The National Agricultural Landscapes Forum brought together thought-leaders from around the country to foster a deeper understanding and dialogue about major trends and issues shaping the future of agriculture, conservation and rural regions. Held April 7 and 8 in the shadow of a federal government shutdown, the forum put forward policy and program opportunities to increase government effectiveness and engender cross-jurisdictional collaborations that improve agricultural and conservation outcomes in a sober budgetary environment.

The following is the first in a series of stories that will reflect on the major themes from the forum and what they mean for 21st century agriculture.

A failure to plan is a plan to fail

(L to R) Blue Ribbon Panel Members A.G. Kawamura, Patrick O'Toole and Varel Bailey

The need to think strategically about the future of agriculture was a sentiment shared among the conservation leadership gathered at the recent National Agricultural Landscapes Forum. Looking at the landscape from his vantage as former California Secretary of Agriculture, A.G.Kawamura described California AgVision 2030—a stakeholder-driven effort to shape the state’s food and farming system—as an example of how to bring diverse interests to the table to move agricultural policy into the 21st century. Calling for an agricultural renaissance, Kawamura shared his perspective on converging watersheds, foodsheds and energysheds that will create dynamic communities and end the 20th century exodus from rural America. “The human landscape means there’s an ag landscape as a part of the human environment,” he explained. “How do we plan the environment so it’s sustainable in all its different aspects?”

One answer came from Richard Barringer, Research Professor in Planning, Development and Environment at the University of Southern Maine. Barringer pointed to the New England governors’ Report of the Blue Ribbon Commission on Land Conservation. This ground-breaking initiative addresses five regional landscape themes, including keeping “Farmlands in Farming” and “Forests as Forests.” While New England, according to Barringer, is a “land of rugged individualists, we’re living in new time,” and this effort embodies several key principles: private ownership creates challenges and opportunity; collaboration is absolutely necessary; and conservation solely for natural benefits is no longer enough–today we must incorporate the social and economic benefits. Working together must be a part of the plan. Inspired by U.S. Secretary of Agriculture Tom Vilsak’s address at an America’s Great Outdoors workshop in March, Barringer concluded, “Our conservation legacy will be defined by new partnerships and collaboration.”

A changing demographic landscape

A necessity for more effective collaboration points to a need to understand who will be farming in the 21^st century. In a poignant keynote address, Sec. Vilsak’s Chief of Staff, Krysta Harden, asked, “Are we talking to all the right people to ask them what they need or are we only talking to people we are comfortable with and know?” She pressed further: “Are we talking to people who feel like they don’t usually have a place at the table?”

According to the most recent USDA Census of Agriculture, the average age of farmers in the country is 57.

Walter Hill, Dean of the College of Agricultural, Environmental and Natural Sciences at Tuskegee University, reminded us that historically we have not succeeded in engaging the whole community. The 2007 Census of Agriculture shows growing ethnic, racial and gender diversity and a rapidly aging farm population. Farm operators 75 years and older increased by 20 percent while those under age 25 dropped 30 percent. Farmers aged 65 or older own 21 percent of America’s farmland, suggesting a huge transfer of land is imminent.

Hill challenged the audience, comprised largely of gray-haired men, “to get inclusion from every group that you can.” He advised, “Building trust is a monster; it takes time.” By 2042, the U.S. Census Bureau also predicts that current minority populations will become the majority, and it is time to start now if we want to be ready.

Beyond the tipping point?

As former Secretary of Vermont Agency of Agriculture, Food and Markets Roger Allbee pointed out, it has been 30 years since the National Agricultural Lands Study (NALS), the only time the federal government has comprehensively assessed the challenges and opportunities facing the nation’s agricultural land base. Since then, he said, “We’ve lost as much farmland as Illinois and New Jersey put together.” Proportionally more of our best land has been lost, especially prime farmland and cropland. As Craig Cox, senior vice president of Agriculture and Natural Resources at Environmental Working Group stated bluntly, “The 21st century reality is we’ll have less land and water with which to do more.”

