WASHINGTON – Following the House passage of the Build Back Better Act, Agriculture and Forestry groups gave thanks for how the historic legislation will help to address the growing climate crisis on our National Forest System land and private agricultural and forest land; invest in the modernization and innovative energy production and infrastructure in rural communities; and help provide assistance for our farmers and ranchers with debt relief provisions.
Here are what some of these groups are saying:
1890 Universities Foundation
“The 1890 Universities Foundation is grateful for and applauds the tireless advocacy and support from Congresswoman Adams and Congresswoman Scott and their colleagues in the House, especially for their support of the 19 strong system of 1890 HBCU Land Grant institutions. The policymakers have been instrumental in making sure the HBCU community receives critical resources, especially after experiencing generations of under-funding.”
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Connect Americans Now (CAN)
“Connect Americans Now commends President Biden and Congressional leaders for maintaining their commitment to additional solutions to increase digital equity and help bridge the digital divide,” stated Cullen. “Access to an affordable, reliable broadband connection, and the devices needed to unlock the full potential of digital technology, are essential to protecting and realizing the American Dream in the 21st Century economy and classroom.” Read more…
National Rural Electric Cooperative Association (NRECA)
“As electric co-ops work to reliably meet future energy needs at a cost that consumers can afford, they must have equal access to energy incentives and programs,” Matheson said. “The House bill would give co-ops access to direct-pay incentives for energy innovation and create a $10 billion program to support co-ops’ voluntary clean energy transition. This is appropriate recognition of the need to level the playing field for not-for-profit cooperatives, reduce costs and open new doors for innovation.” Read more…
Reimaging Rural Assistance Network
“Today’s House vote on the Build Back Better Act is an important step in moving its historic investment in rural communities through the Rural Partnership Program closer to reality. The Reimagining Rural Assistance Network applauds the work by the House of Representatives, and urges the Senate to act quickly to get this much needed assistance out to America’s rural towns, communities and tribes to help create a locally driven sustainable and equitable future.”
Sierra Club
“This historic legislation — the strongest action Congress has ever taken to tackle the climate crisis — delivers on President Biden’s commitment to make transformational investments in climate action, clean energy, family-sustaining jobs, and environmental justice. While no single bill can get the job done, the Build Back Better Act builds a strong foundation for cutting our climate pollution in half to meet the climate test. Bravo President Biden, Speaker Pelosi, and House Democrats for investing in urgent climate action despite the universal opposition of Congressional Republicans. Now, we need the Senate to promptly pass this bill, a bill that has united every grouping of Democrats in the House. We’re counting on President Biden to help deliver the majority in the Senate to enact his historic agenda that he has assured the public will be there. The time for urgent action is now. We have no time to waste, because the choices we make together now will shape the health of our communities and planet for decades to come.”
League of Conservation Voters (LCV)
“Following the enactment of the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act, House passage of the Build Back Better Act caps off a historic and transformational week for climate, jobs and justice. Under Speaker Pelosi’s tireless leadership, the House just passed the strongest climate bill in U.S. history to put our country on the path to cut climate pollution in half by 2030, the goal set by President Biden and that science and justice require. The Build Back Better Act meets our climate goals while saving people money on their energy bills and other monthly expenses, investing in the frontline and communities of color that have suffered the most from toxic pollution, and creating and sustaining millions of good-paying union jobs in the clean energy economy. Getting to this point is a testament to the diverse coalition, including labor, environmental justice advocates, and young people, relentlessly organizing and advocating for a more sustainable, just, and equitable future. LCV is all in to ensure the Senate quickly seizes this historic opportunity to make life better for people and the planet by passing the Build Back Better Act and sending it to President Biden’s desk.”
