The Food and Agriculture Climate Alliance said on Monday that 34 additional trade groups have joined the coalition of farm, environmental and food retail groups that endorses voluntary, incentive-based and market-driven action to mitigate climate change. President Zippy Duvall of the American Farm Bureau Federation, one of the founders of FACA, said momentum is growing in Congress for the FACA approach.
“We are encouraged that leaders in both the House and Senate are requesting more detailed guidance to achieve FACA’s climate goals and recommendations,” said Duvall. It’s important that any new climate policies respect the people who will be impacted the most – farmers and ranchers.”
Farm groups were powerful opponents a decade ago of unsuccessful legislation to create a cap-and-trade program to reduce greenhouse gas emissions. This year, farm groups say they want to be part of climate change negotiations and to be viewed as part of the solution rather than the problem.
Among the new members of FACA are the Association of Equipment Manufacturers, Association of Land-grant Universities, Biotechnology Innovation Organization and Ducks Unlimited.
A list of FACA’s 42 members is available here.