Since NALS, we have developed 41 million acres of rural land—or one out of three acres ever developed in this country. Cox was spot on when he said we’ve been “losing rather than gaining ground.”

(L to R) Ross Racine, Jon Scholl, Otto Doering III, Varel Bailey, Julia Freedgood, A.G. Kawamura, John Stierna

Assuming development continues its historical pattern—consuming our best agricultural soils fastest— Jeff Herrick, research soil scientist with USDA Agricultural Research Service, believes demand for farmland will drive expansion onto marginal lands or rangelands. He called for resilient landscapes that have the capacity to recover from extreme weather events: “Sustainable production at landscape scale.” However, with a rapid increase in non-operator landowners, especially in the Corn Belt, Iowa State Assistant Professor J. Gordon Arbuckle, Jr., predicts that future landowners will be further removed from the land, both geographically and culturally, less likely to participate in working lands programs and will spend less on conservation.

A challenge worth taking

If we continue these patterns, where will we be in 2042 when the world population is predicted to be nine billion people? The National Agricultural Landscapes Forum presented a valuable baseline but now we need to answer the big questions: How much land will we need to meet 21st century demands not just for food, fiber and fuel but also for clean air and water and biodiversity? What do we need to do now to secure it? Who will be the farmers and ranchers of tomorrow and what resources will they have to conserve and protect our precious agricultural landscape?

What rang clear from the voices emerging from the forum was the need to think strategically and plan for the future of agriculture, conservation and our precious land and water resources. As Craig Cox advised, “We will have to run much faster and smarter to stay in the same place.” It has never been more urgent to conduct a forward-looking assessment of the agricultural landscape and create the vision and policy direction needed to ensure—borrowing from Aldo Leopold—its integrity, stability and embodiment of community.

About the Author: Julia Freedgood is Managing Director for Farmland and Communities at American Farmland Trust.

State-level programs and policies have an enormous impact on farming.  State actions can help save land or fuel its loss; they can encourage profitable farming, or inhibit it.  That is why we can be found each year in state legislatures around New England, advocating for measures and funding that help improve farm profitability and retain our working lands.  This year, our No Farms No Food® message was well received by lawmakers at recent “Ag Days” held at the Connecticut Capitol and Massachusetts State House.  These days represent key opportunities to celebrate agriculture and highlight the importance of farmland preservation to lawmakers.

On March 16th, members of the Working Lands Alliance, a farmland protection coalition that we lead in Connecticut, helped showcase the importance of agriculture in that state—a sector that contributes $3.5 billion to the state’s economy.  We joined Gov. Dannel Malloy, newly appointed Commissioner of Agriculture Steven Reviczky and other legislators in sampling the tremendous diversity of Connecticut-grown foods.  We spoke with state leaders about our legislative priorities, especially the importance of new funding for farmland preservation in this tough economic climate.

Three weeks later, we were back with lawmakers, this time at the Massachusetts State House, reminding them how important our farms and farmland are to our economy, environment, and food security. No Farms No Food® buttons, provided by Peeled Snacks, were a huge hit and were seen around the building. We were excited that Secretary of Energy and Environmental Affairs Richard Sullivan highlighted Gov. Deval Patrick’s continued commitment to funding for farmland preservation. Gov. Patrick used the day to announce appointments to the new Massachusetts Food Policy Council—which has been a high priority for us. We also joined with the Massachusetts Farm Bureau and other farm organizations in advocating for state policy changes.

And on May 12, we will join members of the Rhode Island Agricultural Partnership, state officials and lawmakers at the Rhode Island Capitol to unveil a new five-year strategic plan for agriculture in that state.  This plan, which we have helped to facilitate, will provide a road map of needed actions and investments in agriculture to support the business and land use needs of the state’s growing agricultural sector.

Opportunities like this to educate lawmakers about the impact of state policies and programs on local farms are critically important.  While organized by farmers, these Ag Days benefit all of us who care about the future of local farms and farmland.

About the Author: Ben Bowell is the New England Field Representative for American Farmland Trust, and is currently serving as the Interim Director for the Working Lands Alliance.

