Climate group applauds Heinrich for farm legislation

Farmers have the potential to play a major role in mitigating climate change

On April 20, more than two dozen senators reintroduced a bipartisan bill called the Growing Climate Solutions Act. Lead sponsors Sen. Mike Braun, R-Indiana, Sen. Debbie Stabenow, D-Michigan, Sen. Lindsey Graham, R-South Carolina, and Sen. Sheldon Whitehouse, D-Rhode Island, are joined by dozens of other original cosponsors: 16 Republicans, 14 Democrats including our own Sen. Martin Heinrich and one Independent.

According to the senators’ announcement, the bill “will break down barriers for farmers and foresters interested in participating in carbon markets so they can be rewarded for climatesmart practices.” The bill has broad support from over 60 leading agricultural and environmental organizations.

Farmers have the potential to play a major role in mitigating climate change. They are also the backbone of America’s food supply, and they have suffered as COVID-19 has upended every step of the way we get food on our tables. This legislation will help producers here in New Mexico and across the country financially, while incentivizing them to make their operations more sustainable.

Citizens’ Climate Lobby (CCL), with a grassroots membership of more than 190,000 nationwide, applauds the senators for putting this bill forward and for their bipartisan work on climate issues. As constituents of Heinrich, members of the Albuquerque, Santa Fe and Corrales/Westside chapters of CCL are especially excited about the introduction of this legislation.

As a CCL chapter leader in Corrales, I am thrilled that our senator has worked across the aisle to introduce this important bill, and we’re grateful for his leadership. As a village with hundreds of years of a proud agricultural heritage, this bill will help to keep these traditions going strong for our children and our children’s children. It will support Corrales growers, along with farmers across New Mexico, to thrive while being more sustainable.

Citizens’ Climate Lobby volunteers across New Mexico and other local climate advocates plan to meet with the member’s office later this year to express their support of this bill.

CCL Executive Director Mark Reynolds says “our volunteers from across the country, many of whom come from farming communities, have been lobbying for the Growing Climate Solutions Act for several years. We are excited to see the broad bipartisan support for this legislation. In addition to lobbying for the Energy Innovation Act, our volunteers will soon be asking their own senators to join Sen. Heinrich on this bill.”