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Shining Light on Farm & Food Policy for 20 Years.
Thursday, April 25, 2024
The Natural Resources Conservation Service is struggling to meet the Biden administration's growing climate and sustainability goals — and handle billions in new conservation funds — due to challenges in finding people to replace its aging workforce.
An increase in capacity for technical assistance within the Natural Resources Conservation Service is necessary as the agency looks to integrate $18.5 billion in Inflation Reduction Act funding into its conservation programs, but the agency will likely need to look at ways to expand its roster of non-government experts as it struggles to bring in enough qualified professionals to fill its internal workforce needs.
The Food and Agriculture Climate Alliance proposed a series of new farm bill provisions that the coalition of ag, food and conservation groups believes are needed to help producers and landowners address climate change.
The Democratic-controlled Senate on Sunday passed an historic package of financial incentives for cutting U.S. greenhouse gas emissions, including a dramatic increase in farm bill conservation programs aimed at spurring farmers to adopt climate-related farming practices.
Democrats won House passage of a package of fiscal 2023 appropriations bills that includes new funding for conservation technical assistance and rural broadband Thursday as well as substantial spending increases for EPA and the Interior Department.
The House Appropriations Committee advanced a $27.2 billion spending bill for the Agriculture Department and Food and Drug Administration that would provide significant new funding for conservation technical assistance, rural broadband and food safety.
President Joe Biden’s proposed budget for fiscal 2023 that would boost Agriculture Department spending by 9%, including significant increases for agricultural research and conservation technical assistance and a new round of funding for rural broadband expansion.
President Joe Biden plans to personally appeal this week to the key senator holding up the administration’s massive spending package, and the long-awaited nominee to run the Food and Drug Administration gets a hearing in the Senate.
The House ventures into the debate over livestock pricing this week, taking up a bill that would require USDA to compile data on cattle contracts, while congressional Democratic leaders try to find a way to raise the debt ceiling and finalize a Senate deal on their Build Back Better plan.
Sen. Bob Casey, D-Pa., explains in this opinion piece how the Biden-Harris Administration has an opportunity to invest in the Chesapeake Bay Watershed while supporting farmers and agricultural communities throughout the region.