The nation has its eyes on agriculture, with the U.S. Department of Agriculture recently celebrating National Agriculture Week and countless state and local organizations recognizing the importance of our working lands and the farmers and ranchers who manage them. However, since 1982, the U.S. developed 41 million rural acres—that’s one out of three acres ever developed in this country! Looking forward, with a third of farm operators now older than age 65, a huge transfer of land and resources is imminent. Given an estimated world population of nine billion people in 2050, even greater competition for land and water is looming on the horizon.

With this expected population growth, how much land and water do we need to meet present and future demands for food, energy and environmental services? Have we already converted/diverted too much? How do we ensure conservation outcomes while preserving land and water rights?

Recognizing tight budgets and multiple resource demands, 21st century solutions will require greater cooperation among agricultural producers, all levels of government and private-sector partners to focus on conservation outcomes instead of jurisdictional authorities. Toward this end, American Farmland Trust has partnered with USDA Natural Resources Conservation Service and Farm Foundation NFP to host a National Agricultural Landscape Forum in Washington, D.C., on April 7–8, 2011.

Guided by a Blue Ribbon Panel of leaders in agriculture and conservation, authorities from around the country will debate new policy approaches that are needed to sustain agriculture as a vital component of the nation’s landscape and to protect the health of the precious natural resources upon which our nation’s security depends.

Regional roundtables are currently being held by Farm Foundation NFP to bring diverse “on-the-ground” perspectives to inform forum discussions. Outcomes from the roundtables and national forum are part of the public input process required by the Soil and Water Resources Conservation Act (RCA) and will be used to improve the efficiency and effectiveness of federal programs aimed at improving environmental quality and rural development.

Creating opportunities to work together in a strategic, coordinated fashion is essential. How do we redesign the institutional structures we have now to reduce silos and promote partnerships among agencies, levels of government and producers? Finding ways to increase collaboration and share scarce resources is a sentiment shared by our national leaders. As Sen. Pat Roberts (R-Kan.), Ranking Member of the Senate Ag Committee, recently explained in a National Ag Day address, the future of federal agricultural programs is dependent on everyone working together. Sen. Roberts is forming plans with Senate Ag Committee Chairwoman Debbie Stabenow (D-Mich.) to hold farm bill hearings around the country to illuminate key issues in agriculture. With the pending opportunity to share opinions that could inform the outcome of the 2012 Farm Bill, the National Agricultural Landscapes Forum will provide an early incubator for ideas and solutions from a broad spectrum of agricultural and conservation interests.

Engaging with a strong lineup of speakers and presenters, forum-goers will be involved in discussions that will shape future policy and determine the course of agriculture over the coming years. Deputy Secretary of Agriculture Kathleen Merrigan will carry on the energy of National Ag Week and kick off the forum as keynote speaker. A G Kawamura, former California Secretary of Agriculture and partner with us in the ground-breaking Ag Vision 2030 initiative, will present on “Foodsheds, Energy Sheds and Watersheds.” NRCS Chief Dave White will provide a venue to share a wide range of concerns as Blue Ribbon Panelists recap what they heard at the Farm Foundation NFP Regional Roundtables.

Please join us, our partners and the Blue Ribbon Panel in a vigorous discussion about how to ensure the health and prosperity of the nation’s agricultural landscape.

Register now for the opportunity to take part in this critically important dialogue.

About the Author: Julia Freedgood is Managing Director for Farmland and Communities at American Farmland Trust.

Walmart Aims to Make Fresh Produce More Affordable By Reducing Transportation Costs

The giant retailer announced Thursday that it would aim to bring down the price of fresh produce by making serious changes to the supply chain, specifically reducing costs in areas such as transportation.

Iowa Proposes Innovative Plan to Boost Local Food Economy

The Iowa Local Food & Farm Plan outlines 34 recommendations as part of a directive from the 2010 Legislature to increase local food production by diversifying existing farm operations and creating jobs in the food and farm sector, keeping dollars in the local community.

