When Rep. Chellie Pingree (D-Maine) proposed the Agriculture Resilience Act on February 26, she had no way of knowing that a global pandemic was about to upend the economy, the political landscape and the nation’s food supply.
“I have set an ambitious but achievable goal: to reduce agricultural emissions by 50% before 2030 and make this segment of our economy net-zero by 2040,” the congresswoman said in a statement at the unveiling of the legislation. “Challenges of this scale demand bold solutions, and unlike other industries, agriculture has a unique opportunity to draw down massive amounts of carbon from the atmosphere and store it in the soil.”
Pingree solicited input from a number of groups and individuals including the Union of Concerned Scientists. The group’s senior strategist, Karen Perry Stillerman, told Blue Tent that the organization’s scientists have been studying the effects of climate change and soil resiliency on farming for a long time.
The climate crisis and the food system
UCS is one of a growing number of groups tying the climate crisis to concerns over the agricultural system. The Rodale Institute and the Carbon Underground have noted the connection in research papers and policy proposals, framing the two crises as intimately joined.
“As we all grapple with climate change, and farmers grapple with climate change, it’s clear we need to do something different to meet these challenges,” said Stillerman.
With increased flooding and droughts, sometimes occurring in the same year, a focus on soil resilience and climate change adaptation is incredibly important, Stillerman said. Putting carbon in the ground and keeping it there is a strategy for holding back the worst effects of the crisis.
Pingree agreed. The legislation calls for massive investments in helping farmers preserve land, developing new technologies and reducing waste. The congresswoman solicited input from a number of groups and individuals, including UCS. Stillerman told Blue Tent that the organization is taking part in a push for the bill in the waning days of the 116th Congress.
“We offered input from our research and are really pleased the bill is out there and that we can begin the conversation,” said Stillerman. “We are absolutely advocating for it,” she added.
Looking to the next session
The bill has stalled out on the House floor, and it appears unlikely to advance any further during this legislative session.
The pandemic has thrown some wrenches into the process. The ARA was expected to be the subject of pressure campaigns from progressive groups and climate activists. Pingree’s legislation set the groundwork for initiatives Stillerman calls essential to “invest more in giving farmers cash payments and the technical assistance to make shifts” in how they get things done.
While there are numerous challenges facing farmers, there are also solutions, and the field is ripe for more innovation.
“I think it’s really interesting to see how different players in the agricultural and food systems adapted,” said Stillerman, referring to small farmers pivoting to supplying individual consumers with fresh food after restaurant contracts dried up.
Stillerman said UCS wants to see that practice continue as farmers deal with the challenges presented to the food system by the climate crisis and work to prevent flooding, soil erosion and crop loss. Healthy soil and soil resilience can require practices that are not commonly used, such as covering crops between cash crops, planting perennials and using techniques to build up the amount of soil required to soak up excess water—or hold it for dry periods.
“There are things that farmers are not used to doing,” she said. “And it takes upfront investments—while you’re having a hard time making a profit.”
