Specialty crop champion Senate Agriculture Committee Chairwoman Debbie Stabenow stressed the importance of industry engagement on immigration and climate change legislation in a Sept. 22 address to the United Fresh Produce Association’s Washington Conference.
Speaking at the breakfast general session, Stabenow, D-Mich., also touched on infrastructure legislation, nutrition programs and the farm bill.
“It’s so good to see everyone without being in a box on my computer,” Stabenow joked in greeting the crowd. “Real people, this is really great!”
Praising the advocacy work of United Fresh, Stabenow noted she helped put the specialty crop title in the 2008 and subsequent farm bills, said the industry is at the “big kids’ table” in Washington.
She urged the produce industry to be vocal on the need for immigration reform.
“Please be loud when you are on the Hill about these issues that relate to labor,” she said.
“We don’t need crops rotting in the fields because there aren’t enough workers; it’s that simple,” she said. “And a workable guest worker program as a critical part of this.”
Stabenow also said she has been working on legislation to address the climate crisis, notably the Growing Climate Solutions Act.
“If you want to measure the carbon that you are keeping in the ground or in the trees, and you want to take that to a carbon market, how do we make sure that kind of voluntary market works for agriculture?” she asked.
Stabenow called the legislation a bipartisan, producer-led voluntary approach that won overwhelming support in the Senate. Now the challenge is to look for resources to be able to fund the program, she said.
She said the investment in climate change solutions is sorely needed, noting that multiple extreme weather events are taking a toll on farmers and the U.S. budget.
Federal funds used on disaster recovery from extreme weather events have averaged more than $100 billion in recent years, she said.
“We’re paying an awful lot for not acting, and we can use the same amount of money we’re doing … and actually support efforts to act that would get us beyond what’s happening with these wildfires and (other disasters),” she said. “Now is the moment to act.”
Stabenow said agriculture could provide 10% to 15% of the climate change solution. With the right incentives, she said agriculture and forestry could be carbon negative in the next 10 years.