House Ag Committee Ranking Member Peterson Announces Committee Democrats

The Democratic Caucus named 20 Democrats, including 13 returning members and seven new members, to the House Agriculture Committee during the 112^th Congress.

Michigan Farm Bequeathed to American Farmland Trust Sets Aside $2.9M for Michigan Farmland Protection

A 660-acre farm in Michigan, bequeathed to American Farmland Trust, was recently sold, establishing the Owen and Ellen Love Family Farmland Protection Fund in honor of the legacy of farmland protection promoted by the fund’s namesakes. Loans will be available to local units of government and land trusts for projects to protect agricultural land in the state of Michigan.

New York Farm Viability Institute Gets Push for Funding From Ag Groups

At the Empire State Council of Agricultural organizations meeting, representatives of many of New York State’s largest agricultural organizations discussed their 2011 priorities, placing financial support for the New York Farm Viability Institute at the top of the list. This goal was established as an effort to foster the retention of farmland and complete a number of ongoing projects involving farmers throughout the state.

Dairy Experts Predict Modest Recovery in 2011

According to a Wisconsin report released Wednesday, milk prices could continue to edge upward this year, but that this would not translate into significant profits for farmers, at least not early on, because of a spike in the price of corn used to feed dairy cows.

The New York Agricultural Society Honors John Lincoln

John Lincoln, the former president of the New York Farm Bureau for 14 years, was recently presented the highest honor by the New York State Agricultural Society. Lincoln helped get the state to pass farmland protection programs and various other initiatives.

This opinion piece was featured in The Delmarva Farmer.

As a person involved in my family’s farm operation, a former EPA agricultural appointee, and the President of American Farmland Trust, an organization that supports farms and conservation, let me be the first to say that our nation faces serious environmental challenges and that agriculture has a central role, both as contributor to the problems and as part of the solution.

Lawsuits are the worst possible and least effective way to address environmental issues, even in the Chesapeake Bay.

In the process of filing suit, trust is destroyed, the environmental challenges get oversimplified and lots of time and money get wasted while the problems persist.

Unfortunately, litigation sets up a fight between clean water and viable farms when there are ways to co-exist—because in the end, both agriculture and environmentalists have a common goal: clean water, a plentiful supply of food and a healthy environment for future generations.

Amidst the shouting and courtroom drama, the stories of producers doing their part to clean up the Bay waters, or of successful collaborations between farmers and environmentalists, will get lost.

At American Farmland Trust (AFT), we are committed to clean water and viable farms, and we know those are not mutually exclusive.

Through our work we’ve seen that there ARE solutions to the Bay’s environmental issues that have the support of agriculture and environmental stakeholders.

What works? The solutions must emanate from a culture of collaboration. Farmers are pragmatic, and they are willing to acknowledge agriculture’s role in contributing to the Bay’s water quality problems. And as someone involved in my family’s farm operation, I know that we want to do our part, to be a part of the solution. When we resort to all or nothing positions, trust and compromise become even more difficult to achieve.

Environmentalists need to acknowledge the complexity of agricultural issues, and together, all of us need to acknowledge that the solutions to help agriculture do its part in cleaning up the Bay are expensive. Simply put, the economic concerns of Chesapeake watershed farmers are not baseless—in fact, they are beyond what most consumers and business owners can comprehend.

We will not get past these barriers, and find a workable combination of farm techniques, policies and regulations to address until all sides talk to each other with patience and reason—two qualities the courtroom doesn’t readily assure.

Over the last 30 years, AFT has worked to bridge the divide between agriculture and environmental interests through policy efforts at the local, state and national level. We’ve bridged the divide through research, and directly by convening disparate interests.

In recent years, AFT has worked with farmers to demonstrate an innovative system that addresses the financial risks that farmers face when adopting new Bay-friendly production methods.

I know our nation’s environmental issues are challenging. I know that finding solutions to the issues of the Chesapeake Bay seem daunting.

I have seen what “opponents” can accomplish when they form a new team and work toward their common goals.

Let’s not delay. Let’s leave the drama in the courtroom, and work together on a new farm team to find solutions that keep our farms and the Bay healthy, now.

