Revitalizing the farm bill is key to mitigating Climate Change

While many conventional agricultural practices contribute to greenhouse gas emissions—such as nitrous oxide from fertilizer application and methane from livestock production—and pollute our soil, air, and waterways, many farms have adopted and many more can transition to more sustainable practices and can, instead of contributing to climate change, actually mitigate it. Indeed, many existing programs can be refined and optimized to ensure that the U.S. agricultural and forestry sectors protect and enhance our shared environment for generations to come. Through USDA’s conservation programs and incentives, forest management and reforestation programs, investments in research and development on carbon sequestration, and stronger stewardship of public investments in farm support programs, Congress can help U.S. agriculture realize its potential to reach net zero, or even negative, carbon emissions.