Farmers have role in climate change
On Aug. 8, the U.S. Department of Agriculture declared an agricultural disaster in the state of Illinois. On the same day, the United Nations released a report warning of dire threats to the global food supply as the world warms.
Farmers have seen a lot of bad weather in the past. But we know that the increase in the frequency of terrible weather we are seeing now is human-caused. And as strange as that may sound, it is good news - because it means we humans can do something about it.
First, we need to bring emissions down. The best way to do that is with an effective carbon pricing policy that can attract bipartisan support, like the Energy Innovation and Carbon Dividend Act (H.R.763).
Next, we need to pull excess carbon out of the atmosphere. The best way to do this is by putting it back in the soil. Farmers can play a heroic role in restoring our atmosphere to health, as long as effective carbon pricing is in place too.
Theresa Quain
Naperville