About the Author: Jon Scholl is President of American Farmland Trust. Prior to AFT, he served as Counselor to the Administrator for Agriculture Policy at the United States Environmental Protection Agency and as Executive Assistant to the President of the Illinois Farm Bureau.

The 2010 midterm elections brought significant changes to the makeup of Congress.

In the House, the Republican Party gained 63 seats to take a 242 to 193 majority, while in the Senate, the GOP gained five seats, narrowing the Democrat majority from 53 to 47.

The November results also brought a change of leadership at the House Agriculture Committee, where Rep. Frank Lucas (R-Oklahoma) has taken over from outgoing Chairman Collin Peterson (D-Minnesota).

Shortly after the election, in a webinar presented by the Washington, D.C. based law firm McLeod, Watkinson & Miller (“Election Results and the Agriculture Committees”) former Staff Director of the House Agriculture Committee Bill O’Conner pointed out that, “Chairman Peterson had wanted the farm bill in 2011, and incoming Chairman Lucas had never been very excited about that, and has now publicly stated that he thinks it’s better to do the farm bill in 2012. That will give the committee some chance to adapt to the new situation and to do the background hearings necessary to begin to familiarize themselves with the very large and complex jurisdictions in a farm bill.”

A CQ- Roll Call Summary of new House Members indicated that a few freshmen bring an agricultural perspective to Capitol Hill.  Among them is Rick Crawford (R-Arkansas), a self described “deficit hawk” who “spent most of his working life in agriculture-related news services.”

Vicky Hartzler, a new GOP Member from Missouri “owns an agricultural equipment business with her husband,” and has made balancing the budget one of her key priorities; and, a former Ohio Farm Bureau President, Bob Gibbs (R-Ohio) has indicated that “cutting the federal deficit and lowering the national debt” is one of his top concerns.

Representatives Crawford, Hartlzer and Gibbs, will all serve on the House Agriculture Committee.

Balancing fiscal restraint while maintaining a sound national agricultural and food policy will be a key issue as Congress gets to work.

The Hill newspaper reported last week, “Farm subsidies and the Commodity Futures Trade Commission (CFTC) will come under scrutiny from Rep. Jack Kingston (R-Ga.), the new chairman of the [Appropriations] Agriculture subcommittee.”

Rep. Kingston stated that, “If there is an agricultural conservation program that is popular in red states, we have to look at it. If there is an inner-city school lunch program popular in blue states, we have to look at that, too.”

With respect to the Senate makeup and agriculture, the most significant change is the appointment of a new Chairman of the Senate Agriculture Committee.  After Blanche Lincoln (D-Arkansas) was defeated on November 2, and Sen. Kent Conrad (D-North Dakota) opted to retain his chairmanship of the Budget Committee, Democratic Sen. Debbie Stabenow of Michigan became the new leader of the Agriculture Committee.

In her first speech as the new Chairman, Sen. Stabenow indicated last week that, “We are going to have a series of hearings on how the farm bill is working and what should change…[W]e will need to find creative solutions to help our growers manage risk. The safety net might look a little different than it does now.”

According to preliminary media accounts, the mid-term elections may have broken voter turnout records. Clearly the American people are engaged in politics and are looking for leadership on the issues that are important to them. We congratulate those new members of Congress who won elections and are fortunate enough to come to Washington to represent their constituents. We look forward to our continued work with both members of Congress and the administration on issues that are on everyone’s agenda: clean water and air, healthy food and a sustainable future for America’s farms.

While the results of this election changed the make-up of Congress, what hasn’t changed is a number of serious challenges facing U.S. agriculture, from the need to address the loss of farmland, and the overall health of our working lands and water, to keeping our farms economically viable. We face all of these issues at a time when our federal budget is under considerable strain.

One of the biggest opportunities to address these issues is coming up almost immediately—the 2012 Farm Bill. AFT is continuing the leadership it has provided over the years, most recently during the 2008 Farm Bill process, to seek farm policies that better serve farmers, consumers and will help U.S. agriculture maintain a competitive edge in a global economy.

