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Solutions from the Land: 30×30 plan needs more dialogue
The president of Solutions from the Land says President Biden’s 30×30 plan needs more dialogue.
“While we’re in alignment on the role of agriculture as delivering climate solutions, we just think we need to go slow and understand what’s behind the 30×30 plan because done right, agriculture can be further enabled and deliver the types of climate solutions that the world is looking for but done wrong, agriculture can be stifled,” he says. “When people start talking about 30×30 and they hear preserving more land, that’s a big red flag for agirulcutre.”
Ernie Shea tells Brownfield working lands like farms, ranches, and forests need to be part of the climate conversation.
“Taking working lands out of production and preserving them could be walking us backwards,” he says. “So that’s one reason why we’d like to take a closer look before we sign on as a group of farmer- and rancher- leaders.”
He says the organization appreciates Ag Secretary Tom Vilsack’s reassurance that the plan to conserve 30 percent of both U.S. land and water by 2030 is not a “land grab.”
“Secretary Vilsack has it right that agriculture has to be successful,” he says. “There has to be an economically viable business plan for farms and ranches. You can’t just expect these outcomes to happen- they require investment, innovation, hard work and technology. So, these lands have to be working and if they’re working in a healthy way, they’ll not only benefit farm families, local communities, but they’ll deliver community- wide, nation-wide, and global-wide benefits. A good example of those benefits is climate change solutions.”
Solutions From the Land is encouraging the administration to seek more input from stakeholders.
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Audio: Ernie Shea
