WASHINGTON —  A broad coalition of 132 conservation, farmer and rancher, and hunting and angling groups, and food and agriculture companies highlighted the “transformative” investments the Inflation Reduction Act will make in Farm Bill conservation programs and the bill’s support for climate-smart agricultural practices. 

“Farmers, ranchers, and foresters are ready to adopt practices that sequester carbon and reduce emissions if they are provided the tools and resources to make that goal a reality,” the coalition wrote in the letter to congressional leadership. “Increasing funding for the Farm Bill conservation programs and climate-smart agriculture and ramping up conservation technical assistance on the ground will enable landowners to mitigate the impacts of drought and flood, restore wildlife habitat, improve soil health and long-term food security, create new job opportunities for rural economies, and galvanize the agriculture sector to lead the charge in our fight against climate change. 

“Passing the Inflation Reduction Act represents the best opportunity in decades to meet farmer demand for conservation programs.”

The letter’s signatories are the National Wildlife Federation, AFGE Local 3354, Alabama State Association of Cooperatives, American Farmland Trust, American Forest Foundation, American Society of Agronomy, American Sustainable Business Network, Amy's Kitchen, Association of Illinois Soil and Water Conservation Districts, Audubon of the Western Everglades, Bee Girl, Bonterra Organic Estates, California Climate & Agriculture Network, California Farmers Union, Capital Region Land Conservancy, Carbon180, Carolina Farm Stewardship Association, Center for Rural Affairs, Chesapeake Bay Foundation, Citizens' Climate Lobby, Climate Land Leaders - Sharing Our Roots, Climate Positive Consulting, Coastal Enterprises, Inc., Community Alliance with Family Farmers, Conservation Coalition of Oklahoma, Conservation Federation of Missouri, Crop Science Society of America, Danone North America, PBC, Darden's  Farm / Health Services, Defenders of Wildlife, Dr. Bronner's, Earthjustice, Environmental Law & Policy Center, Environmental Working Group, Farm Aid, Farmer Focus, Florida Wildlife Federation, Food Animal Concerns Trust (FACT), Food in Neighborhoods Community Coalition, Foodshed Capital, Friends of the Mississippi River, Grand Traverse Regional Land Conservancy, Great Lakes Business Network, Hempstead Project Heart, Illinois Council of Trout Unlimited, Illinois Environmental Council, Illinois Stewardship Alliance, Indiana Sportsmen's Roundtable, Indiana Wildlife Federation, Indigo Ag, Institute for Agriculture and Trade Policy, International Certified Crop Advisers, the Izaak Walton League of America, Bush Lake Izaak Walton Chapter, Damascus Chapter of the Izaac Walton League of America, Cypress Chapter of the Izaak Walton League of America, Dwight Lydell Chapter of the Izaak Walton League of America, Florida Division of the Izaak Walton League of America, Florida Keys Chapter of the Izaak Walton League of America, Great Lakes Committee of the Izaak Walton League of America, Illinois Division of the Izaak Walton League of America, Mid-Shore Chapter of the Izaak Walton League of America, Oregon Division of the Izaak Walton League of America, Wildlife Achievement Chapter of the Izaak Walton League of America, Fort Wayne Chapter of the Izaak Walton League of America, Johns Hopkins Center for a Liveable Future, Kansas Wildlife Federation, Lancaster Farmland Trust, Land For Good, Land Trust Alliance, League of Conservation Voters, Maine Farmland Trust, Maine Organic Farmers and Gardeners Association, Michigan Food & Farming Systems, Michigan League of Conservation Voters, Milwaukee Riverkeeper, Mississippi River Network, Montana Wildlife Federation, National Association of Conservation Districts, National Audubon Society, National Center for Appropriate Technology, National Deer Association, National Latino Farmers and Ranchers, National Mississippi River Museum & Aquarium, National Sustainable Agriculture Coalition, National Young Farmers Coalition, Natural Resources Defense Council, New Belgium Brewing, New Mexico Healthy Soil Working Group, North American Grouse Partnership, North Dakota Wildlife Federation, Northeast Organic Dairy Producers Alliance, Northeast Organic Farming Association of Vermont, Northern Plains Resource Council (Soil Task Force), Oak Grove Presbyterian Green Committee, Ohio Conservation Federation, Ohio Ecological Food and Farm Association, Ohio Environmental Council, Oklahoma Association of Conservation Districts, Oregon Agricultural Trust, Oregon Climate and Agriculture Network, Oregon Tilth, Organic Farming Research Foundation, Organic Valley | CROPP Cooperative, Pasa Sustainable Agriculture, PennFuture, Pesticide Action Network, Pheasants Forever, Plant Based Foods Association, Pollinator Partnership, Prairie Rivers Network, Quail Forever, River Network, Rural Coalition, Savanna Institute, Soil Science Society of America, Stonyfield Organic, The Breakthrough Institute, The Conservation Fund, The Lois Green-Sligo Chapter of the IWLA, The Nature Conservancy, The Wildlife Society, Theodore Roosevelt Conservation Partnership, Trostle Brothers LLC, Trust for Public Land, Union of Concerned Scientists, Vermont Land Trust, Virginia Association for Biological Farming, Wallace Center at Winrock International, Wild Farm Alliance, World Farmers Inc., and World Wildlife Fund.