We’re eager to work with Congress to craft appropriate policies in the next farm bill. I’ve never met anyone who didn’t want to help farmers when they do experience a real loss, and prevent them from being whip-sawed by the risks inherent in agriculture.

During the last farm bill, AFT worked to modernize the safety net system by helping to create the Average Crop Revenue Election (ACRE) program that both better manages farmers’ risks and ensures that they only receive payments when demonstrating a loss. As taxpaying families tighten their belts, and our nation faces tough budgetary times, having a government program that supports farmers when they really need it, but only when they need it, is important. ACRE is off to a good start. ACRE’s eligibility requirements ensure that payments are made only when real losses are suffered, not when bureaucratic formulas trigger blind payments under old programs.

We also deeply believe that it’s time to build on our nation’s decades long commitment to the conservation of natural resources. The conservation title of the farm bill helps to improve the soil, water and air of over half the land base of our country—the land owned by America’s farmers and ranchers. These producers steward and maintain these strategic national resources—resources we depend on for food, fiber, renewable energy and environmental services.

The next farm bill can help improve our nation’s partnership with agriculture and push conservation further—as it has every farm bill for over two decades now—and address a number of serious questions, including: How can we improve the adoption of conservation practices? How can we create financial opportunities for producers as they protect wildlife, preserve our soils and clean our water and air?

We don’t produce enough fresh fruits and vegetables in the United States for everyone to eat a balanced and nutritious diet. In fact, it is estimated that we need at least another 13 million acres of farmland growing fruits and vegetables just for Americans to meet the minimum daily requirement of fruits and vegetables set by the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s (USDA) 2005 dietary guidelines. Forward looking policies in the new farm bill can insure we are on the right path to stem the loss of farmland and invest in measures to enhance the production of produce and specialty crops.

Finally, the farm bill can act as a tremendous lever to open up new markets and new income streams for our nations farming and ranching families. We view the next farm bill as a real chance to use government as a partner to spur on private investment and job growth.

The farm bill of course is only one vehicle to address these issues, and I look forward to meeting new members of Congress who can help tackle these challenges while creating sustainable opportunities for one of America’s most important economic sectors —agriculture.

About the Author: Jon Scholl is President of American Farmland Trust. Prior to AFT, he served as Counselor to the Administrator for Agriculture Policy at the United States Environmental Protection Agency. Jon and his family operate a corn and soybean farm in McLean County, Illinois.

Farmers and ranchers across the United States and throughout the world are already experiencing the repercussions of changing weather and climate.  The impacts are particularly felt in the American west where declining water tables, increases in temperature, and a rise of pests and diseases moving into new areas have been linked to the changing climate.

Our ability to adapt through transformations in technology and environmental conditions will be a key factor in the future of agricultural production and economics.  Reacting to these changes will require a broad-based effort from stakeholders across the environmental and agricultural communities.

On July 19, 2010, in Denver, Colorado, we are inviting members of the agricultural community to meet with representatives from the USDA and the White House Council on Environmental Quality in an effort to bring these stakeholders together.  The objective of the one-day session is to help in developing Federal recommendations for adapting to climate change impacts.  In addition to hearing about planning efforts and proposed adaptation strategies, farmers and ranchers will have the opportunity to contribute their feedback on how agricultural producers can adjust their operations to meet an unpredictable future.

The public meeting, Helping Agriculture Adapt to a Changing Climate, is organized by the USDA and co-hosted by American Farmland Trust and the National Center for Atmospheric Research.  A draft agenda and additional information, as well as registration material, are all available online.

Please join us for the meeting and help us to spread the word to other interested parties, including farm groups, trade groups, commodity groups, agritech and agribusiness representatives, insurance representatives, environmental/conservation groups, and local/national land managers/producers.  We look forward to seeing you soon in Denver!

About the Author: Jimmy Daukas is Managing Director, Agriculture and Environment Campaign

A recently released study makes an important point on agriculture’s effect on climate change. The perspective on the positive contribution of increases in agricultural productivity on the potential production of greenhouse gas emissions comes from an unexpected source—Stanford University. This should help broaden the discussion of how agriculture can help combat climate change and introduce some surprising new metrics.

