U.S. Farmers & Ranchers in Action “Food Farm Facts” Podcast
In November 2020, U.S. Nature4Climate was proud to participate in U.S. Farmers and Ranchers in Action’s “Food Farm Facts” podcast, which is dedicated to bringing together sustainability thought leaders in the food and agriculture sector, with special attention paid to the farmers and ranchers who are taking action to make U.S. agriculture more sustainable.
The podcast discussed the work U.S. Nature4Climate is doing to facilitate cross-sectoral collaboration to increase support for Natural Climate Solutions. The episode also featured the perspectives of small forest-owner Rebecca Tuuk and Maryland farmer and Chair of U.S. Farmers & Ranchers in Action Chip Bowling, who discussed how forest owners, farmers, corporations and non-profit organizations are working together to share lessons learned and adopt best practices as landowners.
During the episode, Cathy Macdonald, the Chair of U.S. Nature4Climate Coalition’s Steering Committee, spoke about the un-tapped potential of Natural Climate Solutions to play a key role in efforts to rein in climate change.
“Unfortunately, natural and working lands are not often thought about by the people that are focused on advancing climate mitigation. Investments in Natural Climate Solutions have been much lower than investments and other important climate mitigation strategies. By being able to pull together a diverse set of organizations and great networks like U.S. Farmers and Ranchers in Action, we’re hoping we can do more to kind of elevate the importance of natural and working lands,” Macdonald said.
Bowling highlighted why they chose to become involved in the U.S. Nature4Climate coalition: “We knew as an organization and as a board that someone had to take the lead on climate change and how we’re going to change it as agriculture.”
Bowling sounded a hopeful note about U.S. agriculture’s future role in addressing climate change. “I think [in five years] we’re in a better place than where we are now because we’re doing practices that are making a difference. We understand now that what we’re doing, we have the data and science tells the truth that how we’re farming and where we’re farming does make a difference.”
Outdoor Industry Association’s “Climate Klatch” Podcast
Another recently launched podcast, the Outdoor Industry Association’s “Climate Klatch,” highlighted the Outdoor Industry Association’s support for Natural Climate Solutions as part of our overall strategy to address climate change. The podcast featured Amy Horton, OIA’s Sustainable Market Innovation, who highlighted the outdoor recreation industry’s support for natural climate solutions as a key climate strategy.
“We support [carbon] sequestration as part of a comprehensive solution to climate change that also includes reducing emissions,” Horton said. “We’re asking Congress and federal agencies to protect and preserve our country’s lands and waters as Natural Climate Solutions, so the forests, farms, wetlands, grasslands have the potential to absorb more than 20% of greenhouse gas pollution in the United States – equivalent to the emissions from all U.S. vehicles.”
These podcasts highlighted the diverse and growing coalition supporting Natural Climate Solutions – a coalition that includes environmental organizations, farmers, forest owners, sustainability-focused businesses and the outdoor recreation industry.
“There are also some really unique coalitions forming that we in the outdoor industry are participating in alongside your traditional conservation and land groups, the hunting and fishing community, farming and ranchers. We’re all coming together to promote what are called natural climate solutions,” Horton said, mentioning U.S. Nature4Climate and Conservations for Climate Solutions as two examples.
Nathan Henry is the Project Manager for U.S. Nature4Climate.