Center stage: Climate change & infrastructure

As President Biden’s first 100 days passed, his long-term agenda came more into focus during his first address to Congress. As the president, Congress and the American public begin looking beyond COVID and the pandemic, President Biden is eyeing an aggressive infrastructure package, along with continuing financial incentives for farmers to address greenhouse gas emissions and water, among other environmental impacts.

Before we go on to those proposals, we need to first recognize the significant drought facing the West. From California to Nevada to Oregon and Arizona (among other states), farmers are once again facing drought conditions that are significantly impacting water availability and crop management. As drought continues to take hold, states such as California have introduced bills that include up to $3.4 billion in drought measures. The Biden administration has also announced that there is now an interagency working group regarding this drought that is being co-chaired by the U.S. Department of Agriculture and the U.S. Department of the Interior. The working group is tasked with not only identifying immediate financial and technical assistance for impacted farmers but also building upon existing resources to help coordinate response measures across the federal government.

Regarding climate change, the USDA continues to work with members of Congress in identifying opportunities to incentivize farmers to engage in climate-smart agriculture. In the Senate, a bipartisan climate bill has been introduced that creates voluntary environmental credit markets that address carbon emissions and other ecosystem service benefits, such as water quality, water quantity and wildlife habitat enhancement. These programs will be designed to supplement, not replace, the current farm bill conservation programs, such as the Environmental Quality Incentives Program, etc.

While there is no clear timetable for either an agricultural climate or an infrastructure bill, leaders of the House and Senate, along with the president, have all indicated that these remain priorities.

Unfortunately, the path to a bipartisan infrastructure package seems to be not as stable, similar to many of our roads and bridges. In the spring, President Biden announced his American Jobs Plan. While the president hopes that this plan will serve as the base for an infrastructure bill considered by Congress, many agricultural stakeholders believe it does not go far enough in increasing the investment in water conveyance and storage, while promoting the well-being and sustainability of U.S. agriculture.

While there is no clear timetable for either an agricultural climate or an infrastructure bill, leaders of the House and Senate, along with the president, have all indicated that these remain priorities.

Finally, this is my last column with the Irrigation Association. After nearly 13 years with the association, I will be joining Netafim as its global chief sustainability officer. I will remember my experiences with the IA fondly, and I can only hope we have made — and will continue to make — a difference in your lives and businesses over the years.

John Farner was the industry development director for the Irrigation Association and federal affairs director for the National Ground Water Association. He joined Netafim in May 2021.