The report concludes that the historical increases in productivity of high-yield or intensive agriculture resulted in less total greenhouse gas emissions. High-yield agriculture, which includes the use of chemical fertilizers, biotechnology,  and mechanization, not only increased the amount of food, feed and fiber produced, but the study found that it also helped  reduce the potential size of agriculture’s carbon footprint.  According to the report, growing and producing more food on less land prevented the conversion of forests, savannahs and native soils to farmland – and that land conversion releases considerable amounts of greenhouse gases into the atmosphere, possibly as much as 590 billion metric tons of carbon dioxide during the 44 year study period.

Read more about the Stanford study.

This is just one aspect of the complex issue of agriculture’s effect on climate change, which is a subset of the much larger set of environmental issues. The study raises an important point but doesn’t answer all the questions. We must find ways to produce more with less; more food, fiber, fuel with less land, water, inputs. But the report is important in illustrating the key role farmers and ranchers can play in addressing our environmental challenges.  In America, farmers and ranchers manage almost half the land and studies indicate that changes in agriculture practices, paired with the foresting of marginal agricultural lands, could offset up to 20% of current U.S. greenhouse gas emissions – on top of what agriculture has already done by becoming more efficient, according to the report.

The Stanford researchers also found what many other studies have confirmed:  that agriculture can be a cost effective solution to combating climate change.  As co-author Steven Davis states:

“When we look at the costs of the research and development that went into these improvements, we find that funding agricultural research ranks among the cheapest ways to prevent greenhouse gas emissions.”

Couple this with the findings of several recent studies that show farmers and ranchers have more to gain than lose from clean energy legislation and you understand why American Farmland Trust and our partners are focused on helping craft legislation that explicitly rewards farmers for taking steps to reduce carbon.  According to head Stanford researcher Lauren Burney:

“The striking thing is that all of these climate benefits were not the explicit intention of historical investments in agriculture. This was simply a side benefit of efforts to feed the world.  If climate policy intentionally rewarded these kinds of efforts, that could make an even bigger difference. The question going forward is how climate policy might be designed to achieve that.”

This report also helps underscore that recognizing all the benefits of the agricultural landscape is a great place to begin bringing everyone to the table as we seek to address the daunting challenges our world is facing in the form of a growing population and a changing climate.

About the Author: Jon Scholl is President of American Farmland Trust. Prior to AFT, he served as Counselor to the Administrator for Agriculture Policy at the United States Environmental Protection Agency. Jon and his family operate a corn and soybean farm in McLean County, Illinois.

At the start of the week, the White House released a report on childhood obesity titled, ‘Solving the Problem of Childhood Obesity in a Generation.’ The report claims that neither children nor adults are eating enough fruits and vegetables and calls to increase consumption of these foods by 70% by 2020.

Foxnews.com’s LiveTalks blog reported on the Rainville family, Vermont Dairy Farmers who may lose their land to the United States Government who says “it needs 4.9 acres of the family’s property to help protect national security.” Already losing money, the family claims this project will put the farm out of business.

As part of his America’s Great Outdoors initiative, President Obama has launched a national dialogue about conservation in America to learn about some of the smart, creative ways communities are conserving outdoor spaces.  Everyone is invited to add their ideas.

Stonyfield yogurt is hosting a “Barnstorming” blog contest to bring talented bloggers on a tour of the organic dairies that supply Stonyfield with milk for their yogurt. In addition, the winner will award $5,000 to the charity of their choice. The author of “On a Lobster Placemat” chose American Farmland Trust, so cast your vote for “On a Lobster Placemat” today!

The New York Times ran an interesting graphic showing Hewlitt-Packard’s design for a data center run on cow manure.

And the House Agriculture Committee continued its nation-wide series of hearings to Lubbock, TX, to review U.S. agriculture policy in advance of the 2012 Farm Bill.  They too are accepting comments and you can submit your ideas for the 2012 Farm Bill here.