Feeding Maine: Can the 2023 Farm Bill Be the Solution?
By Emma Vagelos, November 1, 2022
The Farm Bill is up for reconsideration in 2023, and will be an Omnibus bill governing the nation's food system regarding agriculture, food access, land conservation, and more.
This summer, Maine experienced many sweltering days with little rain in sight. Crops started growing early, but soon shriveled up, as swarms of field-destroying pests arrived. Driving through Maine’s wild blueberry barrens every morning should have been joyful, but we arrived in fear of what the night’s weather had brought. Blueberries are a fickle crop when growing and selling organically. They need to be picked in perfect conditions. This means the berries can’t be wet or in high temperatures. Like most of our food network, blueberries are susceptible to the changing of our climate. The impact of climate change is felt in the day-to-day lives of farmers as they face the challenge of growing enough food to support themselves and feed the United States. Farming has become unpredictable in the face of climate change from the whiplash between drought-like summers and soaking wet springs. Farmers are adapting as fast as they can, often by adopting irrigation, but it is very costly, especially for small local farms. Farmers are in need of legislation that adapts to fight climate change, specifically employing mitigation practices.
In September 2023, the Omnibus farm bill will be reconsidered again. Every five years, this bill is brought through Congress to renegotiate the policies and funds surrounding all aspects of the food system: agriculture, nutrition and food access, conservation, crop insurance, and more. This bill will affect all of our lives as our food comes from farmers and the agricultural industry. The 2018 farm bill provided Maine with funds for research about organic farming, resources for new farmers, produce for low-income families, and much more. The 2023 bill has the potential to use agriculture as part of the solution to the climate crisis.
Blue Barrens Farm - Cherryfield, Maine
Climate-Smart Agriculture – a term coined by the United Nations – is farming that emphasizes productivity, resilience, and lowering emissions. This means looking at the beneficial human-plant relationships of agroecology on a large scale, as a facet of sustainability is feeding masses of people. Sustainable farming practices create a positive feedback loop where no-till farming and the use of rotating or cover crops benefit the soil, which in turn benefits future crops. As of 2020, agricultural practices contributed 11% to the United States' greenhouse gas emissions and agriculture is the second most contributor to global greenhouse gas emissions. Farms and forests have the capability to be carbon sinks, as both provide opportunities for carbon to be sequestered in plants. Maine is 90% forested land, so proper management plans to maintain or increase carbon sequestration, could greatly benefit our atmosphere. Under a changing climate, land use has the possibility of being either a threat to humanity with food shortages or a solution that helps us meet emissions goals.
This September, environmental groups such as the Sierra Club, the League of Conservation Voters, and numerous labor unions sent a letter to President Biden imploring him to emphasize climate change and environmental justice in the Farm Bill. Many Republicans, however, are wary of adding climate policy. For example, Republican House Representative from California Doug LaMalfa stated “Congress must be mindful of this massive amount of funding before amending programs or making policy changes that reorient programs toward climate.” Many Republicans like LaMalfa see the need for land conservation and forestry services but refuse to step further and advocate for meaningful climate policies.
The 118th Congress will control how the farm bill is passed and whether climate provisions are added. This bill can be what spares crops from withering and prevents food shortages, but it requires negotiators in Congress that center the pressing need for climate action. Getting out to vote in the November midterms is a key way to ensure a livable future.
Change The Chamber is a bipartisan coalition of over 100 student groups, including undergraduates, graduate students and recent graduates. Contact Change The Chamber at changeuschamber@gmail.com.