By Jamie Martin
Representatives Mike Lawler, Don Beyer, and Chellie Pingree introduced the Innovative Practices for Soil Health Act, a bipartisan bill designed to strengthen soil conservation efforts and encourage climate-smart agriculture.
“By supporting farmers in the utilization of perennial systems and agroforestry, the Innovative Practices for Soil Health Act encourages healthy soil management – improving overall farm productivity and stimulating microbial life,” said Congressman Lawler. “This is a win for farmers, a win for the environment, and a win for American families. I’m proud to join my colleagues Don Beyer and Chellie Pingree in introducing this commonsense bipartisan bill.”
Representative Beyer noted that farmers are battling harmful soil erosion worsened by extreme weather linked to climate change. He highlighted that the bill will make USDA a stronger partner in supporting resilient, sustainable farms.
“In Maine and across the country, farmers are on the frontlines of the climate crisis – dealing with severe drought, flooding, wildfires, and other extreme weather conditions,” said Congresswoman Pingree. “In order to make our food system more resilient and to ensure our agricultural producers survive the worsening climate crisis, we must encourage and invest in climate-smart practices. My Representatives Beyer and Lawler’s Innovative Practices for Soil Health Act does just that – promoting soil health, investing in agroforestry research and development, and incentivizing greenhouse gas reduction. Our bipartisan, commonsense bill is a win-win.”
The National Sustainable Agriculture Coalition (NSAC) applauded the bill’s focus on perennial agriculture and USDA’s Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS) expansion through new agroforestry centers.
According to Carbon180’s Mary Olive, perennial and agroforestry systems “bolster land-based carbon sinks and biodiversity while improving producer resilience.”
The Innovative Practices for Soil Health Act represents a unified step toward sustainable agriculture, reinforcing the role of soil health as a foundation for future farm success.
Photo Credit: gettyimages-sasiistock
Categories: National