Farmers Urge Governor-elect Brown to Tackle Climate Change Impacts on Agriculture

Posted on Monday, November 22nd, 2010 by Renata Brillinger

CalCAN has released a set of recommendations to Governor-elect Jerry Brown. The report, California Agriculture in a Changing Climate: Policy Recommendations for the Next California Governor, outlines a range of legislative, administrative and budgetary actions needed to support California agriculture in coping with climate change.

In a press release announcing the report, Craig McNamara, owner of Sierra Orchards and founder of the Center for Land-Based Learning, was quoted as saying “We have the opportunity to support the climate benefits of sustainable agriculture. We look forward to working with Governor- elect Brown to support California agriculture in tackling a changing climate.”

The recommendations include:

  • Establish an Office of Climate Change Adaptation, with an agriculture division
  • Allocate a portion of cap-and-trade allowance revenue to fund research, technical assistance and on-farm practices that have climate and other environmental benefits
  • Establish a farmland mitigation fund to protect farmland and facilitate smart growth
  • Remove barriers to on-farm-renewable energy generation

“California’s $37 billion agriculture sector needs leadership from the Governor’s office to help us remain a viable part of the economy in the face of a changing climate,” said Judith Redmond, co-owner of Full Belly Farm, Board member of Community Alliance with Family Farmers, and an advisor on the report.

The recommendations were prepared by the California Climate and Agriculture Network (CalCAN) in consultation with advisors and experts in sustainable agriculture. CalCAN is a coalition of organic and sustainable farming organizations advocating for policies that incentivize climate-friendly agriculture practices that have additional environmental and health co-benefits.

The full set of recommendations is available to download on the CalCAN website.

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