National Milk Producers Federation
“Dairy farmers have long been proactive land and water stewards because they seize opportunities for innovation,” said Jim Mulhern, president and CEO of NMPF. “We are deeply grateful to Chairwoman Stabenow for her tireless leadership to secure game-changing conservation investments, with a focus on climate-smart practices. These investments will better position dairy farmers to proactively implement the dairy sector’s Net Zero Initiative and fulfill its 2050 environmental stewardship goals.” Read more…
American Forests
“Today’s House vote on the Build Back Better Act is nothing short of historic. It moves us one step closer to securing robust climate-smart investments in combating urban extreme heat and air pollution, preventing catastrophic wildfire, and incentivizing the protection and restoration of our forests. More than 340 forestry, forest product, conservation, fire and water nonprofits, trade associations, industry groups, municipalities, public health officials, researchers and scientists agree that our forests are our best natural solution to climate change and are vital to securing our economic, equity and climate goals. These forestry investments will change and save lives.” Read more…
Growth Energy, National Biodiesel Board, National Corn Growers,
National Farmers Union, and Renewable Fuels Association
“The Biofuel Infrastructure and Agriculture Product Market Expansion provision in the BBB Act helps address this issue and contains much needed funding to ensure consumers have access to these fuels. This provision contains nearly $1 billion in funding to provide grants to retail fuel stations and fuel terminal operators to upgrade refueling infrastructure and to upgrade distribution systems. Most importantly, this provision looks to improve past U.S. Department of Agriculture efforts to provide these refueling infrastructure incentives by allocating grants where they will drive the most market growth for low carbon biofuels...The BBB Act provides further voluntary incentives like cover crops, nutrient management, buffers, and incentives for locally-led conservation efforts that will help reduce the carbon intensity of agriculture even further, helping biofuel producers provide an even lower carbon liquid fuel at a time when demand for low carbon fuels is rising. As biofuel producers capture the value of low carbon farming practices, farmers would also have the opportunity to benefit in the form of premium prices for their commodities. These further reductions are important to ensure a long-term future for biofuels as policymakers and the public look to lower the carbon intensity of transportation."
National Farmers Union
“Family farmers and ranchers are an essential part of the climate solution. We are pleased the framework invests in programs to help accelerate implementation of climate-smart practices on farms and ranches, and demonstrates support for biofuels. These efforts will also help to make farms more resilient in the face of extreme weather events and other natural disasters exacerbated by climate change. The framework includes a multitude of investments to help rural America, including establishing the Rural Partnership Program (RPP), improving quality and affordability of health care, and ensuring more children have access to healthy meals year-round. We appreciate that the tax provisions in the framework are focused on making sure the highest income Americans pay their fair share, and changes to the tax code do not include elimination of the ‘stepped-up basis’ at death. Once more, this framework is an important and critical opportunity to improve the lives of millions and, along with the Bipartisan Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act, should be passed into law.” Read more…
National Sustainable Agriculture Coalition
“The National Sustainable Agriculture Coalition (NSAC) applauds the House of Representatives for recognizing the importance of this long-awaited climate and social spending package which addresses some of the most pressing issues facing farming and food systems today. Overall, this package includes more than $90 billion in agriculture, forestry, rural development and nutrition investments. In the face of a changing climate, extreme weather events impacting farmers and ranchers, and significant supply chain disruptions impacting the food system nationwide, these investments are long overdue. We urge swift action by the Senate to get this crucial legislation passed with agricultural spending intact, to help build back a resilient food and farming system and confront the climate crisis.”
National Young Farmers Coalition (Young Farmers)
“The Build Back Better Act includes once-in-a-generation investments in conservation programs, positioning farmers and climate-smart agriculture practices as key strategies to mitigate climate change and build resiliency. Investments in conservation and climate resilience such as EQIP, as well as investments in programs beyond the farm gate like affordable college, immigration, and farmworker health and safety are essential to the functioning of our agriculture system. We applaud the inclusion of $200 million for farm workers and food worker relief,” said Vanessa Garcia Polanco, Federal Policy Director of Young Farmers. Read more…
National Biodiesel Board
"Biodiesel is a better, cleaner fuel that reduces carbon emissions by 74% on average and cuts criteria pollutant emissions," said Kurt Kovarik, NBB's Vice President of Federal Affairs."Expanding consumer access to low-carbon biodiesel and Bioheat® fuel through infrastructure grants can generate immediate health care benefits and savings for many communities at a very low-cost." Read more…
National Alliance of Forest Owners (NAFO)
“The National Alliance of Forest Owners (NAFO) is pleased to see robust funding for the Forest Inventory and Analysis (FIA) program and Wood Innovation Grants (WIGs) in the House Agriculture Committee’s reconciliation package. We eagerly await full text from the House Agriculture Committee and inclusion of this funding in the Senate package, but we are encouraged by the information provided to date. Together, private working forests and forest products already deliver real carbon benefits and provide promising potential for the future. Increased funding to collect and analyze data, enhance R&D, and share information about building with wood are critical to helping us document, understand and advance the climate benefits of working forests and forest products.”
