The following describes some of our activities in attempting to influence the design of climate policy to benefit farmers who employ practices with climate benefits.
Recommendations to Governor-elect Jerry Brown
In November 2011, CalCAN released a set of recommendations to Governor-elect Brown entitled California Agriculture in a Changing Climate: Policy Recommendations for the Next California Governor. It includes a range of legislative, administrative and budgetary actions needed to support California agriculture in coping with climate change.
Read more here.
California Air Resources Board
The California Air Resources Board (CARB) is the agency responsible for implementing California’s landmark climate legislation AB 32. CalCAN monitors aspects of CARB’s rulemaking process and provides written and verbal testimony as needed, as well as organizing letters from allied organizations and farmers.
Examples of testimony can be found here.
Federal Climate Policy
Although CalCAN primarily works at the state level in California, when federal policy directly impacts California, we bring the voice of California’s sustainable farming community to Congress. We monitor federal climate legislation and Farm Bill legislation, and educate members of Congress about the role of organic and sustainable agriculture in climate protection.
One example of this activity is a letter to U.S. Senators on need for a federal climate change bill – July 13, 2010 – View PDF
SB 1241: The Agriculture Climate Benefits Act
In February 2010, Senator Lois Wolk (D-Davis) introduced SB 1241, sponsored by a group organized by CalCAN, the Agriculture and Climate Coalition. Details on the bill are available here.
