Betsy Mills
By Betsy Mills
I want to bring attention to some positive developments that may be slipping under some Hoosiers’ radar. Republican U.S. Senators Mike Braun and Todd Young have been hard at work in Washington, collaborating on the bipartisan Growing Climate Solutions Act – common sense legislation that will provide economic opportunities for Indiana farmers while also helping the environment.
The Growing Climate Solutions Act will direct the U.S. Department of Agriculture to develop a program that allows farmers to connect to and participate in existing carbon credit markets. Indiana farmers and foresters would be able to access resources to learn about and implement carbon-reducing agricultural techniques like planting cover crops. Not only would this voluntary program reduce emissions, but it would also enrich the quality of the farmed land – a win/win for farmers and our planet.
This legislation gives our Hoosier farmers one more tool to diversify their lands and strengthen their businesses. And it’s going to strengthen our Hoosier economy – in Indiana, agriculture contributes about $31.2 billion to our state’s balance sheet. We have more than 94,000 farmers and 56,000 farming operations statewide, and 96% of those farms are family-owned. These are our neighbors and our friends, who work day in and day out to bring us the best crops on the planet – the food we enjoy in our restaurants, grocery stores, and places like the Middletown, New Castle, and Rushville farmers markets. The Growing Climate Solutions Act will help us to secure an economically stronger future for those hardworking Hoosier farmers.
As the bill sponsor and co-sponsor, Senators Braun and Young have helped advance the Growing Climate Solutions Act out of the Senate by an overwhelming 92-8 bipartisan vote – a huge accomplishment in this political climate! I hope the Senators will keep up the good work and continue pushing for passage of this legislation through Congress. The sooner Congress passes the Growing Climate Solutions Act, the better off our Hoosier farmers – and, by extension, our Hoosier economy – will be.
Betsy Mills is a member of the Henry County Council and a Republican candidate for State Representative (House District 54). Send comments to [email protected].
