Earthjustice Opposes Proposed Farm Bill Climate and Nutrition Funding Cuts and Inserts of Pro-logging Provisions
Opposition grows as poison pills appear in previews of the Farm Bill text by Republican House Ag Committee Chair Glenn Thompson which include reductions in key climate and nutrition programs and undercuts to bedrock environmental law and Endangered Species Act
Contacts
Nydia Gutiérrez, ngutierrez@earthjustice.org
Ahead of the House Agriculture Committee May 23rd mark up on the Farm Bill, Earthjustice Policy & Legislation representatives released the following statements:
“The proposed Farm Bill threatens to dismantle crucial investments in helping farmers combat the uncertainties of climate change, namely the climate guardrails included in the Inflation Reduction Act. Stripping away this funding endangers not only our food systems but also the livelihoods of countless family farms. The short-sightedness of this bill risks undermining the progress we’ve made in supporting sustainable farming practices, protecting our environment, and putting farmers first,” said Ranjani Prabhakar, Legislative Director for Earthjustice’s Healthy Communities Program. “We are in firm opposition to the Chairman’s proposal. I look forward to seeing a transparent and bipartisan approach to passing the bill — the only way it will succeed.”
“Our national forests are a key natural climate solution, and this legislation undermines the many ecological and economic values of our forests with poison pill provisions that only serve to support the logging industry. Instead of ensuring forest management decisions are based on science with community input, as the Senate Agriculture Committee Chairwoman is proposing,” said Blaine Miller-McFeeley, Earthjustice Senior Legislative Representative. “This partisan House legislation is being used to undercut bedrock environmental laws such as National Environmental Policy Act and the Endangered Species Act to harm our forests; something that is reckless and dangerous.”
Additionally, Earthjustice joined the multiple opposition forces in sending a letter to Chairman Thompson detailing the dire importance of maintaining the IRA funding and climate guardrails, as well as, ensuring forest management decisions are based on science with community input, as the Senate Agriculture Committee Chairwoman proposes.
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