WASHINGTON – On Monday, Sen. Cory Booker (D-N.J.) and Rep. Abigail Spanberger (D-Va.) announced the reintroduction of legislation to support voluntary conservation practices on more than 100 million acres of U.S. farmland. The bill would also fund the planting of billions of trees and significantly expand renewable energy production.
“No one understands the impacts of the climate emergency better than farmers and rural communities, who are already reeling from the effects of severe weather,” said Colin O’Neil, EWG’s legislative director.
“The investments proposed in the Climate Stewardship Act will not only help reduce greenhouse gas emissions on farms but also help farmers better withstand the impacts of severe weather,” O’Neil said. “We applaud Sen. Booker and Rep. Spanberger for their leadership and vision.”
The Climate Stewardship Act would increase funding for existing conservation programs to support voluntary climate stewardship practices identified by the Department of Agriculture. The bill expands programs to restore grasses and trees on frequently flooded or drought-prone farmland. It also significantly increases funding for renewable energy production on farms and for small businesses.
With the right practices in place, farmers could reduce emissions of nitrous oxide, a powerful greenhouse gas, from fertilizer use while also protecting drinking water supplies and making farms more resilient as extreme weather becomes more common.
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The Environmental Working Group is a nonprofit, non-partisan organization that empowers people to live healthier lives in a healthier environment. Through research, advocacy and unique education tools, EWG drives consumer choice and civic action.
