Farmers and Ranchers Launch Pro-Green New Deal Coalition

The U.S. Farmers and Ranchers for a Green New Deal made its debut Wednesday during a Capitol Hill press conference.  The new organization was joined by several House Democrats.

Sherri Dugger, an Indiana farmer, co-chairs the new coalition.  She said during Wednesday’s press conference that a lot of the farmers that she talks to every day don’t understand what the Green New Deal is all about.  She said it’s important for farmers to be involved in the conversation about climate change and make their voices heard.  “I’m here to say we need to be involved in this discussion and we need to be at the table to have our voices heard,” she said.

The coalition delivered a letter to Congress that calls for farming to have a key place in meeting the goals of the Green New Deal, which seeks to get to net-zero emissions between 2030-2050.  The coalition says the U.S. economy needs to move away from fossil fuels and transition “toward family farm-based organic and regenerative farming.”

The group also favors land-use practices that improve soil health and draws down and sequesters carbon. The coalition’s announcement this week is timed to coincide with the global Climate Strike event on Friday.

If you have a story idea for the Washington Ag Network, call (509) 547-1618, or e-mail gvaagen@cherrycreekradio.com