, forests and fisheries. In response, California Farm Bureau President Jamie Johansson said the administration plan appropriately ac- knowledges the role farmers, ranchers and foresters already play and canplay in addressing climate change, but said that acknowledgementmust carry through as the plan is implemented. “The voluntary efforts California farmers already perform—such as cover cropping, no-till farming and the estab- lishment of land-conservation tools such as easements—should be accounted for as government agencies refine work- ing-lands policies,” Johansson said. “We will work with the administration to en- sure it considers thepractical implications of its policies for farmers and ranchers.” American Farm Bureau Federation President Zippy Duvall noted the report “acknowledges concernswe have raised” and recognizes the contributions farmers and ranchers make to conservation. “The report is a philosophical docu- ment that emphasizes important prin- ciples such as incentive-based voluntary conservation, protecting personal and property rights, and continued ranching on public lands, but it lacks specifics,” Duvall said, adding that FarmBureauwill continueworkingwith theadministration to “ensure the details live up to promises made to protect American agriculture.” Johanssonnoted the state of California has already announced its own intention to protect 30%of land andwater by 2030, and he said farmers and ranchers have shown willingness to adapt as needed in response to climate change. “California’s working lands represent part of the solution to climate goals, and the objective of climate policy should be to keep working lands working,” he said. “California farmers, ranchers and forest- ers are world leaders in promoting soil health, usingwater efficiently, enhancing wildlife and simultaneously producing safe, affordable food and farm products for consumers.” Noting the state’s agricultural diversity, Johansson said California farmers and ranchersmust have flexibility tomanage land in ways that will succeed for their crops and employees, and for the type and scale of their operations. “One-size-fits-all approaches will fail,” he said. “Providing farmers amenuof op- tions most appropriate for their farm or ranch holds the best chance for success.” Johansson said on-farm strategies for addressing climate change “must be backed by research and be practical for farmers to implement—because for farms and ranches to meet their conser- vation goals, they must also meet eco- nomic goals.” (Chr i s t ine Souza i s an ass i s tant editor of Ag Alert. She may be contacted at csouza@cfbf.com.)
Noting that climate goals outlined by the Biden administration will have real, on-the-ground implications for farm- ers and ranchers, the California Farm Bureau urged the administration to lis- ten to farmers’ and ranchers’ voices as it fleshes out its “30 x 30” plan. Officials from the U.S. Department of Agriculture, Department of the Interior and Department of Commerce an-
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4 Ag Alert May 12, 2021
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