Climate Change & Sustainable Agriculture
With the world population estimated to reach 9 billion by 2050, the entire agriculture supply chain must work together to efficiently and responsibly lay the groundwork for the future. Not only do farmers look to their ag retailer for advice to boosts yields and profits, they are increasingly seeking out agronomic insights that also help improve soil, water and other natural resources.
Each year, ARA membership decides a new set of policy issues the association will focus on with elected officials and key regulatory agencies in Washington, D.C. The established set of policy issues typically drive discussions during the annual ARA Legislative Fly-In. Read more about ARA's proposed solutions related to climate change and sustainable ag practices.
Current State
- ARA is a member of the Food & Ag Climate Alliance, a coalition consisting of organizations representing all sectors of America’s agricultural industry as well as forest owners, the food sector and environmental advocates working together to define and promote shared climate policy priorities.
- Ag retailers and their farmer customers are on the frontlines of climate impacts and an integral part of the climate solutions.
- To achieve this objective, ARA is a leading voice in the Sustainability Programming for Ag Retailers and CCAs (SPARC) Initiative.
- By providing voluntary, incentive-based tools to farmers, ranchers, and forest owners, they can maximize the sequestration of carbon and the reduction of other greenhouse gas emissions, as well as increase the resilience of the land.
- ARA has prioritized defining the interests of retailers and farmers in carbon markets and provide the education and tools needed to facilitate adoption of practices and provide a baseline of success in the carbon markets.
While the public has a growing interest in how food, fiber, and fuel is produced, the agricultural community continues to find innovative ways to increase efficiency and produce more with less, while protecting the environment. As farming becomes increasingly complex, many factors must be considered by farmers as they make decisions about planting; fertilizing; managing for disease and pests; and conserving energy, soil and water. A new opportunity emerges for ag retailers to help farmers navigate this complex decision matrix by combining agronomic advice with sustainability insights to drive continuous improvement in the productivity, profitability and environmental outcomes of farmers’ operations.
ARA's Position
- Support the Growing Climate Solutions Act (H.R. 2820/S. 1251).
- Support the development and oversight of private sector markets for greenhouse gas (GHG) credits.
- Promote public and private sector tools to incentivize farmers, ranchers and forest owners to prioritize and scale climate-smart practices through USDA-NRCS conservation programs including the promotion of soil health as well as GHG mitigation and adaption.
- Offer incentives for farmers to reduce energy consumption, increase use of on-farm renewable energy, and make continued progress toward reducing the lifecycle GHG emissions of agriculture- and forestry-based renewable energy
Background
SPARC
ARA is a leading voice in the Sustainability Programming for Ag Retailers and Certified Crop Advisors (SPARC) Initiative. By providing voluntary, incentive-based tools to farmers, ranchers and forest owners, they are able to maximize the sequestration of carbon and the reduction of other greenhouse gas emissions, as well as increase the resilience of the land. ARA also in favor of:
- Supporting the development and oversight of private sector markets for GHG credits.
- Promoting public and private sector tools to incentivize farmers, ranchers and forest owners to prioritize and scale climate-smart practices.
- Offering incentives for farmers to reduce energy consumption, increase use of on-farm renewable energy, and make continued progress toward reducing the lifecycle GHG emissions of agriculture- and forestry-based renewable energy.
- Increasing federal investment in agriculture, forestry and food-related research substantially and continuously.
Food & Ag Climate Alliance
ARA is a member of the Food & Ag Climate Alliance, a coalition consisting of organizations representing all sectors of America’s agricultural industry as well as forest owners, the food sector and environmental advocates working together to define and promote shared climate policy priorities. Progress in addressing climate change and promoting sustainable agricultural practices can only be achieved by:
- Supporting voluntary, market- and incentive-based policies.
- Advancing peer reviewed, science-based outcomes.
- Promoting resilience and helping rural economies better adapt to climate change.
Get Involved with ARA
ARA members are committed to finding innovative ways to increase efficiency and produce more with less, while protecting the environment's natural resources. Join ARA's new Climate Stewardship/Carbon Credits Working Group to work with other retailers and suppliers to form priorities for ARA to share with lawmakers and regulators as climate-smart ag practices and carbon markets are seen as solutions to climate change. View this ARA blog post to see how ARA is leading in the climate and carbon credit market discussion.
Questions? Send questions to the ARA policy team of experts via the DC Help Desk.