Former USDA Under Secretary and former Nebraska Commissioner of Agriculture Greg Ibach spoke last week at the Governor’s Ag Summit held at the South Dakota State University campus at Brookings. Ibach is now working with the University of Nebraska. He told the gathering at the Ag Summit that he is to evaluate the agricultural research and how it will impact public policy. Ibach informed the ag summit attendees that two-thirds of the nation believe in climate change, and he says the percentage is higher in Asian nations and in Europe. The former USDA under secretary says consumers are basing their food purchases on their perception of climate change.
Ibach says Congress has already started conversations about the next farm bill, and he says consumers are wanting to incorporate more climate change provisions within the farm bill. Ibach says the Biden administration has already funded about a billion dollars to offer incentives for climate smart initiatives involving agriculture.
Ibach says environmental groups are requesting farmers do more than they already have been in terms of conservation measures.
Ibach says the prominent thought in Washington D.C. these days is to forget about the all the conservation measures, and instead think only about carbon sequestration. He says he is worried about that line of thinking. He urges farmers and ranchers to visit with their Congressional delegation, and to preserve traditional conservation measures, and to fight against the new thinking of carbon sequestration is the only item that matters.
