U.S. House of Representatives Advances the Farm Bill
Congress must pass a full five-year Farm Bill this year that invests in farmers, ranchers and forest landowners.
Media Contacts
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Becca Rohrer
Associate Director of Communications, North America Policy
The Nature Conservancy
Email: rebecca.rohrer@tnc.org
On April 30, United States House of Representatives advanced the Farm Bill. In response to this news, Kameran Onley, managing director of North American Policy and Government Relations at The Nature Conservancy, issued the following statement.
“Farms, ranches and forests are fundamental to the well-being of people across the United States. They are the source of food, jobs, clean drinking water and so much more that we rely on to lead healthy and prosperous lives.
“The Farm Bill is the single largest source of federal funding to support the stewards of this land. With funding and technical support via Farm Bill programs, private landowners can voluntarily conserve, restore and manage their land in a way that benefits them, the communities where they live and people worldwide.
“We are grateful that members of the U.S. House of Representatives from across the aisle came together today to advance this bill. It’s essential to pass a full five-year Farm Bill this year that invests in farmers, ranchers and forest landowners—who, collectively, manage more than half the total land area in the U.S. We encourage the U.S. Senate to move quickly on its own Farm Bill proposal."
“We support a Farm Bill that promotes practices which restore soil health, conserve wildlife habitat, improve water quality and supply, maintain healthy and resilient forests, support home-grown energy production, and promote opportunities for all agricultural producers to access the markets and programs they need in order to thrive.
“Passing a Farm Bill this year is important to the economy. According to Nature’s Dividends, a report commissioned by The Nature Conservancy, agriculture and related industries added $9.5 trillion to the economy and supported 47 million jobs in 2023. The report also concluded that, through harvesting timber, the forest products industry generates $435 billion in economic activity each year and directly supports nearly 1 million jobs.
“As owners, operators and managers of agricultural land, TNC is committed to partnering with private landowners to advocate for practical on-the-ground and science-based solutions that support people and nature."
The Nature Conservancy is a global conservation organization dedicated to conserving the lands and waters on which all life depends. Guided by science, we create innovative, on-the-ground solutions to our world’s toughest challenges so that nature and people can thrive together. We are tackling climate change, conserving lands, waters and oceans at an unprecedented scale, providing food and water sustainably and helping make cities more resilient. The Nature Conservancy is working to make a lasting difference around the world in 83 countries and territories (39 by direct conservation impact and 44 through partners) through a collaborative approach that engages local communities, governments, the private sector, and other partners. For more news, visit our newsroom or follow The Nature Conservancy on LinkedIn.
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